Iranian official warns Korea's Hormuz deployment would mean joining war
An Iranian woman walks next to an anti-U.S. mural on a street in Tehran, Iran, Jun. 10. Reuters-Yonhap
A senior Iranian official has warned South Korea against deploying military assets to the Strait of Hormuz, saying any action against Iran would be considered direct participation in the war.
“Any South Korean involvement against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz would amount to direct military participation in the aggression and war against Iran,” the unnamed senior political and security official was quoted as saying by Al Mayadeen, a Lebanon-based news network aligned with Iran and Hezbollah, on Friday.
The official also urged Seoul not to “sacrifice its interests and reputation” by supporting U.S. military operations.
The warning comes as South Korea weighs a possible contribution to efforts to secure the key waterway amid growing pressure from Washington. Seoul said Friday that no decision has been made.
A senior U.S. administration official said Washington was “still waiting for South Korea to deploy resources to the region,” noting that the country is one of the largest buyers of Middle Eastern oil, media outlets reported Friday.