U.S. Navy Ready to Protect Freedom of Navigation in Strait of Hormuz Amid Iran Threat
http://gcaptain.com/u-s-navy-ready-to-protect-freedom-of-navigation-in-strait-of-hormuz-amid-iran-threat/July 5, 2018
The U.S. Navy stands ready to ensure free navigation and the flow of commerce, the U.S. military’s Central Command said on Thursday, as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned they would block oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and some senior military commanders have threatened in recent days to disrupt oil shipments from the Gulf countries if Washington tries to cut Tehran’s exports.
Praising Rouhani’s “firm stance†against the United States, the head of the Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday their forces were ready to block the strait which links the Gulf to the open sea.
In May, U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of a multinational deal under which sanctions on Iran were lifted in return for curbs to its nuclear program. Washington has since told countries they must stop buying Iranian oil from Nov. 4 or face financial measures.....
