Iran says "Korea succumbed to the US and froze funds"... Choi Jong-geon "Efforts to resolve"

Deputy Foreign Minister Choi Jong-geon Meets Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister
Negotiations for Early Release of Korean Sailors Detained by Iran

Choi Jong-geon, First Vice Foreign Minister, is answering questions from the press as he departs for Iran at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 on the afternoon of the 9th.
Vice Minister Choi traveled via Doha, Qatar, to Tehran, Iran, where he began negotiations for the release of the detained South Korean chemical tanker "Hanguk Chemiho" and its crew.

Choi Jong-geon, the Deputy Foreign Minister of South Korea, who visited Iran, met with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister in Tehran on the 10th (local time), AFP reported citing Iran's state-run IRNA news agency. Both sides negotiated for the early release of the Korean ship and crew detained in Iran, but the Iranian side has not softened its hardline stance.

AFP quoted a statement from the Iranian government saying that Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, told Deputy Minister Choi, "South Korea's actions are merely a surrender to the US's ransom demands and are unacceptable," adding, "The enhancement of bilateral relations between Iran and South Korea will only be meaningful after this issue (the freezing of funds) is resolved." He also blamed South Korea, saying, "The freezing of Iran's funds in South Korea is not due to the cruel US sanctions on Iran but rather due to South Korea's lack of political will."

Deputy Minister Araghchi described South Korea's freezing of funds as 'illegal' and demanded, "The South Korean government should seriously strive to find the necessary means to resolve the top priority issue (the release of frozen funds) in its relations with Iran."

According to the Iranian side, Deputy Minister Choi told Deputy Minister Araghchi, "Allowing Iran access to the frozen funds in South Korea is one of the South Korean government's main concerns," and "South Korea clearly states that it will continue to make efforts to ultimately resolve this issue."

Deputy Minister Choi also demanded the swift resolution of the issue regarding the Korean ship detained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Gulf region (Persian Gulf) on the 4th. In response, Deputy Minister Araghchi said, "It is solely a technical and environmental pollution issue. The Iranian judiciary is handling this case." Deputy Minister Choi is expected to propose some form of solution to Iran's demands during this visit.

Meanwhile, a source close to the hardline faction of the Iranian regime reportedly told major foreign media, "South Korea needed to be humiliated. They will realize that they cannot keep Iran's funds frozen when we are desperate to purchase medicine and vaccines."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.