Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pressed Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian to guarantee free and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz without imposing additional charges, during a 20-minute telephone call on Tuesday — their fourth conversation since U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran began in late February.
Takaichi called on Iran to consult carefully with the international community, including strait-user nations, and expressed deep concern over the situation in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, urging Tehran to press Yemen's Houthi movement to exercise restraint. She also stressed the need for an early final agreement with the United States, including on nuclear issues, referencing the Islamabad Memorandum. Pezeshkian said Iran was engaging with Oman on Hormuz matters and dialoguing with Saudi Arabia on Bab al-Mandeb.
Takaichi additionally requested a swift resolution to the case of a Japanese national, believed to be an NHK Tehran bureau chief, who was released on bail in April.