Tehran threatens to block Strait of Hormuz

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Right before the session of the UN Security Council Tehran for the first time announced specific steps that it can take in case of international sanctions. On March 11, Interior Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi made it clear that his country was ready not only to leave the world without Iranian oil and gas, but also block Strait of Hormuz, which is the main route of oil export (up to 90%) from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Iraq.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that it denied Russian proposition to create joint enterprise on uranium enrichment in the Russian territory. “If (they) politicize our nuclear case, we will use any means. We are rich in energy resources. We have control over the biggest and the most sensitive energy route of the world,” the Iranian interior minister was quoted as saying by the IRNA.

Observers note, that earlier Iranian threats had more common character. On March 9, President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated that Western countries will suffer more, than Iran, if they continue to hamper the development of Iranian nuclear technologies. According to information of the US energy ministry, in case of Hormuz Strait blocking, oil and gas will be transported by pipeline through the territory of Saudi Arabia, which is more expensive and probably more dangerous, regarding recent increase of terrorist activity in Saudi Arabia.