Abe's mission not yet accomplished as U.S.-Iran hurdles remain high

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has embarked on an ambitious endeavor to play the role of international mediator in the hope of charting a course for dialogue between Tehran and Washington.As the first Japanese prime minister to visit Iran since 1978, Abe received assurances from President Hassan Rouhani that the oil-rich nation does not want war with the United States -- a welcome relief for resource-poor Japan.Abe stressed that Japan is an old friend of Iran, in an apparent effort to convince Iran that it is not a mere messenger for U.S. President Donald Trump."The words I say to the p…READ FULL ARTICLE