Iran is ready to allow Japanese-owned ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a sea route of strategic importance, according to Kyodo news agency quoting Iranian diplomatic chief Abbas Araghchi.
Tehran has initiated talks with Tokyo on the issue, Araghchi told Kyodo in a telephone conversation yesterday, Friday.
Japan is heavily dependent on the Middle East for its energy supply, as it gets about 90% of its oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has de facto blocked due to the war.
The rally in oil prices caused by the war in the Middle East has forced Japan and several countries to release some of their strategic reserves.
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