South Korea, Iran discuss Strait of Hormuz security

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The foreign ministers of South Korea and Iran discussed the Strait of Hormuz in a phone call on Friday, Seoul said, days after confirming it was weighing a “contribution” to the waterway’s security.

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US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressured ally South Korea to provide help for the war in the Middle East, saying Seoul rejected his request for assistance in securing the waterway that is crucial to global oil supplies.

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South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi at Tehran’s request, “discussing the recent situation in the Middle East”, and the Strait of Hormuz, the foreign ministry in Seoul said in a statement.

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The Friday announcement followed a warning from Tehran earlier this week that any South Korean military contribution to the conflict would have “serious consequences”.

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South Korea sent a fact-finding team to assess the situation in the strait and has repeatedly said it has not decided whether to deploy its military to Hormuz.

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Traffic through the vital shipping route has been virtually paralysed since the US-Iran war began on February 28, disrupting global energy markets.

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Negotiations between Iran and the United States have stalled as they vied for control over Hormuz, which normally carries around a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas exports.

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AFP

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