(Reuters) – Iran began 10 days of naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, raising concern about a possible closure of the world’s most strategic oil transit channel in the event of any outbreak of military conflict between Tehran and the West.
The military drill, dubbed “Velayat-e 90,” comes as the tension between the West and Iran is escalating over the Islamic state’s nuclear program.
Some analysts and diplomats believe the Islamic Republic could try to block the strait in the event of any war with the West over suspicions it is seeking atom bombs. Iran’s arch-foes Israel and the United States have not ruled out military action if diplomacy and sanctions fail to rein in Iran’s nuclear work.
Iran says it wants nuclear energy only for peaceful ends.
“The enforcement of the decision to close of the Strait of Hormuz is certainly within Iran’s armed forces’ capability, but such a decision should be made by the country’s top authorities,” Iranian Navy commander Habibollah Sayyari was quoted as saying by the semi-official ILNA labor news agency.
Iran has said in the past that it would respond to any attack by targeting U.S. interests in the region and Israel, as well as closing the strait, the only access channel for eight U.S.-aligned, Gulf Arab states to foreign markets.
Nothing will come of this. The Iranian Navy wouldn’t last 24 hours in a fight with the USN.
People thought similarly re the Japanese navy up to Dec 6, 1941 — even after Pearl there were people that thought the Japanese would be pushovers. Similar thinking prevailed all through Viet Nam.
Oh and the Iranians and OTHER islamoos have a very substantial contingent in the US and the US military and engineering in the Industrial and base — 50 years of unrestricted “foreign student” BS and 40 years of affirmative action have essentially destroyed us as in US — it will be a very hard but very doable win-back — think about it folks
For this occaision I could see that if the Iranians sank one US ship — Obie would go into into wholesale surrendering mode.
During the summer of 1956 I was stationed at Fort Bragg NC with the 82 Airborne. We were placed on high alert and confined to our company’s immediate area with our gear packed and ready to deploy in response to the Suez crisis. Here it is 56 years later and we, the US face the same threats from Bat Sh** crazy middle east leaders. Nothing has changed over there in 700 years and we will continue to be held hostage as long as the progs in the US keep us dependent on foreign oil.
@Budvarakbar: Replying to myself here — the continuation af the statement “and engineering in the Industrial and base” should have added the word utility (as in Nuculure power folks) in front of “base” — and pluralised base — to read:
“and engineering in the Industrial and utility bases”
— even if the specific person is not “treasonous” — he is an effective plant that can be intimidated, bribed, coerced, blackmailed – whatever ya wanna call it >> “hey Farid — nice family and / or house ya got there — shame if anything would happen to them / it”