During a March 25 visit to the chair of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and the committee’s party liaisons, Iran’s ambassador to South Korea, Seyed Kouchachi, said Iran still regards Koreans as guests and will prioritize assisting them to reach safe locations if requested.
After meeting with Kouchachi, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Kim Seok-ki of the People Power Party told reporters that the ambassador had outlined Iran’s position on the Middle East conflict and described the damage before making the offer.
Chairman Kim, Democratic Party liaison Kim Young-bae, and People Power liaison Kim Geon told the Iranian delegation that the safety of South Korean nationals is paramount. They said they estimate about 26 vessels and nearly 180 crew members remain in the Strait of Hormuz and asked Iran to pay special attention to their safety.
The liaisons also noted reports that attacks on Gulf states have caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, and urged special care for the nearly 13,000 South Koreans living in those countries.
The liaisons expressed gratitude for Kouchachi’s offer to assist with evacuations, and said Iranian authorities had cooperated with Korea since the outset of the fighting.
They also requested that Iran take measures to ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the issue’s international importance and that a significant portion of South Korea’s energy supplies transit the strait.
Kim said Kouchachi urged the international community, including South Korea, to work together to restore peace to the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Rep. Kim Young-bae said Kouchachi dismissed media reports that talks with the U.S. about ending the war were underway, and in particular denied U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement that he had delivered “15 demands,” calling that “fake news.”
The liaisons said there were no substantive discussions that day about U.S. requests for South Korea to deploy forces to the Strait of Hormuz.
