Iran to hold new war games in key oil waterway
IRAN: Iran is to hold fresh military exercises in and around the
strategic Strait of Hormuz within weeks, the naval commander of its
powerful Revolutionary Guards was quoted as saying on Friday.
The manoeuvres are to be held in the Iranian calendar month that runs
from January 21 to February 19, the Fars news agency quoted Ali Fadavi
as saying.
They will underline Iran's assertion that it has "full control over
the Strait of Hormuz area and controls all movements in it," Fadavi
added. The announcement which narrowed down a timeframe for the
exercises the Guards had previously only given as "soon" risked
aggravating tensions with the West over the strait.
The waterway is the world's "most important chokepoint" for oil
tankers, according to the US Energy Information Administrations. Some 20
percent of the world's oil flows through the narrow channel at the
entrance to the Gulf.
Iran's regular navy completed 10 days of wargames to the east of the
strait, in the Gulf of Oman, early this week with tests of three
anti-ship missiles.
Iran's military and political leaders have warned they could close
the strait if increased Western sanctions halt Iranian oil exports.
The navy has also warned it will react if the United States tries to
redeploy one of its aircraft carriers to the waterway. The Revolutionary
Guards, who use high-speed skiffs mounted with missile launchers and
other lightweight vessels, periodically hold manoeuvres in and around
the Strait of Hormuz.
The last ones took place in July 2011 and included the firing of
several anti-ship missiles, including two Khalij Fars missiles with a
range of 300 kilometres (190 miles). AFP |