South Korean and Iranian foreign ministers discuss Strait of Hormuz
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed the situation in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz during a telephone conversation. Tehran initiated the contact, South Korea’s foreign ministry said, as reported by Asharq Al-Awsat.
Possible participation by South Korea
The conversation took place several days after Seoul confirmed that it was considering contributing to maritime security in the strait. At the same time, South Korea has not made a decision on the possible deployment of troops to the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the publication, the country has already sent a team to assess the situation in the strait. US President Donald Trump had previously repeatedly called on South Korea to provide assistance in the war in the Middle East and said that Seoul had rejected his request to help protect this sea route.
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Tehran’s warning
At the beginning of the week, Tehran warned that any military participation by South Korea in the conflict would have serious consequences. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the key energy supply routes: under normal conditions, about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports pass through it.
As the publication notes, vessel traffic through the strait has been almost paralyzed since the start of the war between the United States and Iran on February 28, disrupting global energy markets. Negotiations between Washington and Tehran have reached a deadlock as the sides compete for control of the waterway.
