Japan calls for dialogue to de-escalate tensions in Middle East

Japan on Tuesday urged nations in the Middle East through enhanced dialogue to do their utmost to ensure tensions do not continue to escalate, as suspended diplomatic and trade ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran have sent geopolitical jitters around the globe.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, highlighting resource-poor Japan's hefty dependence on the Middle East for oil, told a news conference that concerns were growing here about stability in the Middle East region and called for all nations at odds with each other to seek to calm through dialogue.

"Our country is concerned about deterioration in relations between some Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, and Iran," Suga said.

"For the sake of stability in the Middle East region, we would like to call on all parties involved to exercise restraint, de-escalate the situation through dialogue and resolve the issue peacefully," said Japan's top government spokesperson.

Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia became inflamed following the latter's execution of a Shia cleric.

Following Iranian protestors attacking Saudi Arabia's Embassy in Tehran, Saudi Arabia having heard from Iran that it plans to "erase" the nation from the history books, said it will cease trade along with diplomatic links with Iran.

Concerns are rife, as have been pointed out by analysts here, that if the situation is allowed to escalate further, sectarian disputes in the region could rise to a fever pitch and further destabilize the entire region. Endit