Follow-up - INA
Iran on Thursday denied any involvement of its armed forces in the explosion that targeted a South Korean ship in the Strait of Hormuz this week.
The explosion, followed by a fire, occurred on Monday aboard the Panamanian-flagged cargo ship HMM Maro, which had a crew of 24.
US President Donald Trump later said that Iran had "fired some shots" at the ship and called on South Korea to join US operations aimed at restoring normal navigation through the closed waterway.
The Iranian embassy in Seoul said in a statement that Tehran "strongly rejects and categorically denies any allegations regarding the involvement of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the incident that caused damage to a South Korean ship in the Strait of Hormuz."
It explained that since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February, Tehran has repeatedly affirmed that the Strait of Hormuz is an integral part of its defensive geography.
It added, "Accordingly, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz requires full compliance with established rules. Under these circumstances, any disregard for stated requirements and operational realities... could lead to unintended incidents."
The embassy noted that "responsibility for these consequences lies with those parties that proceed with transportation or activities in the area without due consideration of these factors."
South Korea had said after the US president's remarks that it would "review its position" on joining US operations in the Strait of Hormuz, but National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac said on Wednesday that the suspension of "Project Freedom" made such a review unnecessary.