Toshimitsu Motegi (L) and Mohammad Javad Zarif (R). (Image via IRNA English)

Japan asks Iran to stick to JCPOA

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Politics & Economic
International
Feb 16, 2020
1509
During the Munich Security Conference, Japanese Foreign Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, asked Iran to adhere to the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal and be the key player in assuring the peace in the Middle East region.

On the sidelines of the conference, Motegi met his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif. The Japanese Foreign Minister vowed to keep struggling to ease tensions in the Middle East as Japan is the mediator between both of its allies, the United States (U.S) and Iran. Moreover, Japan relies on the Middle East as 90 percent of its crude oil imports come from the region.

Zarif expressed gratitude toward Japan’s diplomatic efforts and said that Iran is not seeking any escalation in tension. Motegi pointed out that by adhering to the 2015 JCPOA, Iran will be freed of the economic sanctions imposed by the U.S.

As the tension is rising, Japan has dispatched its Self-Defense Force (SDF) to the Persian Gulf to protect commercial shipping and gather intelligence. However, Japan is not joining the U.S-led coalition to not offend Iran and satisfy the U.S as well.

The tension rose to its highest in the Middle East since the President of the U.S, Donald Trump, decided to withdraw from the JCPOA in 2018 and imposed economic sanctions on Iran instead. Since then, Iran threatened the world by keep producing uranium.

Especially, in January 2020, the top Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani, was killed in a drone strike by the U.S. Iran avenged the general by firing missiles at an Iraqi base housing the U.S soldiers.

Source: https://bit.ly/2UWo0s6

Politics , International , Military , Tension , Conflict , Nuclear , Asia , Japan , Middle-East , Iran , JCPOA , U.S