Sapporo Holdings suspended exports of its Pokka brand of beverages to the Middle East as escalating tensions involving Iran heighten concerns about demand.

Rising raw material costs, including aluminum, reduced first-quarter profit by about ¥1 billion ($6.33 million), a company spokesperson said Thursday, although those pressures have so far been absorbed through price revisions.

Pokka, Sapporo’s flagship soft-drinks brand, is central to its overseas beverages business, with a strong footprint in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Its product line-up includes tea, coffee and sports drinks.

Sapporo expects shipments in the region to resume in October or later, though it cautioned that the outlook remains uncertain.…