South Korea's Foreign Ministry Summons Iranian Ambassador to Seoul
Following the publication of an article in the Kayhan newspaper stating that the Strait of Hormuz would be closed to South Korean ships, the Iranian ambassador was summoned to the South Korean Foreign Ministry. He said that the newspaper's article was not in line with Tehran's policies.
South Korea's Yonhap News Agency (YNA) reported that on Monday, April 18, the country's deputy foreign minister summoned the Iranian ambassador to Seoul. The reason for the action was the publication of an article in the Kayhan newspaper that suggested that Iran should close the Strait of Hormuz to South Korean ships.
According to this news agency, Yeo Seong-bae expressed his government's concerns to Saeed Badamchi Shabestari.
Hossein Shariamtadari, editor-in-chief of Kayhan newspaper, wrote in this article: "Countries that have complied with America's "You Made Me Law" under the guise of secondary sanctions and have resorted to sanctions against the Islamic Republic should not be immune from the consequences and heavy costs of their vile actions."
Referring to the failure to release Iran's frozen money in South Korean banks, he said: "We can and must close the Strait of Hormuz to South Korean commercial ships and tankers and all vessels that carry goods to South Korea or have loaded goods from South Korea."
Yonhap wrote that the Iranian ambassador said in a meeting with the South Korean deputy foreign minister that the newspaper's article is not consistent with Tehran's official position.
Iran's frozen assets in South Korea
Relations between Iran and South Korea have been strained since the US withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018. It is said that more than $7 billion in Iranian assets, derived from oil sales, are frozen in South Korean banks.
Yonhap News Agency announced last February that Seoul and Tehran will hold consultations to resolve a long-standing dispute over frozen assets, and that a working group will examine the details of transferring frozen Iranian assets if exempted from US sanctions.
Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for the Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also announced in a press conference on April 11 that a senior delegation would travel to Tehran to discuss the principle of releasing Iran’s assets. He declined to name the country or the amount of money that was to be released, but Iranian media had mentioned South Korea.
It is still unclear when and how Iran's frozen assets in South Korea will be released, but speculation has increased as negotiations to return to the JCPOA become more complicated.
Source: DW
