Japanese premier emphasizes de-escalation as US-Iran ceasefire holds

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday stressed the need for de-escalation as the two-week US-Iran ceasefire continues to hold, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Her remarks came during a phone call with Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, the statement noted.

"Although the US-Iran talks held last weekend did not reach an agreement, what matters most is that de-escalation, including ensuring the safety of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, is steadily achieved, and that a final agreement is reached promptly through diplomatic means," she said.

She also stressed that restoring the stabilization of the Strait of Hormuz, is "urgently needed, and that it is essential to ensure the freedom and safety of navigation as soon as possible for all vessels, including those of Japan and other Asian countries."

Sultan Haitham, in turn, emphasized the importance of resolving issues through diplomatic means.

Washington and Tehran held talks -- the most significant since 1979 when they broke diplomatic ties -- in Pakistan's capital over the weekend, as part of broader efforts to end the US-Israeli offensive on Iran that has killed more than 3,300 people since Feb. 28, before a fragile two-week ceasefire was brokered last week.

The talks, however, remained inconclusive. The ceasefire was mediated and announced by Pakistan on April 8.

Later, US President Donald Trump announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which took effect at 1400GMT on Monday.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said efforts were underway to "resolve pending issues" between the US and Iran.