Abe, the first sitting Japanese prime minister to visit Iran since Takeo Fukuda in 1978, will hold talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani later in the day.

IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK

Abe’s itinerary also includes a meeting with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today (Thursday). It will be the first time a Japanese prime minister has met with the supreme leader, who ultimately determines the country’s policy direction.

Before leaving Tokyo, Abe said he wants to have candid talks with the Iranian leaders, amid growing worries in the Middle East and beyond about the risk of conflict between Tehran and Washington.

“There are concerns over rising tensions in the Middle East. While the situation attracts the attention of the international community, for peace and stability in the region Japan wants to play a role as much as it can,” Abe told reporters at Tokyo’s Haneda airport before departing for a two-day visit to Tehran.

“To ease tensions, I’d like to have a frank exchange of views” by taking advantage of Tokyo’s traditionally friendly ties with Tehran, Abe said.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif held talks in Tehran a few hours before Abe’s arrival.

Abe’s symbolic visit comes as Washington has left the door open for dialogue despite its abrupt withdrawal last year from an international nuclear accord and the reinstating of economic sanctions. Japan is not a member of the deal but has been a supporter.

The trip gives Abe a rare opportunity to raise his diplomatic profile ahead of a Group of 20 summit in Japan on June 28 and 29 before an election for the upper house this summer.

The challenges for Abe appear to be manifold, including smoothing the way for potential dialogue between Iran and the United States, Japan’s longtime security ally, by helping bridge the rift between them.

But Abe would not simply be a mediator, Japanese officials say, as Tokyo’s aim is to ensure stability in the Middle East, a critical factor for resource-scarce Japan. Iran had long been one of the major oil exporters until the United States ended its sanctions waivers granted to Iranian crude buyers.

Meanwhile Reuters quoted some Iranian officials that Iran is to ask Japan to mediate between Tehran and Washington to ease oil sanctions imposed by the United States.

“Japan can help easing the ongoing tension between Iran and America … as a goodwill gesture, America should either lift the unjust oil sanctions or extend the waivers or suspend them,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters.

Another official said “Mr. Abe can be a great mediator to facilitate that.”

On a four-day visit to Japan last month, U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Abe’s help in dealing with Iran.