Iran warns South Korea against involvement in Strait of Hormuz

Iran has warned South Korea not to maintain a military presence or take part in activities in the Strait of Hormuz, as pressure grows on Seoul to help protect shipping through the strategic waterway.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei issued the warning on September 7 in a post on X, according to Xinhua. He spoke after South Korea said on September 4 that it was considering several options, including military measures, to support “freedom of navigation” in the strait.

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In the context of the Iranian people firmly responding to US actions targeting women and children, any other country that maintains a military presence or participates in activities in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz can only be seen as directly supporting the aggressors. This will lead to serious consequences.

Baghaei said Iran and South Korea had more than 64 years of relations and that ties were developing on the basis of mutual respect. He stressed that Iran valued its friendship with South Korea. But he also said Iranians were defending themselves against what he called US “aggressive actions.”

“In the context of the Iranian people firmly responding to US actions targeting women and children, any other country that maintains a military presence or participates in activities in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz can only be seen as directly supporting the aggressors. This will lead to serious consequences,” Baghaei warned.

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wide open

In another post, Baghaei said the Strait of Hormuz had remained “wide open” until February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel began attacking Iran. He accused Washington of launching an “illegal and brutal war in the region” that disrupted normal commercial shipping, halted oil tanker operations, disrupted trade and sharply increased energy prices. The article said Tehran subsequently restricted vessel activity through the strait, while the US military imposed a naval blockade on ships moving into and out of Iranian ports and coastal areas.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said on September 7 that Seoul remained in close contact with relevant countries and the international community to help ensure that all vessels could pass freely through the strait, Yonhap reported. South Korean media also cited Iranian scholar Mohammad Marandi as warning that Tehran could regard Seoul as an enemy and target South Korean assets in the region if Seoul joined the US-led navigation effort.

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illegal and brutal war in the region