Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "The stork follows the stork..." Targets the Cheonghae unit

A spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a warning message that appears to be targeting the Korean government's policy of expanding the mission of the Cheonghae Unit, citing a Korean proverb.

On the 12th (local time), Esmail Bagai, spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted on his

In the English post, a sentence with the same meaning was used and the source was cited as a ‘Korean proverb.’

The image posted together shows a stork sitting on a rock looking up at a stork with an American flag pattern drawn on its wings.

The stork is falling, and the Iranian flag is planted on the cliff opposite. Warships and oil tankers float in the sea below the cliffs, reminiscent of the Strait of Hormuz.

Spokesperson Bagai said in the article, "Any direct or indirect involvement in acts of aggression against Iran or inhumane economic terrorism, including the dispatch of naval power, military and logistics support equipment, and personnel, will be regarded as a hostile and illegal act participating in the United States' aggression against Iran."

Spokesperson Bagai argued that this act not only violates Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force, but also falls within the definition of an act of aggression set forth in UN General Assembly Resolution 3314.

In particular, he emphasized, “Advocating seemingly legitimate causes such as ‘protecting freedom of navigation’ or ‘combatting piracy’ does not change the illegal and hostile nature of such actions.”

The government cited the fact that pirate activities near the Gulf of Aden have more than tripled as a background for expanding the Cheonghae Unit's mission.

“Our message is clear,” Bagai said. “No bilateral agreement or commitment with the United States can be a legitimate basis for a country to violate its obligations under international law or participate in the U.S.-Israel military aggression against Iran.”

He warned, “Any country that participates in such illegal aggression in any form will have to bear full responsibility for the consequences.”

This post came out three days after Spokesperson Bagai urged Korea to refrain from sending troops to the region at a regular briefing on the 9th.

At the time, in response to a question about the expansion of the Cheonghae unit's operational area, he said, "Korea should refrain from sending military forces to the region in the name of supporting the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz," and "We should avoid intervening in a situation that is already sufficiently complicated."

At the same time, regarding the relationship between the two countries, he mentioned, "Iran and Korea have maintained a long-standing friendly relationship based on mutual respect and the interests of both countries for more than 60 years." However, this time, there is an interpretation that the level of warning was raised further by citing 'illegality' and 'hostile acts' without mentioning friendly relations.

Under pressure from the United States, the government decided to expand the mission area of ​​the Cheonghae Unit, which operates in the waters of the Gulf of Aden in Somalia, to the waters south of Oman, closer to the Strait of Hormuz. We are also in the process of dispatching additional forces, such as maritime patrol aircraft, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), and unmanned minesweeping equipment.

Regarding this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on the 10th, "For the purpose of protecting our people and protecting our economic interests, we are working on a motion to extend the deployment of the Cheonghae Unit under the principle of non-involvement in war and non-intervention," and said that they are continuously communicating with relevant countries, including Iran.