Iranian Military Maneuver Prepares to Shut Down Hormuz Strait, Panetta Warns

Local Editor

Iranian Deputy Head of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Esmail Kowsari said on Saturday the military maneuver has been designed to prepare the armed forces for receiving the order to shut down the strait within the shortest time possible.

He noted that holding such drills is in line with the country's annual military planning and the national defense strategy.

IRGC's Naval Commander Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said the drills, the seventh in a series of military exercises dubbed the Great Prophet, will be different compared to previous naval maneuvers held by the IRGC.

Meanwhile, US War Secretary Leon Panetta has warned Washington will respond to any Iranian attempt to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

"We made very clear that the United States will not tolerate the blocking of the Straits of Hormuz," Panetta told CBS television network on Sunday. He added, "That's another red line for us and that we will respond to them."

"But the responsible thing to do right now is to keep putting diplomatic and economic pressure on them to force them to do the right thing," he said, adding "And to make sure that they do not make the decision to proceed with the development of a nuclear weapon."

Panetta also said that closing the strait would draw a US military response. "We made very clear that the United States will not tolerate the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz," he said. "That's another red line for us and ... we will respond to them."

For his part, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, who was appearing with the defense secretary, said that he wanted the Iranians to believe that a U.S. military strike could wipe out their nuclear program.
"I absolutely want them to believe that's the case," he said.

He added said that Iran has the military power to block the Strait of Hormuz "for a period of time" if it decides to do so, but that the U.S. would take action to reopen waterway. "We can defeat that," he said.