Japan PM Abe starts visit to Iran tomorrow

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Iran on June 12-14 and hold talks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani, Japan’s top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.

He noted that Abe will be the first Japanese sitting prime minister to visit Iran in 41 years.

According to Suga, Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump had spoken on the telephone earlier today to discuss Iran, among other topics.

On a four-day visit to Japan late last month, Trump welcomed Abe’s help in dealing with Iran after public broadcaster NHK had said Japan’s leader was considering a trip to Tehran.