TEHRAN - Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy chief Alireza Tangsiri warned on Monday that Iran will close the Strait of Hormuz if it is barred from using it.

“The Strait of Hormuz is a marine passage and we will close it if we are barred from using it,” he said in an interview with the Al-Alam news network.

He noted that Iran will take counter actions in case threats are posed against the country.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic artery linking Middle East crude producers to key markets in Asia Pacific, Europe, North America and beyond. A third of the world’s sea-borne oil passing through it every day. 

On July 3, 2018, President Hassan Rouhani hinted Iran could disrupt oil flows through the strait in response to U.S. calls to bring down Iran’s oil exports to zero.

Commenting on appointing Hossein Salami as the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Crops (IRGC), Tangsiri said it is a decision that has nothing to do with designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization by the U.S., noting that the world knows the real supporters of terrorism.

In a decree issued on Sunday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the commander in chief, promoted Salami to the rank of major general and appointed him to the commander of the IRGC. Salami replace Mohammad Ali Jafari who held the position for about 12 years.

NA/PA