Iran is supposedly constructing a nuclear bomb. As a result the U.S. and other UN nations are sanctioning Iran.

[PHILIP SCHNEIDER]

Iran is now making noise about creating a naval blockade of the Straits of Hormuz effectively shutting down the shipping of oil around the world.

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28 December 2011 Last updated at 06:14 ET

Admiral Habibollah Sayari says Iran could easily close the Strait of Hormuz

Iran threatens to block Strait of Hormuz oil route

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".

The US and its allies believe Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon.

Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.

Oil and finance

Western nations recently unveiled new sanctions against Tehran following a UN report that said Iran had carried out tests related to "development of a nuclear device".

Further measures being considered to target Iran's oil and financial sectors have brought a furious response from Tehran.

"The enemies will only drop their plots when we put them back in their place," Mr Rahimi was quoted as saying on Tuesday by the official news agency Irna.

Adm Sayari later told Iran's Press TV that closing the Strait of Hormuz would be "really easy" for Iran's armed forces "or as Iranians say, easier than drinking a glass of water".

"But right now, we don't need to shut it as we have the Sea of Oman under control, and we can control the transit," he added

US presence

The Strait of Hormuz links the Gulf - and the oil-producing states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - to the Indian Ocean. About 40% of the world's tanker-borne oil passes through it.

The US maintains a naval presence in the Gulf, largely to ensure the transport of oil remains open.

Washington played down the Iranian threat.

US State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said: "I just think it's another attempt by them to distract attention from the real issue, which is their continued non-compliance with their international nuclear obligations."

Iran's navy has been staging wargames in international waters to the east of the strait.

Adm Sayari said the manoeuvres were designed to show Gulf neighbours the power of Iran's military over the zone.

Washington and Israel have not ruled out military action against Iran's nuclear facilities if sanctions and diplomacy fail.

Iran has vowed to respond by attacking Israeli and US interests in the region.

An embargo on Iranian oil exports has been considered before but dismissed as it could also drive up global oil prices and harm Western economies, particularly in Europe.

It is believed the new measures could cut Tehran off from global energy markets without raising the price of fuel.

The UN has ratified four rounds of sanctions against Iran over its failure to halt uranium enrichment and co-operate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

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The latest response from the U.S. is . . . .

US to Israel: We'll Attack Iran if Certain Nuclear Lines Are Crossed

Wednesday, 28 Dec 2011 01:01 PM

By Dan Weil

White House officials are letting Israel know that there are certain red lines that, if crossed, would trigger an attack on Iran, so there’s no need for Israel to move unilaterally, The Daily Beast reports.

Israel has expressed dismay at past indications from the Obama administration that it would be reluctant to consider a military attack against Iran to prevent the rogue nation from gaining nuclear weapons.

Matthew Kroenig, who served as special adviser on Iran to the Office of the Secretary of Defense in 2010-2011, listed some possible red lines in a recent story he wrote for Foreign Affairs.

The Foreign Affairs article stated the United States should attack Iran’s facilities if that nation kicks out international nuclear weapons inspectors, starts enriching its inventory of uranium to weapons-grade levels of 90 percent, or installs advanced centrifuges at its main uranium-enrichment center in Qom.

“Progress on new [uranium enrichment] facilities would be a major factor in our assessment of Iran’s nuclear program and shape all aspects of our policy toward this, including the decision to use force,” Kroenig told The Daily Beast.

Until recently, White House officials shied away from public talk of an attack against Iran, hinting only vaguely that all options are on the table.

Israel was particularly worried by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s comments earlier this month that an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities could “consume the Middle East in a confrontation and a conflict that we would regret.”

In a dangerous pre-election dance, President Barack Obama hopes to both prevent Iran from gaining nuclear capability and Israel from initiating an attack that could lead to a wider conflagration in the Mideast.

Israeli fears were reflected in a Dec. 24 speech by Israel’s minister of strategic affairs, Moshe Ya’alon. The West must incorporate four elements into its plan to stop Iran from going nuclear, and the last one is a military attack if necessary, he said.

I don't know about the rest of you but I'm not at all comfortable with Obama and the democrat machine in charge of world peace.

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“The fourth element of this combined strategy is the credible military strike,” Ya’alon said, according to a recording of the speech provided to The Daily Beast. “There is no credible military action when we hear leaders from the West, saying, ‘this is not a real option,’ or saying, ‘the price of military action is too high.’ ”

The Obama and Netanyahu administrations have faced tension over the Iran issue since Obama took office in 2009. The White House wants Netanyahu to ask for permission before launching a strike -- or at least give significant advance notice. Israel has declined.

Efforts at resolving the tension intensified this month. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak came to Washington to discuss the issue. Meanwhile, Wendy Sherman, undersecretary of state for political affairs, and Robert Einhorn, a special arms control adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, traveled to Israel last week for the same reason.

Panetta changed his tune a bit last week, telling CBS News that the United States would use force if necessary to eliminate Iran’s nuclear option. So now the two nations are discussing what red-line triggers would prompt military action.

[Sandra]

I would think that would make our leadership very happy, with the closing down of coal, no new electric plants, and no oil drilling, they will get what they want. 10$ a gallon gas if anyone can still drive, and no heat in homes in the colder areas of the country. I am sure they hope it does happen.