'US not in position to tell Iran what to do in the Strait of Hormuz': Report
Tehran's threat to block crude shipments through the crucial passage for Middle Eastern suppliers followed the European Union's decision to tighten sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, as well as accompanying moves by the United States to tighten unilateral sanctions.
Iran's English-language Press TV quoted Hossein Salami as saying "Any threat will be responded by threat ... We will not relinquish our strategic moves if Iran's vital interests are undermined by any means."
Separately, Salami was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency "Americans are not in a position whether to allow Iran to close off the Strait of Hormuz."
The US Fifth Fleet said on Wednesday it would not allow any disruption of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a strip of water separating Oman and Iran.
At loggerheads with the West over its nuclear program, Iran said earlier it would stop the flow of oil through the strait in the Gulf if sanctions were imposed on its crude exports.
Analysts say that Iran could potentially cause havoc in the Strait of Hormuz which connects the biggest Gulf oil producers, including Saudi Arabia, with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. At its narrowest point, it is 21 miles across.
But its navy would be no match for the firepower of the Fifth Fleet which consists of 20-plus ships supported by combat aircraft, with 15,000 people afloat and another 1,000 ashore.
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@Baloch: I doubt that you are a true Baloch -- otherwise you wouldn't be supporting Iran given its policy of repression of the Baloch on the Iranian side. Of course, we've been subjected to the same repression and killings in Paksitan too...
@Baloch:
Then this should be a pretty easy win for the Iranians.
US fighting Iranians in their backyards?? Go and try to control Afghanistan first, you have another decade. What a joke!!
Us is not trying to tell Iran what to do, but what not to do! Or, else! It is not wise to try patience of a power which has the capacity to send you back to stone age!
No one has the right to stop iran from pursuing Nuclear energy and if nuclear is the problem than first disarm the israelis.
@Nand: Just a frustrated Indian.
Let peace reing. Iran should stop this weapon they are trying to build by so doing, no saction will be place on them, and there will be peace. I still believe they ll not block the passage. God bless Iran as they stop developing Nuclear weapon and US for playing a leading role. US are throughlly the leader
Looks like Iran is learning from Pakistan to confront a super power. Iran has done the same in the past and lost badly. They will lose a lot more this time.
Paki will start commenting that this stoppage will bring down the USA. What their Mullahs have not informed them is that USA has 90-120 days of oil stock while Pak has less then one week. While 99.99% of Paki are contemplating for the downfall of USA, Pak will be without oil and gas on the eight day. Welcome to the stone age, Pakistan. This is what Taliban wanted for Pakistan and the Paki are making sure of there predications.