TEHRAN — In an interview with Asharq al-Awsat, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has said that Tokyo intends to cooperate closely with Tehran and Riyadh to ease tensions in the West Asia region.

Motegi said that Japan was making efforts with Iran, which is included in his regional tour, to urge Tehran to “reduce tensions and work to stabilize the situation” in the West Asia region, pointing to six conversations he held with former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif directly and over the phone.

Motegi stressed that his country could openly exchange views with Iran by taking advantage of their long-standing and traditional friendship.

“For example, when former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Iran during the heightened tensions in the Middle East (West Asia), he directly urged Iran’s Leader (Ayatollah) Ali Khamenei to ease tensions and stabilize the situation. Since then, mutual communication continues at the level of leaders and foreign ministers, and since I assumed my position as foreign minister, I have had 6 conversations with the Iranian foreign minister, directly and by phone,” he said.

Japan intends to cooperate closely with the concerned countries, including Saudi Arabia and Iran, to actively contribute to easing tensions and stabilizing the situation in West Asia, taking advantage of its unique and special position, the minister concluded.

SA/PA