The Islamic Republic has threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, one of the busiest waterways for exporting oil from the Middle East to global economies.
The threat comes from the commander for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as reported by Express News Agency.
General Alireza Tengseiri of the IRGC said if the United States banned Iran from using the Strait of Hormuz, they would “Shut it down.”
The news comes following an announcement by Washington on Monday that the eight economies with waivers on the sanctions will end by May 1.
The US had previously granted sanction waivers to eight countries including China, India, Greece, Italy, Taiwan, Japan, Turkey and South Korea.
About a fifth of the world’s oil which is consumed globally passes through the busy waterway where political tensions involving oil exports have been going on for years.
Oil prices have risen to a six-month high due to the diplomatic row between Tehran and Washington.
Most crude oil coming from Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates, all members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is moved through the Strait of Hormuz.
On Wednesday, the Iranian parliament also voted to flag the US military as terrorists, following a move by Washington labeling the IRGC as a terrorist organization earlier this month.
