Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya has told his Iranian counterpart Seyyed Abbas Araghchi that all parties must exercise"utmost restraint" amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

During their phone talks Monday, Iwaya said any action that could further escalate the situation should be refrained from, adding he is"deeply concerned about the current exchange of attacks spreading throughout the Middle East region," the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

Araghchi explained Tehran's position to Iwaya and vowed to cooperate on protecting Japanese nationals in Iran. The ministers agreed the two countries would continue close bilateral communication on various levels toward peace and stability in the area, according to the ministry.

On Friday, Israel said it had attacked nuclear and military targets in Iran, triggering retaliatory strikes by Tehran. Highly dependent on crude oil imports from the Middle East, Japan has traditionally maintained friendly relations with Iran.