Iran on Thursday denied any involvement in the explosion that targeted a South Korean-linked vessel in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week.
The explosion, followed by a fire, struck the Panama-flagged cargo ship “HMM Maru” on Monday while it was carrying a crew of 24 people.
U.S. President Donald Trump later said that Iran had “fired some shots” at the vessel and called on South Korea to join U.S. operations aimed at restoring normal maritime navigation through the closed waterway.
In a statement, the Iranian Embassy in Seoul said Tehran “strongly rejects and categorically denies any allegations regarding the involvement of the Iranian armed forces in the incident that damaged a Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.”
The embassy stated that since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February, “Tehran has repeatedly emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz constitutes an integral part of its defensive geography.”
It added that “safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz requires full compliance with the applicable regulations. Under these circumstances, any disregard for the announced requirements and operational realities… may lead to unintended incidents.”
The embassy further noted that “responsibility for such consequences lies with parties that proceed with transport operations or activities in the region without properly taking these considerations into account.”
Following Trump’s remarks, South Korea had said it would “review its position” regarding joining the U.S.-led operations in the Strait of Hormuz. However, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said on Wednesday that the suspension of the “Freedom Project” made such participation unnecessary.
AFP
