Iran’s embassy in Seoul on Thursday denied any involvement by Tehran’s armed forces in an incident that damaged a South Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, the embassy said it “firmly rejects and categorically denies any allegations regarding the involvement of the armed forces of Iran in the incident involving damage to a Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.”
The embassy said Iran has repeatedly stressed since the start of “aggressive actions carried out by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran” that the Strait of Hormuz forms “an integral part of its defensive geography in countering aggressors and their supporters.”
It added that navigation conditions in the strategic waterway “have been affected by the evolving security situation,” citing heightened tensions caused by “hostile forces and their allies.”
Safe passage through the strait requires “full compliance with applicable regulations” and coordination with Iranian authorities, the statement read.
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Iran also reaffirmed what it described as its “commitment to ensuring the safety and security of maritime navigation in the region, in accordance with international laws and regulations.”
South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported on Tuesday that a fire caused by an explosion aboard the Panama-flagged bulk carrier HMM Namu in the Strait of Hormuz had been extinguished without injuries.
