Tehran: An Iranian newspaper quotes a senior commander in Iran`s Revolutionary Guard as saying that Tehran`s leadership has decided to order the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf if the country`s oil exports are blocked.
Khorasan daily reported Sunday that Ali Ashraf Nouri says the strategic decision has been made by Iran`s top authorities.
Iranian politicians have made the threat in the past, but this is the strongest statement yet that a closure of the strait is official policy.
The U.S. has recently enacted new sanctions targeting Iran`s central bank and its ability to sell petroleum abroad over Tehran`s nuclear program. Washington says Tehran is trying to develop weapons, while Iran denies the charges.
Bureau Report