News Iran signals readiness to allow Japanese ships through Hormuz

[thomas]

Tehran is prepared to allow ships linked to Japan to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route through which about 93% of Japan's imported crude oil is transported, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview.

Talks with Japan are already underway. According to a transcript of his interview with Kyodo News posted on Telegram on Saturday, Araghchi said the issue was raised during a phone call last Tuesday with Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

In that conversation, Motegi expressed concern over the large number of Japanese-related ships stopped in the Persian Gulf and requested Iran "take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of all the vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, including those of Japan and other Asian countries," according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. The strait has effectively been closed amid the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, but Araghchi denied this was the case, according to the transcript. "In our opinion, the strait is open," he said. "It is closed only for ships belonging to our enemies, countries that attack us. For other countries, ships can pass through the strait." On the issue of vessels' safety, the top Iranian diplomat said that Iran is "ready to provide safe passage for them."

Iran ready to help passage of Japan ships in Strait of Hormuz: Araghchi

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran is ready to facilitate the passage of Japanese vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global energy shipments, and that negotiations with Japan on the issue are ongoing.

english.kyodonews.net

Iran prepared to let Japanese ships transit Hormuz, FM says

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said talks have already begun on the issue, as U.S. President Donald Trump again called for help from Tokyo and others in the key waterway.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[johnnyG]

Iran says it will allow Japanese ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz

Japan sources 90 percent of its crude from Middle East and is heavily dependent on exports transiting the key waterway.

www.aljazeera.com

I just saw that, too. I hope the most optimistic version of this is what becomes reality.