Iran warns South Korea: Hormuz deployment amounts to ‘direct' support for US

Iran has warned South Korea against any military participation in the Persian Gulf operations and the Strait of Hormuz, saying such involvement would amount to “direct” support for the US and lead to serious consequences. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei issued the warning in a post in Korean on his X account on Monday amid reports that South Korea is flirting with the idea of deploying military assets to the Persian Gulf. He said Iran and South Korea have maintained relations for more than 64 years and have consistently developed ties on the basis of mutual respect. He added that Tehran attaches great importance to its friendly ties with Seoul. He noted that the Iranian nation is currently defending itself against acts of aggression and responding decisively to US war crimes against women and children. Under the current circumstances, it is clear that any operational participation or military presence by other parties in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz will constitute direct support for the aggressor and will have serious consequences, the Iranian spokesperson emphasized. He further said that no sovereign and responsible country would succumb to US pressure and blackmail to cooperate with the US in its acts of aggression and heinous crimes against the Iranian nation. “No sovereign and responsible country will submit to US pressure and blackmail to collude in committing acts of aggression and heinous crimes against the great Iranian nation,” Baghaei pointed out. South Korea flirts with Hormuz deployment under growing US pressure South Korea has not made a final decision on deploying military forces to the Strait of Hormuz, says an official from the country’s presidential office. A senior official from the South Korean presidential office said on Friday that no final decision has been made on whether the country will deploy military forces to the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that Seoul is still reviewing its available options. The unnamed official said any involvement in the American aggression could be managed within limits that would not compromise South Korea’s military readiness, Yonhap News Agency reported. Iran has repeatedly warned countries against getting involved in US military adventurism, particularly those that could facilitate or support American military operations against the Islamic Republic.