Iran denies attacking Korean oil tanker , confirms 33 ships have crossed Hormuz
Tehran on Thursday, May 7, 2026, denied reports that Iranian forces attacked a South Korean oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's embassy in Seoul said in a statement that Tehran "categorically rejects and denies any allegation that Iranian armed forces were involved in damaging a South Korean-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz."
The statement explained that the maritime security conditions in the Strait of Hormuz have changed due to the US moves, stressing the need for ships passing through to adhere to the specified rules and move in coordination with the Iranian authorities.
The statement noted that the parties concerned will be held responsible for any incidents that may occur in the event of such actions.
33 ships cross Strait of Hormuz in a week
Despite the mutual accusations, satellite data showed that navigation had not stopped. Media reports revealed that 33 ships crossed the strait during the past week, including 10 oil tankers, while 13 of the vessels were found to be linked to Iran, five of which are on the US sanctions list.
In this context, the IRGC thanked ship owners and commanders in the Gulf and the Sea of Oman for their "co-operation" with Iranian regulations, considering this as part of "regional maritime security".
On the other hand, Iranian media described US President Donald Trump's suspension of the "Freedom Project" operation as a "failure", considering that the retreat reflects "Washington's failures in dealing with the Hormuz file". The operation was aimed at removing ships stuck in the strait, before Trump announced a temporary suspension.
Macron: I discussed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz with the president of Iran
In light of this tense scene, Paris has entered the crisis line, with French President Emmanuel Macron announcing that he and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Bazeshkian discussed the accelerated developments in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the "utmost importance" of ensuring freedom of navigation in this vital trade and energy corridor.
Macron called on Tehran to study a European initiative to form an international defense mission led by France and Britain to secure the passage of commercial vessels, noting that he would discuss the proposal with US President Donald Trump within the framework of broader international coordination.
For his part, Bazeshkian expressed his country's readiness to engage in diplomatic tracks, but expressed "distrust" in the US position, stressing that any solution must guarantee Iran's rights in accordance with international law. The moves are part of French efforts to separate the navigation file from political negotiations between Washington and Tehran, in an attempt to contain the tension that has been reflected in global energy markets.
Trump expects imminent deal involving "uranium"
In Washington, Trump said Iran "wants to negotiate," stressing that his country is dealing with "people who want to make a deal very strongly."
The US president pointed out that the proposed agreement includes the acquisition of "enriched uranium", while Pakistani sources confirmed the existence of a 14-point US memorandum to officially end the war.
According to the sources, the memorandum includes the opening of shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of US sanctions on Iran, in addition to reaching restrictions on its nuclear program.
Rezaei: We will not give up on Hormuz
In Tehran, Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, a member of the Expediency Council, stepped up his tone, saying that the United States "wanted to achieve a victory and then flee," but that the road was "deadlocked," and that Washington was seeking "dramatic action" to open the strait and then withdraw, stressing that Iran "will not allow that."
Rezaei warned that the strait's exit from Iranian control would cause "the enemy to use it against Iran," accusing Trump and U.S. military leaders of "promoting their illusions as achievements."
In a post on the "X" platform, he said Iran's armed forces were "fully prepared," adding that what awaits U.S. forces "will not be Normandy or Sicily," but "Tabas and Isfahan," referring to two operations Tehran says it has foiled against it.
In Operation Eagle's Claw in 1980, a sandstorm in the Tabas desert cancelled an American landing to free prisoners, with helicopters destroyed and a number of soldiers killed.