Iran threatens U.S. with blocking Strait of Hormuz

Iran will block the access to the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. and its allies continue threatening the Islamic Republic.

The warning was made by the deputy commander of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran-Brigadier General Hossein Salami on May 4.

This Strait is a strategic passage between Iran and other Persian Gulf states through which one fifth of the world oil supply passes.

The Iranian General praised the Islamic Republic Navy during his speech. However, the General did not elaborate which actions Iran perceives as threats to itself.

The U.S should learn from its recent mistakes or will face its consequences, stressed Salami by referring to the recent arrest of 10 U.S. sailors that drifted into the Iranian territorial waters in the Persian Gulf.

Iran has developed a powerful Navy under the IRGC and Armed Forces which is capable to defend the country's interests and independence, said the General by drawing the attention to the fact that the recent arrests prove this statement.

The sailors were released less than a day later.

Salami stated that Iran will block the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea 1982 and will not let any vessels to pass the strait if they threat the Islamic Republic.

The UNCLOS treaty says that innocent passage of vessels through a possible territorial sea should not pose any threat or involve the use of force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of the coastal states.

The U.S. has not signed this treaty while Iran has, but hasn't ratified it yet.

The Brigadier General further emphasized that the Islamic State would not give in to the restrictions by any power in the world in conducting military exercises by adding Iran has legal right to carry out such exercises in accordance with its strategic plans.

Recently, Iranian Foreign Ministry has also denounced the U.S. Congress for meddling in security measures implemented in the Persian Gulf. On May 4, the Ministry sent a note to the Swiss embassy in Tehran which represents the interests of the U.S. in Iran. The note condemned the intrusive policy pursued by Washington in the Persian Gulf.

Iran will do whatever is necessary to support peace and stability in the Persian Gulf, read the note as a reaction to the bill proposed by the U.S. Republican congressman Randy Forbes last week. The bill called to take measures against Iran's military maneuvers in the Persian Gulf.

Moreover, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the U.S. for keeping a military presence in the Persian Gulf as well and vowed that the Islamic Republic will continue to carry out a range of war drills in the area despite the objections by the U.S..

What’s more, the Iranian Navy plans to carry out at least 20 special military exercises until March of 2017. The exercises will cover different areas of warfare such as missiles, submarines, intelligence and electronic warfare.

However, the weight of the warnings and condemnations uttered by the Iranian officials is questionable. Experts are doubtful that their opinion reflects the state's policy.

By blocking the access to the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will escalate the tense relations with West which just began normalizing after sanctions were lifted in early 2016.

Military confrontation with the U.S. does not fit in Iran’s current interests and ambitions.

In addition, it is not the first time that Iran threatens the U.S. to block the Strait of Hormuz. Those two have a long history of confrontation, and their vessel encounters happen almost in daily basis.