Iran Says It Will Close The Gulf If Attacked. The US Navy Says, Uh, No, You Won’t
Iran has made boastful statements like this before and they’re doing it again, claiming that they’ll shut off the narrow bottle neck of the Strait of Hormuz to any exiting oil traffic.
Of course, there’s just one issue with the whole concept of Iranian naval dominance in the Gulf. It’s called the U.S. Navy:
The commander of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet warned on Monday that the United States will not allow Iran to shut the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf sea lane through which much of the world’s oil is supplied.
“They will not close it… They will not be allowed to close it,” Vice-Admiral Kevin J. Cosgriff told a press conference in Bahrain, where the Fifth Fleet is based.
His remarks followed comments by the chief of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Ali Jafari, who issued a new warning last week against any attack against his country over its controversial nuclear drive.
Could Iran make a nuisance of themselves in the Strait of Hormuz? Sure. Do they have the muscle to actually close the Strait and face down the Fifth Fleet?
No.
Dreams are nice things, but the mullahs of Iran should dream in another direction, and maybe stick with the fantasy of destroying Israel - which won’t happen either without a massive retaliation from that country. But - it’s a dream they’re comfortable with.
If they tangle with the Fifth Fleet, they’re sure to get their feelings hurt.
