Iran warns South Korea over possible Hormuz mission

Iran has warned South Korea not to give in to US pressure after Seoul said it was considering taking part in efforts to secure the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

South Korea said Friday that it was weighing involvement on the condition that its own military readiness would not suffer. It stressed that no decision had been made. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei urged Seoul not to submit to what he called "US pressure and intimidation."

"Any deployment of other countries' military forces or participation in operations in the Persian Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz can only be regarded as direct support for the country responsible for that aggression and will have serious consequences," Baqaei wrote on X.

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US pressure and intimidation

Iran and the United States continue to exchange attacks in and around the strait, even after an intensive initial bombing campaign ended with a ceasefire announced in April. Talks between the two rivals over control of the waterway have stalled.

The strait normally carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports. Since the war began, traffic through the route has been practically halted, disrupting global energy markets. Despite objections from Washington and several other regional countries, Iran has demanded that ships obtain permission to pass through its waters and says it will not restore the prewar system of unrestricted navigation.

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Any deployment of other countries' military forces or participation in operations in the Persian Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz can only be regarded as direct support for the country responsible for that aggression and will have serious consequences.