US sanctions reduce Iran-Japan trade by almost 80 percent: Ambassador

Japan’s Ambassador to Tehran Aikawa Kazutoshi says sanctions imposed by the United States have reduced bilateral trade between Tehran and Tokyo by almost 80 percent in the past several years.

Ambassador Kazutoshi told ISNA on Wednesday that bilateral trade between the two countries had fallen from almost one billion dollars several years ago to less than 200 million dollars currently as a result of the sanctions imposed by the United States.

The Japanese diplomat said that the two countries however continued to cooperate closely in such areas as health and natural disaster containment.

The United States has imposed numerous sanctions on Iran, including ones that target its trade with third countries, since 2018, when the then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from a multilateral nuclear deal with Iran, JCPOA. While incumbent Joe Biden has expressed willingness to return to the deal, he has kept all the sanctions in place.

Asked whether a new date had been set for a visit to Japan by Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, which was recently postponed, Ambassador Kazutoshi said the Iranian administration had to be contacted for information about a rescheduling but added that Tokyo welcomed visits by Iranian officials.

He also said that Japanese delegates had recently visited Iran and met with Iranian officials.

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