Tokyo, Aug 10 (IANS) Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held a telephonic conversation with Oman Sultan Haitham bin Tariq on Monday and called for restoring free and safe navigation with no additional costs in the Strait of Hormuz at the earliest.
During the conversation, Takaichi called it important to de-escalate the situation surrounding Israel and expressed Japan’s willingness to make every effort to foster the environment for it. The two leaders spoke for approximately 20 minutes.
“At 5:00 p.m. today, I held a telephone conversation with Sultan Haitham of Oman — our second since April — to discuss the latest situation in the Middle East. I emphasised that, as the situation surrounding Iran reaches a critical juncture, it is crucial to achieve a de-escalation as soon as possible and to steadily resolve various issues — including the nuclear issue — in accordance with the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran; I also stated that Japan would continue to exert every diplomatic effort to foster the necessary environment for this,” Takaichi posted on X.
During the talks, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq shared details about the current status of Oman’s talks with Iran. Takaichi expressed Japan’s readiness to work with Oman towards peace and stability in the region, including the Strait of Hormuz.
“Furthermore, I stated that it is crucial to restore ‘free and safe navigation without additional costs’ in the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible, and that to achieve this, it is necessary to engage in thorough discussions with the international community, including countries that utilise the Strait. In response, Sultan Haitham explained the current status of consultations with Iran and outlined Oman’s position,” Takaichi wrote.
“Assurances were given that consultations regarding the Strait of Hormuz would be held with nations that utilise the strait, and a commitment was expressed to respect the views of the respective countries. We intend to continue working closely with Oman toward peace and stability in the region, including the Strait of Hormuz,” she added.
The talks between the two leaders come as negotiations between the US and Iran over reopening the Strait of Hormuz have remained at a stalemate.
The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, carrying oil and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports from major Gulf producers to international markets.
–IANS
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