Seoul: Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Monday spoke with U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby over the phone to discuss the situation in the Middle East following U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, his office stated.
According to Yonhap News Agency, during the phone conversation, Ahn was briefed on the United States' stance concerning its military actions against Iran. The two officials exchanged views on the ongoing developments in the Middle East.
"The two sides reaffirmed the steadfast South Korea-U.S. alliance amid a rapidly evolving global security environment, and agreed to continue close communications and coordination," the defense ministry said in a statement.
The discussions occurred as tensions have escalated in the Middle East after the United States and Israel conducted a significant joint military attack on Iran on Saturday. This attack resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, amidst stalled negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program.
In response, Iran has pledged to "avenge" Khamenei's death and has launched retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, targeting countries with U.S. military bases.
The phone call on Monday was reportedly initiated at the request of the U.S. side.