Today, at 4:20 p.m., I held the fourth telephone meeting with Iranian President Pezeshkian, taking into account the latest situation in the Middle East.
From my side, I noted the importance of promptly de-escalating the current military tensions and calming the situation as soon as possible, given that Iran continues to engage in exchanges with relevant countries toward the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, at a critical juncture in the situation surrounding the strait. I also conveyed Japan’s position that the United States and Iran need to conduct consultations in line with the memorandum and reach a final agreement at an early date, including on the nuclear issue, and stated my strong expectation that “de-escalation of the situation through diplomacy” will be realized at an early stage.
Furthermore, regarding the Strait of Hormuz, I emphasized the importance of “free and safe navigation without additional costs,” and called for solid discussions with the international community, including countries that use the strait. In addition, from the perspective of energy security, I conveyed concerns about the current situation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and urged strong efforts to call on the Houthis to exercise restraint.
In addition, regarding the protection of Japanese nationals, I once again requested the early resolution of the issue concerning one Japanese national who was detained in Iran and released on bail in April.
In response, President Pezeshkian provided an explanation of Iran’s thinking, including the current status and future outlook of exchanges with Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz. Regarding the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, he explained that efforts are being made to resolve the issue while engaging in dialogue with Saudi Arabia as well.
In the future as well, we will continue close communication with Iran.
: Sanae Takaichi
Prime Minister of Japan