Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left Wednesday for a two-day visit to Tehran, saying he wants to have candid talks with the Iranian leadership to secure stability in the Middle East, in a high-stakes attempt to act as a mediator between Iran and the United States.

Axar.az reports citing AlJazeera.

Taking advantage of Tokyo's traditionally friendly ties with Tehran, Abe is set to hear opinions from Iranian leaders about the escalating standoff with the United States that has caused anxieties in the Middle East and beyond.

"There are concerns over rising tensions in the Middle East. While the situation attracts the attention of the international community, for peace and stability in the region, Japan wants to play a role as much as it can," Abe told reporters at Tokyo's Haneda airport before his departure.