Japan raises doubts over sending minesweeping ships to the Strait of Hormuz

Japanese authorities have expressed reservations about deploying minesweeping vessels to the Strait of Hormuz amid uncertainty following inconclusive US-Iran negotiations.

Japanese government officials voiced hopes for continued dialogue after talks between the United States and Iran failed to reach an agreement on ending hostilities, Caliber.Az reports, citing Japanese media.

A government source said it was regrettable that no agreement had been reached this time, but that backchannel contacts were likely to continue.

A senior official from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that a quick conclusion to the negotiations had not been expected from the outset, adding hopes for further rounds of consultations.

Another official, commenting on remarks by Donald Trump that Iran had not exited the negotiation process, made it clear that the likelihood of a rapid resumption of US strikes on Iran was low.

Regarding the potential deployment of ships from the Japan Self-Defence Forces for mine-clearing operations amid concerns that Iran could lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a government source said it could not be said that hostilities had already ended, and that, in the current situation, such measures would be difficult.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov