ISTANBUL
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Monday urged his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz amid an escalating Middle East conflict, local media reports said.
Cho made the call during a phone conversation with Araghchi as tensions have mounted in the Middle East following US-Israeli strikes on Iran late last month, Yonhap News reported, citing Seoul's Foreign Ministry.
Regional escalation in the Middle East has continued to flare since the joint attacks by the US and Israel on Iran on Feb. 28, killing over 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
Tehran has also taken control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy and other supplies to most of Asia.