The Iranian Foreign Ministry has warned South Korea against any military deployment or participation in US operations in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that such an initiative would have “serious consequences”, reported Agence France-Presse and Reuters, quoted by BTA.
On Friday, Seoul said it was considering making its “contribution” to ensuring the safety of shipping in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which has been disrupted since the start of the war in late February between the United States and Iran. South Korea, however, said no decision had been made and that any participation would depend on preserving its own defense capabilities.
Today, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei urged Seoul not to give in to “American pressure and intimidation.”
“Any military deployment or participation by other countries in operations in the Persian Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz can only be seen as direct support for the country responsible for this aggression and will have serious consequences,” he wrote in Ex.
Since the start of the war, traffic there has been almost paralyzed, disrupting global energy markets and driving up crude oil prices. Iran is now requiring ships to obtain permission to pass through the strait — a measure strongly rejected by Washington and several countries in the region. Tehran, for its part, says there will be no return to the free navigation regime that existed before the war.
In addition, Baghaei said that Iran would respond if the UN Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopts a resolution aimed at Tehran. He stressed that European countries trying to get the UN body to adopt a resolution against Iran are acting "irrationally" because the war with the United States has made nuclear sites inaccessible, Reuters notes.