Abe on Tehran mission to ease Iran-US tensions

Tehran, June 12 

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran on Wednesday during a rare diplomatic mission aimed at defusing tensions between the Islamic republic and Tokyo's ally Washington.

Abe was received by Rouhani at the Sadabad presidential palace. He is expected to meet supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Thursday.

Addressing a cabinet meeting ahead of the visit, Rouhani said Iran's leaders and people were united in their view that "the main culprit is America. Not a single individual doubts it." 

Tehran is locked in a bitter standoff with Washington after US President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal in May last year. Washington has since reimposed crippling unilateral sanctions-which have forced Japan to halt its once-substantial purchases of Iranian oil-and launched a military build-up in the Gulf. — AFP