“Iran and Japan have had long-lasting friendly relations,” Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani told Chuichi Date, president of the House of Councilors, which is the upper house of Japan’s two-chamber parliament, ICANA reported.
Larijani thanked Date for his country’s support for the Iran nuclear deal and said practical measures should be taken by both sides to expand ties.
“Some countries are seeking to weaken Tehran’s relationship with Tokyo but they should not be allowed to achieve their goals,” he said, without mentioning any country by name, according to Financial Tribune.
Washington has been pushing governments to cut imports of Iranian oil to zero following US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal. However, fearing a price spike, it granted Iran’s biggest buyers—Japan, China, India, South Korea, Italy, Greece, Taiwan and Turkey—temporary sanctions waivers.
The Iranian Parliament speaker encouraged Japanese companies to invest in the Islamic Republic, stressing that there is great potential for investment in oil, gas, petrochemical and pharmaceutical fields.
The senior Japanese lawmaker hailed President Hassan Rouhani’s pursuit of constructive engagement with the international community and reiterated Japan’s support for the nuclear accord.
“The two nations should increase their collaboration on political, economic and cultural issues,” Date said, expressing hope that Larijani’s trip will provide an opportunity for exploring new avenues of cooperation.