Japan and Iran have kept a good relationship as resource-poor Japan relies heavily on imports of oil from the Middle EastTOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei later this month with Tokyo hoping to mediate between Washington and Tehran, a report said Sunday. According to the Mainichi Shimbun report, Abe's planned meeting with influential Khamenei will be the first such talks between a Japanese premier and Tehran's supreme leader. Abe will also meet Iran's president Hassan Rouhani before meeting Khamenei during his tour to Iran from June 12 to 14, the newspaper said, citing unnamed government sources. But last Monday in Tokyo, Trump offered assurances that he can live with the Islamic republic's government, whose toppling has long been a dream for Washington hardliners. "We're not looking for regime change," Trump said, explaining that he only cared about Iran not achieving nuclear power status.

Source: Bangkok Post June 02, 2019 04:41 UTC