Embassy of Iran in South Korea: "No Iranian Military Involvement in Korean Vessel Incident... Firmly Denied"

The Iranian side has strongly denied the possibility of deliberate military involvement in the fire that broke out on a Korean-flagged vessel while it was anchored in the Strait of Hormuz.

Saide Kuzechi, Ambassador of Iran to Korea. Photo by Yonhap News

On May 6, the Embassy of Iran in Korea issued an official statement, declaring, "We firmly and categorically reject any suspicion of involvement by the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the incident that damaged the Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz."

However, the Iranian Embassy emphasized that the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz is "different from the past," and did not rule out the possibility of unintended damage. The embassy stated, "The (Strait of Hormuz) is a region where heightened tensions exist due to the actions of hostile forces and their allies, which makes it different from previous periods," adding, "In an environment affected by military and security tensions, it is clear that any action disregarding the announced requirements and actual operational conditions can lead to unintended incidents." The statement continued, "Responsibility for the consequences lies with those who transit or operate in the area without fully considering these factors."

The Iranian side explained, "For safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, it is necessary to fully comply with applicable regulations, pay close attention to issued warnings, adhere to designated routes, and cooperate with the relevant authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran," adding, "We have consistently emphasized our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of maritime navigation in this area in accordance with international laws and regulations, and will continue to do so in the future."

Previously, at around 8:40 p.m. (Korean time) on May 4, a fire broke out on the 'Namuho,' a vessel operated by HMM, which was anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, due to an explosion of unknown cause. The government has begun investigating the exact cause, including the possibility of an attack. The plan is to tow the damaged vessel to the nearby port of Dubai for inspection soon.

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