Iran has expressed opposition to the South Korean government's expansion of the Cheonghae Unit's operational area, while the government emphasized its principle of non-involvement in war.
On November 10, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "We are in the process of advancing a proposal to extend the deployment of the Cheonghae Unit under the principle of non-involvement in war, aimed at protecting our citizens and safeguarding economic interests." The ministry added, "We are continuously communicating with relevant countries, including Iran."
Previously, Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, warned that South Korea should refrain from deploying military forces to the region under the pretext of supporting the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He stated, "We should avoid intervening in a situation that is already sufficiently complicated."
He also noted, "Iran and South Korea have maintained a long-standing friendship based on mutual respect and the interests of both countries for over 60 years," adding that the Iranian people do not wish for other nations, except for the United States, the Zionist regime (Israel), and some allied countries that have directly or indirectly supported recent military aggression, to align with them.
Meanwhile, on November 5, the South Korean government announced that it would expand the operational area of the Cheonghae Unit, which is engaged in protecting commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden, to waters south of Oman, closer to the Strait of Hormuz.
In response to criticisms of this as a "roundabout tactic," Defense Minister Kang Shin-cheol stated during a National Assembly Defense Committee meeting the previous day, "I want to make it clear that we adhere to the principle of non-involvement and non-intervention in war."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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