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People mourn Qasem Soleimani, head of the Quds Force, part of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, in his hometown of Kerman, Iran, on Jan. 7. (EPA STR)

On Jan. 8, Iran carried out missile strikes against two military bases housing US troops in Iraq. Iran’s promised retribution came five days after the US’ killing of Qasem Soleimani, head of the Quds Force, part of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The two countries’ dispute appears to be degenerating into a vicious cycle of retaliation, but that must be prevented from escalating into an all-out confrontation. Since the immediate cause of this incident was the US’ attack on the Iranian commander in a third-party country, the US ought to refrain from additional military action and seek a diplomatic solution.

The US said it was acting in self-defense when it eliminated Soleimani, who it claimed was plotting an imminent and evil attack on Americans. But the US hasn’t provided any definite evidence of that imminent threat. Indeed, bringing to bear military force in Iraq, a third-party country, to carry out the unauthorized assassination of a high-ranking Iranian general can be criticized not only as a violation of international law but also as an infringement of Iraqi sovereignty. The entire world is aware that the conflict between the two countries was exacerbated by US President Donald Trump’s unilateral decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal in May 2018.

To be sure, Iran shouldn’t be commended for launching missiles in retaliation for the US’ assassination of Soleimani. But the country that brought the situation to this point clearly bears a greater responsibility for taking steps to cool things down. And practically speaking, the country that holds the key for calming the situation is obviously the US, whose military power far exceeds that of Iran. It’s a mistake for the US to nevertheless attempt to force Iran to submit, while threatening to launch a disproportionate counterattack. The US needs to exercise restraint to end the cycle of bloody retribution.

The South Korean government should be even more cautious about a proposal to deploy forces to the Strait of Hormuz. During an interview with KBS on Jan. 7, US Ambassador Harry Harris strongly pushed Seoul to consent to the deployment, observing that South Korea relies on the Middle East for much of its energy imports. But dispatching South Korean forces at a time when there’s a possibility of all-out war breaking out between the US and Iran might ultimately lead to the tragic loss of Korean lives. Furthermore, sending forces to side with the Americans under the current circumstances might not be viewed as legitimate or appropriate by the international community. We must not ignore Iran’s warning that it will also target American allies if they join the conflict. The question of deployment is something that should be considered carefully, and not rushed.

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