Tehran, Feb 17, IRNA � Advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ali Akbar Velyati said ties with Japan is a priority for Iranian foreign policy.

He made the remarks here on Wednesday in a meeting with special advisor to the Japanese premier Katsuyuki Kawai.

Velayati, who also chairs Strategic Studies Center affiliated to the Expediency Council, went on to express pleasure over resumption of good ties the two countries enjoyed in the past years but interrupted for a while due to sanctions.

Referring to the old-standing relations between the two countries which extend to pre-revolution years, he referred to a visit to Japan by a former Iranian parliament speaker in the past years and hoped that the present visit will serve the interests of both countries, too.

The Japanese official said he was visiting Iran upon the personal demand of the Japanese prime minister to do the preliminary things for his future visit to Iran.

By IRNA