Japan and Iran expressed Wednesday serious concern over the current deteriorating situation in the Middle East, affirming the importance of peace and stability in the region. In their 30-minute telephone conversation, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and her Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi confirmed to continue to maintain communication between the two countries based on their traditional friendly relationship, Japan's Foreign Ministry said. Kamikawa expressed serious concern over the current situation in the Middle East and urged Iran to exercise restraint, saying, "Escalation of the situation would not be in the interest of the region or the international community as a whole, and that every effort should be made to avoid further tensions." Source: Kuwait News Agency