As Japan's premier visits Tehran, here's what you need to know about US-Iran tensions
Tensions have been brewing between the U.S. and Iran since Iran's Islamic Revolution four decades ago, but the situation reached a boiling point last month after the U.S. claimed an increased threat from Iran, a year after pulling out of a multi-nation nuclear treaty with Tehran.
The rhetoric has simmered, and both sides have insisted they do not seek war. But concerns remain that the situation could quickly change and shoot past the boiling point.
One reason for continued worries is that Iran and the U.S. don't have any direct line of communication. It's become a national security dilemma that's left both sides vulnerable to misinterpreting each other's actions.
On Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe traveled to Tehran - the first time a sitting Japanese premier has visited the country
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