Iran Denies Military Role in Fire on South Korean Ship in Strait of Hormuz

The HMM Namu, a South Korean cargo ship damaged in an incident in the Strait of Hormuz. [Photo by Yonhap]

Iran’s government has flatly denied allegations that its military was involved in a fire on a South Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the Iranian Embassy in Seoul said it “firmly rejects and completely denies all allegations” that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran were involved in the incident involving damage to a South Korean ship in the strait.

The statement came as speculation grew over a possible Iranian attack after a fire broke out on the South Korean cargo ship HMM Namu while it was anchored in the Strait of Hormuz on May 4.

Earlier, President Donald Trump said on May 4 local time on the social media platform Truth Social that Iran had attacked ships from several countries, including a South Korean vessel, and urged South Korea to join a Strait of Hormuz navigation-support operation called the “Liberation Project (Project Freedom).”

The Iranian Embassy in Seoul, however, said that after U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran, the Strait of Hormuz had become a key part of what it called a defensive geography against “invaders and their supporting forces,” and that navigation conditions in the waterway were being affected by heightened security.

It said safe passage requires full compliance with relevant rules, close attention to Iranian warnings, use of designated routes and prior coordination with Iranian authorities.

The embassy warned that ignoring stated requirements and operational realities in an environment affected by military and security tensions could lead to unintended accidents. “Those who insist on transiting or operating in the area without fully taking these considerations into account bear responsibility for the consequences,” it said.

The embassy added that Iran has continued efforts to ensure the safety and security of maritime navigation in the region in line with international law and relevant regulations, and said it would keep doing so.

* This article has been translated by AI.

Hwang Jin Hyun