Iran’s Foreign Ministry:

Imminent Visit by PM Abe to Tehran ‘Far From Reality’

Date: 24 May 2019 - 22:03

News ID: ۶۶۳۵۰

TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Friday dismissed reports of an imminent visit to Tehran by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as "far from reality”, saying the trip will take place at an "appropriate time”.
Japan’s NHK national television said ealier Friday Abe was considering visiting Iran as early as mid-June, the first such trip in four decades.
Japan has been a major buyer of Iranian oil for decades. The report on plans for a visit by Abe came a week after Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif visited Japan and met the prime minister and Foreign Minister Taro Kono.
NHK said Abe was likely to discuss his plan for a Tehran visit with U.S. President Donald Trump when the latter visits Japan from Saturday, and that a final decision might rest on the results of that.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi was quoted as saying that President Hassan Rouhani had invited Abe to Tehran "a while ago, and he replied he will visit at an appropriate time.
"Some published reports are far from reality and have no credibility,” Mousavi added.
Asked about the state of preparations for such a visit, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also denied the NHK report.
"Our country has traditionally had friendly relations with Iran,” he said, adding that Japan hoped to be able to contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East.
Mousavi said, "Iran and Japan have had a historic and friendly relationship, and there has always been dialogue and consultations between officials of the two countries.”
No Japanese prime minister has visited Tehran since 1978, not long before the Shah of Iran was toppled by the Islamic Revolution.
During his visit to Japan, Zarif said Iran was committed to its obligations under the international nuclear deal despite the U.S. withdrawal from the landmark agreement. He called the reimposition of U.S. sanctions "unacceptable”.
Meanwhile, Oman’s Foreign Ministry said it was working to "ease the tensions” between Iran and the U.S.
The ministry in a series of tweets on Friday morning attributed the comments to Yusuf bin Alawi, the sultanate’s minister of state for foreign affairs, and cited an interview in Asharq Al-Wasat, the London-based newspaper owned by a Saudi media group long associated with the Al Saud royal family.
In the interview, bin Alawi warns war "could harm the entire world if it breaks out.” He did not confirm any current Omani mediation but said both the U.S. and Iran realized the gravity of the situation.
Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Said spoke last week by telephone with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.