South Korea summons Iranian ambassador over attacked vessel

On the 27th, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Iranian ambassador to South Korea to protest against the suspected Iranian missile attack on South Korean ships in the Strait of Hormuz in early May. The Iranian ambassador denied any Iranian involvement in the attack. The investigation results released by the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the same afternoon showed that the ship was hit by two unidentified flying objects at the time. The engine of the unidentified flying objects is similar to the Iranian turbojet engine, and there are suspected Iranian manufacturer markings on the components. Technical analysis suggests that the unidentified flying objects are highly likely to be anti-ship missiles developed by Iran. The investigation also revealed that the unidentified flying objects came from the stern of the ship, and at that time, the stern of the ship was facing Iran. The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently summoned the Iranian ambassador to express strong protest over the attack on the South Korean ship and demanded that Iran take responsible actions. According to Yonhap News Agency, after being summoned, Iranian Ambassador Seyyed Kazem Sajjadi told South Korean media that Iran "completely denies" the accusations, stating that Iran "absolutely did not intervene in this matter." He said, "The current tensions in the Middle East are caused by the US government and its aggressive actions. Iran attaches great importance to ensuring the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz." On the 4th of this month, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that a Panama-flagged ship operated by a South Korean company exploded and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz.