Japan warns against military confrontation with Iran, says ‘it will harm stability’

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warned against military confrontation with Iran saying it will harm peace and stability across the world. Abe is on a five-day visit to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, starting January 11 amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

There were apprehensions about Abe’s scheduled visit to the Middle East countries after Iran attacked military bases in Iraq that housed US troops following its top military commander Qassem Soleimani’s death. But the Japanese leader decided to go ahead with the scheduled visit amid regional crisis and met Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. In an hour-long meeting on January 12, Abe discussed the regional tension with the Crown Prince.

Read: Japan's Abe Meets Saudi King Amid Threats In Persian Gulf

Calls upon countries to defuse tensions

According to Abe’s spokesperson Masato Ohtaka, the Japanese Prime Minister reportedly said that any military confrontation in the region that includes a country like Iran will have an effect not only on peace and stability in the region but the peace and stability of the whole world. He has called upon all relevant countries to engage in diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions.

Japan has been walking a diplomatic tightrope after the US-Iran relations worsened following the recent developments and clarified that it will not join a US-led coalition in the region. According to media reports, Tokyo will deploy warship and reconnaissance aircraft to protect its maritime interest in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Read: Japan PM Shinzo Abe To Visit Middle East Despite Ongoing US-Iran Tensions

“In this visit, as the situation in the Middle East increases in tension, we will exchange views with the three countries that will play an important role in mitigating regional tensions and stabilizing the situation as part of diplomatic efforts to avoid further escalation of the situation,” Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihida had said ahead of the visit.

Iran has been giving mixed signals after US President Donald Trump called for peace in the region claiming no American lives were lost in the attack. Iran envoy to the UN, Majid Takht Ravanchi, had said that Trump administration is reluctant to hold dialogue. Ravanchi claimed that though the US President has offered cooperation, the administration is going to intensify the sanctions on Iran.

Read: Japan Urges The US To Show Restraint In MidEast

Read: Japan Continues To Seek Carlos Ghosn In Lebanon

(With inputs from agencies)