Iran has threatened to close off one of the world's most important shipping lanes

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REUTERS/Fars News/Hamed Jafarnejad

Iran has threatened once again to close the Strait of Hormuz if the nation faces military action by its “enemies.”

The Iranian army’s Deputy Chief of Staff Brigadier General Ali Shadmani said Tuesday that “If the enemy makes a small mistake, we will shut the Strait of Hormuz, kill their sedition in the bud and endanger the arrogant powers’ interests,” according to the Fars news agency.

In May the deputy commander of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, warned that Iranian forces would close the strategic gateway to the Persian Gulf to the United States and its allies if they “threaten” the Islamic Republic.

Tehran and Washington have often clashed over the narrow strait, through which nearly a third of all oil traded by sea passes.

The Gulf has seen a number of naval incidents between Iran and the US in the past year, including test rocket fire by the Islamic Republic and the brief capture of American sailors who strayed into its territorial waters.

Iran has caused international concern over its frequent naval drills in the strait, seen as intimidation tactics against its rivals.

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