Global Economic Times

Iran Raises 'False Flag' Possibility Over Attack on South Korean Vessel, Blames US and Israel for Regional Instability: Eugenio Rodolfo Sanabria Reporter / Updated : 2026-05-19 08:33:14

SEOUL/TEHRAN — The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Monday (local time) that it shares South Korea’s skepticism regarding the perpetrators behind the recent attack on the South Korean vessel HMM Namu near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, adding that Tehran is conducting its own investigation into the incident.

According to Iranian media reports, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei addressed the issue during a regular press briefing on May 18. Baghaei referenced a phone conversation held the previous day between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun.

"We maintain a good bilateral relationship with South Korea," Baghaei said. "South Korea has unique concerns regarding the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and we have always cooperated with each other on this matter."

He continued, "Regarding this specific incident, we also question which actor in the region committed such an act. The question of who is responsible has been raised since the early stages of the event, and we are investigating this case just as we do with all other incidents occurring in this region."

Furthermore, Baghaei raised the possibility of a "false flag" operation—a deceptive tactic where perpetrators disguise their identity to blame another nation or third party. "All countries must recognize that certain forces in the region will stop at nothing to escalate instability," Baghaei claimed. "The possibility of a false flag operation should not be underestimated, as this has occurred multiple times in the past." While he did not explicitly name a specific country, Tehran has historically blamed Israel for such covert operations.

Prior to the briefing, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated via its official Telegram channel that Foreign Minister Araghchi had briefed Minister Cho on the current situation in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. During the call, Araghchi asserted that the forced instability in the Middle East and its global economic repercussions are a direct result of aggressive actions by the United States and the "Zionist regime" (Israel), urging the international community to hold them accountable.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the diplomatic call, stating that Minister Cho informed his Iranian counterpart that Seoul is conducting a thorough follow-up investigation into the HMM Namu attack. Minister Cho also requested Iran's official stance and clarification regarding the facts surrounding the incident.

Notably, official statements and Telegram notices from the Iranian Foreign Ministry omitted the specific name of the vessel, HMM Namu, referring to the situation in broader geopolitical terms.