Iran warns South Korea against military involvement in the Strait of Hormuz

Tehran (ANTARA) - Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei has warned South Korea against becoming militarily involved in operations launched by its allies in the Strait of Hormuz.

Baghaei conveyed this in a post on the social media platform X on Monday (7/9), in response to a statement by Seoul three days earlier that it was reviewing various options, including military measures, to support “freedom of navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz.

Baghaei reminded that Iran and South Korea share a history spanning more than 64 years. Bilateral relations between the two countries, he wrote, have developed consistently on the basis of mutual respect, and Iran values its friendship with South Korea.

Baghaei reiterated that the Iranian people are currently acting in self-defence against the “aggressive conduct” of the United States.

“At a time when the Iranian people are responding firmly to American war crimes against women and children, any country that maintains a military presence or participates in operations in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz can only be regarded as providing direct support to the perpetrators of aggression, and this will lead to serious consequences,” Baghaei wrote.

In another post on X on Monday (7/9), Baghaei said the Strait of Hormuz had always been “wide open” until 28 February, and everything changed the moment the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran.

He said Washington had “waged an unlawful and brutal war in the region and disrupted the normal flow of commercial shipping,” causing tankers to be halted, trade disruption, and a surge in energy prices.

After the US and Israel launched war against Iran, Tehran restricted shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, whilst US forces imposed a naval blockade targeting vessels bound for or departing from Iranian ports and coastal areas.

Translator: Xinhua