Sure, closing it would be easy. But keeping it closed. That will be hard.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The U.S. warned Iran Wednesday that it will not tolerate any disruption of naval traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran’s navy chief said the Islamic Republic is capable of closing the vital oil route if the West imposes new sanctions targeting Tehran’s oil exports.
Iran’s Adm. Habibollah Sayyari told state-run Press TV that closing the strait, which is the only sea outlet for the crucial oil fields in and around the Persian Gulf, “is very easy” for his country’s naval forces.
I dunno how big Iran’s navy is, but he’s probably right. The Strait of Hormuz is 34 miles wide, and Iran is right there. So it probably is “very easy” for their naval forces to “close” it.
But like my 10-year-old trying to keep me out of his bedroom until his brother can stash the candy they’re not supposed to have in there…
U.S. Fifth Fleet says won’t allow Hormuz disruption
TEHRAN/DUBAI (Reuters) – The U.S. Fifth Fleet said on Wednesday it would not allow any disruption of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran threatened to stop ships moving through the world’s most important oil route.
“Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international strait is clearly outside the community of nations; any disruption will not be tolerated,” the Bahrain-based fleet said in an e-mail.
I dunno how big Iran’s navy is, but I bet it’s not big enough to screw around with the Fifth Fleet.
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