Iran threatens to close Strait of Hormuz
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E-mail Xinhua, July 5, 2012
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.
![Strait of Hormuz [File photo]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20120705/000cf1bdd03f115f31b40e.jpg "Strait of Hormuz [File photo]") |
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Strait of Hormuz [File photo] |
"If we completely go under the sanctions, we will not let a single drop of oil pass through the Hormuz Strait," Arsalan Fathipour, head of the Economic Commission of Iranian Majlis ( parliament), was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, another Iranian lawmaker, Ebrahim Agha-Mohammadi, said on Monday that the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Iran's Majlis had prepared a bill which called for the closure of Strait of Hormuz in response to the recent European Union (EU) oil embargo on Iran.
Agha-Mohammadi said that the bill called on the government to block the Strait of Hormuz to stop the oil tankers which would ship crude oil to the countries that had joined the oil sanctions against Iran.
Some Iranian government and military officials already threatened to use all means, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, if the Western sanctions over Tehran's controversial nuclear activities halt Iran's exports and hurt the interests of the Islamic republic.
Tehran denied the U.S. and European allegations that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, insisting that its nuclear program is for "peaceful" purposes.
In January, the EU foreign ministers approved the new sanctions against Tehran, which prevent its member states from buying the Iranian crude. The sanctions went into effect on Sunday.
Moreover, Washington imposed a new round of sanctions of its own last Thursday, targeting financial institutions of any country that buys Iranian oil. However, it has exempted 20 economies from the sanctions for a period of 180 days.
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