Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arghchi declared to Japanese agency Kyodo News that his country has not closed the strait and that it remains open.

According to him, Iran imposes restrictions on countries that attack it, but is willing to offer assistance to others, as in Japan's case. Hormuz Strait is a strategic route for global oil supply, through which much of Japan's oil imports are passed, which largely depends on the Middle East for its energy supplies.

Japan has started using its strategic oil reserves to cope with the impact of the crisis and the rising prices, while the International Energy Agency member states have agreed to use emergency reserves to stabilise the global oil market in conditions of the Middle East conflict.