Japan seeks summit with Iran as Hormuz tensions escalate

The Japanese government is arranging summit-level talks with Iran, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on April 6, as tensions in the Middle East intensify ahead of a U.S. deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

"We are preparing for a dialogue at the leadership level at an appropriate time," Takaichi told a parliamentary committee when asked by an opposition lawmaker about Japan's diplomatic efforts regarding the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

"Japan will make every effort possible to restore peace," said Takaichi, without mentioning the name of the Iranian leader she is considering holding talks with.

Japan depends heavily on Middle Eastern energy supplies, with more than 90 per cent of its crude oil imports sourced from the region. Most shipments transit the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint for global oil flows that Iran has effectively closed, heightening supply concerns and pushing prices higher.

U.S. President Donald Trump has extended a pause on threatened attacks against Iran’s energy infrastructure, delaying the deadline for Tehran to reopen the strait from April 6 to April 7.

In an interview on April 5 with The Wall Street Journal, Trump was quoted as saying, "If they don't come through, if they want to keep it closed, they're going to lose every power plant and every other plant they have in the whole country."

He also posted on social media platform without providing an explanation: "Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!"

Japan, a close U.S. ally that has traditionally maintained amicable ties with Iran, has condemned Tehran’s de facto blockade of the strait as well as its attacks on other Middle Eastern states in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes.

By Sabina Mammadli