Tehran Threatens to Block Strait of Hormuz

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - Iran's first vice-president warned on Tuesday that no oil will be permitted to pass through the crucial Strait of Hormuz if the West imposes sanctions on Iran's oil exports, the country's official news agency IRNA reported.

"If sanctions are adopted against Iranian oil, not a drop of oil will pass through the Strait of Hormuz," IRNA quoted Mohammad Reza Rahimi as saying.

"We have no desire for hostilities or violence... but the West doesn't want to go back on its plan" to impose sanctions, he said.

"The enemies will only drop their plots when we put them back in their place," he added.

About one-third of the world's tanker-born oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz will increase oil prices. Therefore, the world's major powers will have no option but to intervene in the case to settle it, Russian daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta commented on Tuesday.

Iran is currently carrying out Navy exercises in international waters to the east of the strait.