Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated that Tehran is prepared to assist Japanese ships in transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil supplies.

This was revealed in an interview with Kyodo News published on Saturday.

Japan heavily relies on crude oil imports from the Middle East, with the majority passing through the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.

Amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, the strait has been effectively closed in retaliation, forcing dependent countries to seek alternative routes and draw on reserves.

In a telephone interview with Kyodo News on Friday, Araghchi denied that the strait was fully closed. He emphasized that restrictions apply only to countries attacking Iran, while assistance is offered to others.

“We have not closed this strait. From our perspective, the strait is open,” Araghchi said according to a Farsi transcript of the interview posted on his Telegram channel.

“It is only closed to ships belonging to our enemies — countries that attack us. For other countries, (their) vessels can pass through the strait.”

He further stated that Iran is ready to ensure safe passage for Japanese vessels. “They only need to contact us so we can discuss how this transit can take place,” Araghchi added.

Japan ranks as the world’s fourth-largest economy and the fifth-biggest oil importer. Approximately 95 percent of its oil originates from the Middle East, with 70 percent transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

On Monday, Tokyo announced the start of releasing its strategic oil reserves, which rank among the world’s largest and cover the equivalent of 254 days of domestic consumption.

On March 11, members of the International Energy Agency agreed to tap into oil stockpiles. This marked the largest-ever coordinated response to cushion the surge in prices triggered by the war in the Middle East.