Arya News Agency -TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has issued a stern warning to South Korea, cautioning that any operational or military involvement by third parties in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz would be construed as direct complicity with what Tehran describes as U.S. acts of aggression and war crimes against the Iranian people.
In a post on the social media platform X, written in Korean, spokesman Esmail Baghaei underscored the longstanding ties between Tehran and Seoul, noting that bilateral relations span more than 64 years and have been historically grounded in mutual respect. “Iran places great value on its friendly relations with South Korea,” Baghaei wrote, while delivering a sharply worded caveat regarding the current regional climate.
“At a time when the Iranian nation is defending itself against aggressive acts and responding decisively to U.S. war crimes against women and children, any operational collaboration or military presence by other parties in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz will be regarded as direct support for the aggressor and will carry serious consequences,” the spokesman stated.
Baghaei further stressed that no sovereign and responsible state would succumb to U.S. pressure or extortion to participate in acts of aggression and heinous crimes against the great nation of Iran. “No independent and accountable government will submit to American intimidation or blackmail to become complicit in such actions,” he added.
The statement comes amid heightened tensions in the strategic waterway, following recent U.S. military strikes on Iranian oil tankers and Tehran's condemnation of a deadly airstrike on a wedding ceremony in Hormozgan Province. Iranian officials have repeatedly accused Washington of escalating hostilities and violating international law, while calling on regional and extra-regional powers to refrain from any actions that could be interpreted as endorsement of U.S. military posturing.
The warning to South Korea—issued directly in Korean—appears designed to preempt any potential deployment or logistical support Seoul might consider in coordination with U.S.-led maritime security initiatives in the Gulf, as Tehran seeks to isolate Washington diplomatically and deter third-party participation in what it views as an illegitimate use of force.
Source: Arya News Agency / Foreign Ministry Statement