![us warns iran not to shut key oil route us warns iran not to shut key oil route](https://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/313566-sayariiran-1325111203.jpg)
Admiral Habibollah Sayari said in an interview with Iran's Press TV that "shutting the strait for Iran's armed forces is really easy -- or as we say (in Iran) easier than drinking a glass of water."
"But today, we don't need (to shut) the strait because we have the Sea of Oman under control, and can control the transit," he said.
Washington responded with a strong warning against any attempt to disrupt shipping at the entrance to the Gulf, through which more than a third of the world's tanker-borne oil passes.
"Interference with the transit ... of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz will not be tolerated," Pentagon press secretary George Little said on Wednesday.
The strait is a strategic choke point linking the Gulf's petroleum-exporting states of Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to the Indian Ocean.
The US maintains a naval presence in the Gulf in large part to ensure that passage for oil remains free.
Admiral Sayari was speaking a day after Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi threatened to close the strait if the West imposed more sanctions on Iran, and as its navy held war games in international waters to the east of the channel.
World prices briefly climbed after Rahimi warned on Tuesday that "not a drop of oil will pass through the Strait of Hormuz" if the West broadened sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme.
"The enemies will only drop their plots when we put them back in their place," the official news agency IRNA quoted Rahimi as saying.
Sayari asserted that the Strait of Hormuz "is completely under the control of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
He said Iran's navy was constituted with the aim of being able to close the strait if necessary.
"The Iranians conduct exercises on a fairly routine basis in this area. That's something that we know about," Little said in Washington.
"That being said, any effort to raise the temperature on tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz is unhelpful," he said, adding that there was no sign of Iran taking provocative steps near the channel.
"I'm unaware of any aggressive hostile action directed toward US vessels in the Persian Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz," or against other ships, Little said.
As Iran staged its military manoeuvres, an American aircraft carrier, the USS John Stennis, and a guided-missile cruiser, the USS Mobile Bay, moved through the Strait of Hormuz.
Little said this was "a pre-planned, routine transit" on the way to the Arabian Sea to provide air power for the war in Afghanistan.
France on Wednesday called on Tehran to respect international law and allow unhindered passage of all vessels through the strait.
Sayari, meanwhile, said the Islamic republic's naval manoeuvres were designed to show Gulf neighbours the power of its military over the zone.
Iranian ships and aircraft dropped mines in the sea on Tuesday as part of the drill, and on Wednesday drones flew out over the Indian Ocean, according to a navy spokesman, Admiral Mahmoud Mousavi.
Iran has said several times it is ready to target the strait if it is attacked or economically strangled by Western sanctions over its nuclear programme.
An Iranian lawmaker's comments last week that the navy exercises would block the Strait of Hormuz briefly sent oil prices soaring before that was denied by the government.
Tehran in September rejected a Washington call for a military hotline between the capitals to defuse any "miscalculations" that could occur between their navies in Gulf waters.
US State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner had dismissed Rahimi's threat as another attempt "to distract attention from the real issue, which is their continued non-compliance with their international nuclear obligations."
The US and other Western countries accuse Iran of using its uranium enrichment programme to build nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the charge.
Extra US and European sanctions aimed at Iran's oil and financial sectors are being considered.
A European Union spokesman said on Wednesday the bloc was pressing ahead with those plans regardless of Tehran's threat.
COMMENTS (21)
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@Cautious:
Mr US shot down 747 without given any warning. Any passenger plane will never refuse to divert after repeated warning despite the fact that civilian passenger were travelling. US shot down that plane only to show themself as the biggest terrorist, coward, fearfull, faint hearted, cowardy, greedy. As a nation they are simply timid
The last time Iran tried to close the strait it didn't turn out so great for them -- the US navy cleared the mines - sunk Iranian ships - and shot down a 747 that refused to divert it's course after repeated warnings. This time around it would be much worse --- if Iran used missiles then the USA would likely take steps to significantly degrade the Iranian offensive capabilities -- there are no winners in this conflict -- and that includes Pakistan which would cannot afford the increased fuel and food prices associated with this type of conflict.
We need to keep in mind that the world is interconnected. If iran does something stupid, oil prices will soar and the global economy will go into a depression like the 1930's and everyone, especially oil importing countries like Pakistan, will go down with it.
The knock-on effects of a sharp rise in oil prices are very severe.
So Iran can rattle their sabres for domestic consumption but let us hope they are not going to commit economic suicide.
@Ahmer Ali:
The only means Iran has to block its supply lines is not to sell its oil. To block the sea lanes is in fact an act of war as designated by the UN. The loss of Iranian oil would have little impact on the US but would have a huge impact on your new best friend China. I for one am not sure China would be pleased with this action by Iran. Do you? The results of this would be Iran would lose its only protector at the UN as Russia would look at this as a means to increase the sale of its own oil at a greater priece.
Iranians have got guts and are very proud nation. I fully support this Iranian move, they are fighting fire with fire. It will be great if they block the oil supply route to terrorist US & get uncle sam where it hurts the most.
aMericans will die for sure here and iran will beat them lets pray for them
@Ahmer Ali:
And how do you propose to do that?
@PakPower:
Here goes reason for US to commit suicide becouse fight with Iran means commiting a suicide
@Ghulam-e-Mola Ali:
These is a person is this world for Whom this world is in waiting for so many years. He will reappear and kill all the enemy of islam and enemy of Prohet's family. Iran is well prepared for the big fight.
@nadya thomas:
Let US kick out of this region infact US should be kicked out from this planet. Iran is the only country in this world who can and will kill american sodiers, Jews, and american establishment and eat them like cat eat rat.
Arrogance = american.
I agree with Iran, God helps you, just do it and finished USA and Taliban they both are working on one agenda to destroy muslims. wahhhh Iran is Iran, we also have to take some lesson from Iran.
WOW they sure do have a lot of guts !!!! I fully support Iran .... they fight fire with fire and Pakistan should learn something for Iran !!!! GO IRAN
Here goes a reason for the US to go at war with Iran....
"bows down to the world" just block the oil supply and see how all the arab countries run out of money. all arab nations will become a somalia or pakistan
Just block USA's oil supply lines from the oil-rich muslim states and see how USA bows down its knees before the world.Iran may do so if this oil supply line crosses Iranian sea borders because this is Iran's basic right to block any supply lines from its territories.
must give it to Iran! their quiet ballsy! i mean come on! you need cojones to do what they are doing whether you believe their right or wrong
I think that if there is more than one country who is being band or not being treated fair by iran but same subject that we are in should go to war with iran us and the other countries who's having the same problem with us probably have the chance to defeat them we shouldn't let them become stronger then us we have 50 50 chance to win if there more than 1 countries but it should be a strong country if it is only us we should just use the oil we have here in the Usa and have gas prices a little higher about to 3.45 so that the people wont buy so much of the gas or invint a car that runs on light for gas in your house tell people try not to use so much. That is what i I think about this situation.Ps.. lets keep are guard up with the us air force and coast guard and we were going to kick their butt if you stick with my plan
Iran gets increased revenue from higher oil prices - USA military gets more support for increased military budget -- Pakistan gets higher energy prices/higher food cost at a time it can afford neither.
According to Pentagon press secretary George Little, Iran is just rattling its sabre and is not posing a real threat to the region. Pakistan would also be affected. Indeed Iraq might be hardest hit if Iran would block the passage of the Strait of Hormuz, as it only has access to the Persian Gulf and is surrounded by "unfriendly" neighbours – Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The Gulf States and Saudi Arabia could build rails to transport their oil to Oman, which is on the Arabian Sea,