Iran Press/Asia: Prior to his departure from Tokyo's Haneda airport, Abe said he wanted to exchange candid views while in Iran and help ease rising tensions.
"To ease tensions, I'd like to have a frank exchange of views," Abe told reporters at the airport, according to a Xinhua report.
During his visit, Abe is slated to meet with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
US President Donald Trump withdrawal from 2015 deal and re-imposing suspended sanctions and imposing new sanctions against Iran, leading to a backlash from Tehran, eventually opting to suspend some of its commitments under the deal on the first anniversary of US withdrawal from JCPOA.
The Japanese prime minister believes he can help lower tensions in the region as Japan has friendly ties with both Washington and Tehran.
Abe's high-stakes, yet symbolic visit to Iran will mark the first visit by a Japanese prime minister to Iran since Takeo Fukuda in 1978. 205/211/213
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Mohammad Javad Zarif and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met in Tokyo on 16 May.
Abe garnered the support of Trump to try and help mediate the situation with Iran while the US President was in Tokyo for a state visit recently.
Last month, Japan formally expressed its concern over the mounting tensions in the Persian Gulf in hastily convened talks in Tokyo held between Abe and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Abe, at the time, said the issue was becoming increasingly more tense, but maintained that Japan wanted to continue to develop amicable ties with Iran.
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