A war in the Gulf / Straits of Hormuz: the past and the future

[davidbfpo]

A BBC News report based on an Iranian political and then naval statements:

Iran says it may close a vital oil-trade route if the West imposes more sanctions over its controversial nuclear programme.

Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi warned that "not a drop of oil will pass through the Strait of Hormuz" if sanctions are widened.

Iran's navy chief Admiral Habibollah Sayari later said closing the strait would be "easy".

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16344102

This story prompted this thread's creation. It is a repeating issue and worthy of a watching brief.

[davidbfpo]

International politics can be unpredictable, even more so when small things happen and this story illustrates this rather well, headline and then sub-title:

'US Navy rescues Iranian fishermen from Somali pirates'
A US aircraft carrier whose presence in the Persian Gulf last week triggered threats of retribution from Iran was involved in the rescue of 13 Iranian fishermen being held captive by Somali pirates in the nearby Arabian Sea.

Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...i-pirates.html

IIRC Iran has deployed warships to combat piracy, under national control. Now for the diplomats to arrange the exchange, although I expect it will be Oman who resolves this.