“Foreign Minister Taro Kono will also travel to Iran for talks with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, prior to Abe’s arrival," a Japanese government source told Kyodo News Agency.

According to IRNA it added: “Abe’s trip comes as the countries celebrate their 90th year of diplomatic relations.”

Abe's visit to Tehran will be the first visit to Iran by a Japanese leader over the past four decades.

During his 3-day visit, the Japanese prime minister hopes to play a mediating role between Iran and the US to deescalate the tensions between the two countries, Kyodo news agency reported.

Abe is scheduled to meet with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani.

During a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump in Tokyo in late May, the Japanese premier said he would make efforts to facilitate dialogue between Tehran and Washington. His offer was welcomed by the US president.

The US president unilaterally withdrew from a multilateral nuclear deal with Iran on May 8, 2018, re-imposing two rounds of sanctions on the country the second of which targeted Tehran’s oil exports.

Exactly a year later, Iran announced it would suspend some of its commitments under the deal in reaction to the US hostile measures.

Reporter’s code: 50101