Iran has warned South Korea that any military presence or operational involvement in the Persian Gulf or Strait of Hormuz would be treated as direct support for the “aggressor” and could bring “serious consequences”, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei issued the warning on 7 September in a Korean-language statement as Seoul considered possible military and practical measures to support freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Baqaei said participation by foreign forces in operations in the Persian Gulf or Strait of Hormuz would amount to direct support for the party Tehran holds responsible for the current confrontation. He later said Iran had contacted the relevant South Korean authorities through its embassy in Seoul.
South Korea had not decided as of 7 September to deploy military forces or assets to the Strait of Hormuz. The country’s Ministry of National Defense said Seoul was discussing practical ways of contributing to freedom of navigation and stability in the Middle East with the US and other countries, including the UK and France, but no specific measures had been approved.
On 1 September, the ministry said the government was examining practical and military forms of contribution while taking into account military readiness on the Korean Peninsula and domestic legal procedures. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said on 7 September that Seoul was maintaining communication with relevant countries and the international community over efforts to ensure free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, including for South Korean vessels.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key route for international oil and LNG shipments, making any change in security conditions around the waterway directly relevant to commercial shipping and energy trades. Iran and South Korea have maintained diplomatic relations for more than 64 years. Baqaei referred to that relationship when issuing the warning, while Seoul continued to keep diplomatic channels with Tehran open as it considered its response over navigation through the strait.