TEHRAN, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces said Sunday Iran's Supreme Leader has the final say on closing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most crucial waterways for shipping crude oil.
Iran's armed forces have contingency plans for every scenario, but whether to block the Strait of Hormuz will be decided by the Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Major General Hassan Firouzabadi was quoted by Iran's Press TV as saying.
One day earlier, the commander of the navy of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Ali Fadavi reiterated the strategic Strait of Hormuz is in full control of Iranian military forces.
Iran is able to fully close the Strait of Hormuz, he emphasized Saturday, saying that nothing will happen as long as the security and interests of Iran are not endangered, but if the United States seeks to "damage" the security of the region, all parties will suffer alike.
Tensions over Iran's nuclear program have been mounting recently after three rounds of nuclear talks held earlier this year between Tehran and six world powers, namely the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, failed to bear concrete results.
The United States and Israel has said repeatedly that a nuclear Iran is intolerable and they would do whatever necessary, including military attacks, to prevent Tehran from getting that capability.
Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Iran will resolutely respond to any military attack and make the "enemies regret their actions."
Since the end of last year, Iran has launched a series of military drills and tested a number of missiles with various ranges. It also threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz if its interests are affected.
The United States has been saying it will never allow the Strait of Hormuz to be blocked and that the critical waterway must stay open.
The Western powers, fearful that Iran may use its nuclear program as a cover to develop nuclear bombs, have recently tightened sanctions on Tehran, including the European Union's oil embargo that came into effect since July 1, trying to force Iran to give up its uranium enrichment activities.
TEHRAN, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Commander of the navy of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) reiterated Saturday the strategic Strait of Hormuz is in full control of Iranian military forces.
"Iran fully controls the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.. . If they (the United States and Israel) take any hostile action against Iran, they will have to pay greatly for it," Ali Fadavi was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying. Full story
TEHRAN, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The chairman of Iran's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Iran will close Hormuz Strait if threatened, Press TV reported on Saturday.
Iran does have the plan to shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz, but would execute it only if the nation's security is threatened, Major General Hassan Firuzabadi said. Full story
TEHRAN, July 4 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian lawmaker reiterated the threats that the Islamic republic would close the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf if the Western sanctions against Iran increase, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Wednesday. Full story
TEHRAN, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Iran's First Vice President Mohammad- Reza Rahimi dismissed Western sanctions against the country as " unproductive", Press TV reported on Wednesday.
Iran has been under sanction pressures by the "aggressive powers" for years, he said, adding that the "enemies do not have a factual understanding of the Iranian nation and continue to perceive that by imposing sanctions they can disrupt the progress of this nation." Full story
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