Just How Big a Threat to the Shipping Industry Would an Iranian Blockade of ...
20.05.12
THE GULF – Tensions which have been raised in the Gulf region since the start of naval exercises by elements of the Iranian military on the 24th of December have been ratcheted up further today by comments made by a senior commander of the Iranian navy. Speaking to the Iranian English-language service Press TV Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said that “…closing the Strait of Hormuz is very easy for Iranian naval forces,” adding that “Iran has comprehensive control over the strategic water way.”
His comments follow threats yesterday from Iran's Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi that should further sanctions proposed by the USA be imposed on Iranian trade then "…not even a drop of oil will be allowed through the Strait of Hormuz."
Though the comments have already been dismissed by the British Foreign Office as “rhetoric” there is no doubt that shipping lines with vessels that transit the area should be alerted to the fact that whilst the West continues to allege that Iran is seeking to build nuclear weapons and the Iranians continue to deny this then the very real possibility exists that conflict at one level or another may break out in the Gulf. As such it is prudent to consider how much danger Iran’s forces could potentially pose to shipping in the area.
Source: The Handy Shipping Guide