Japan Officially Denies Paying Iran to Facilitate the Passage of Its Tanker Through the Strait of Hormuz

The Japanese government has refuted reports suggesting it provided financial compensation to Tehran to allow its oil tanker, the "Idemitsu Maru," to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Japanese government circles indicated that the tanker's passage was the fruit of intensive bilateral dialogues between Tokyo and Tehran, devoid of any financial obligations. It is noteworthy that the tanker, owned by "Idemitsu Kosan" and carrying two million barrels of oil, had been anchored off the Saudi coast since late February due to security risks, following Iran's announcement of the strait's closure amid regional tensions, before later allowing the passage of allied nations' ships.