Japan set to host Iran’s foreign minister

 The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, is set to visit Japan on Sunday. He is scheduled to meet his Japanese counterpart and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

During Abdollahian's visit to Tokyo, Japan would advise Iran to halt supplying weapons to Russia, as reported by TBS, citing numerous anonymous government officials. 

The West has repeatedly accused Iran of providing Russia with drones, missiles and other military hardware to use against Ukraine. The United States and other Western countries have claimed that Iranian military personnel were stationed in Crimea to help Russian forces in their war against Ukraine with Iranian drones. In reaction, the West imposed sanctions on Iran. 

Britain and France have also stated that sending drones to Russia amid the Ukraine war is a violation of Iran's obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal.

Amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the United States and other Western countries have supplied Ukraine with superior weapons and military equipment.

Recently, Hossein Amir Abdollahian went to Pakistan for a two-day visit at Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s invitation. It was the Iranian foreign minister’s first bilateral visit to Pakistan.

The FO said, “FM Abdollahian’s visit will be an opportunity for the two sides to discuss the entire range of bilateral ties.” 

On Thursday, the Iranian and Pakistani foreign ministers signed a five-year strategic plan for commercial cooperation. They also discussed various issues, including border security and exchange of prisoners. The Pakistani minister hailed the trip by Amir Abdollahian as “very beneficial.”

The Iranian minister also urged Pakistan to complete its part of a much-delayed gas pipeline between the two countries. He said in a televised news conference, “We do believe that the completion of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is definitely going to serve the national interests of our two countries.”