Isolated Iran burns midnight oil to revive relations with Japan

Iran fulfills about 80 percent of petroleum oil requirements of Japan. Both the countries shared business and cultural relations since 7th century but the recent diplomatic ties date back to 1953 after they signed the treaty of San Francisco.

Amid tensions with neighboring Saudi Arab and increased sanctions by the US, the Iranian president Hassan Rouhani is most likely to visit Japan on December 19 . The visit was speculated after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe showed his willingness to mediate between Iran and the US.

Besides tussle with the US, the relations of Iran are also tensed with neighboring countries. On Tuesday, the Saudi Arabia's King Salman give a call to the regional forces to unite and confront against Iran. "Our region today is passing through Our region today is passing through circumstances and challenges that require concerted efforts to confront them as the Iranian regime continues its aggressive actions that threaten security and stability," said Salman in a Gulf Arab summit. The relations between Iran and the US went to its lowest during Donald Trump administration.

Iran is Japan's third largest supplies of petroleum products after Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also enjoys good personal and diplomatic relations with the US president Donald Trump. Iranian President on December 8, introduced a 'budget of resistance' amounting USD 39 billion to counter the sanctions imposed the US. Justifying the budget, Rouhani said the Islamic republic was facing a sharp economic slow and inflation had gone above 40 percent.

Abe had visited Iran in June 2019. This diplomatic position of Japan is being seen as a savior of the US – Iran relations and in improving relations with its neighbours.

Besides, the Japanese have more confidence in Iran than people in Islamic nations of the Middle East, China and Russia. According to survey conducted by BBC World Services poll in 2012, about 49 percent of Japanese expressed their desire to accept Iran as a nuclear arm nation to which the US has severe objections.