Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Amir Hatami on Thursday, to discuss issues relating to the killing of Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in a US attack, as well as safeguarding Japanese vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, media reported
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th January, 2020) Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Amir Hatami on Thursday, to discuss issues relating to the killing of Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in a US attack, as well as safeguarding Japanese vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, media reported.
According to the Kyodo news agency, Hatami and Kono spoke for the first time since October and discussed the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US. Earlier on Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated that Tokyo would make every effort to facilitate the de-escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Kono also notified Iran that a planned naval mission by the Self-Defense Forces due to take place in the Strait of Hormuz would still go ahead, the NHK broadcaster reported. Tokyo is seeking Iran's cooperation to ensure the safe passage of Japanese vessels, the broadcaster stated.
Tensions in the middle East have been heightened after Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of an Iraqi Shia militia group, were among those killed in the early hours of Friday by a US drone attack near Baghdad International Airport. Soleimani and al-Muhandis were blamed by Washington for organizing demonstrations at the US Embassy in Baghdad on December 31.
US President Donald Trump said the recent strikes were a preemptive, defensive move to prevent war, although later claimed that Washington has identified 52 further Iranian targets at which US forces are ready to strike. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani vowed that Tehran would retaliate against Washington and launched attacks on Wednesday against two US military bases in Iraq.
