Iran to Test-fire Missiles in Hormuz as Horns Locked with U.S.
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Iran, which has been carrying out war games in the Strait of Hormuz over the past week, is to test fire shorter- and longer-range missiles in the key oil waterway on Saturday, the navy said.
"Shorter- and longer-range, ground-to-sea, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles will be tested on Saturday," the ISNA news agency quoted navy spokesman, Commodore Mahmoud Mousavi, quoted as saying on Friday.
The move is likely to stoke tensions between Tehran and Washington, already running high over a warning by Iran this week that "not a drop of oil" would pass through the strait if Western governments followed through with planned additional sanctions over its nuclear program.
The U.S. State Department said on Thursday that Iran's threat to close the waterway, through which more than a third of the world's tanker-borne oil passes, exhibited "irrational behavior" and "will not be tolerated."
The naval maneuvers launched by Iran in the strait on December 24 have so far included mine-laying and the use of aerial drones, according to Iranian media.
Analysts and oil market traders have been watching developments in and around the Strait of Hormuz carefully, fearing that the intensifying war of words between arch foes Tehran and Washington could spark open confrontation.
With tensions over the straight simmering, Iran rival Saudi Arabia announced that it had signed a deal to buy 84 new U.S. fighter jets in order maximize defense capabilities in the oil-rich kingdom.
On Thursday, the U.S. said the $30 billion deal sent a "strong message" to the Gulf region, where Riyadh has voiced concerns about Tehran's efforts to boost its influence.
In addition to buying the new aircraft, Saudi Arabia will be able to modernize 70 existing planes while procuring munitions, spare parts, training and maintenance contracts, U.S. officials said.
Two U.S. warships had entered a zone where Iran was conducting its war games, but a U.S. naval spokeswoman said the ships were traveling as part of a pre-planned, routine operation and were not deployed as a show of strength.
"Our interaction with the regular Iranian Navy continues to be within the standards of maritime practice, well-known, routine and professional," Fifth Fleet spokeswoman Lieutenant Rebecca Rebarich said on Thursday.
Iran has dismissed all U.S. threats regarding potential consequences over the strait's closure.
Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the deputy commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, told the Fars news agency on Thursday that Tehran has "no doubt about our being able to carry out defensive strategies to protect our vital interests."
"The Americans are not qualified to give us permission" to carry out military strategy, he was quoted as saying.
Iran's navy chief, Admiral Habibollah Sayari, backed that up by saying it would be "really easy" to close the strait.
30 December 2011, 18:38
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Well, it is unfortunate, but I see it coming. It doesn't take much to start a war, but that's how things seem to be unfolding. Who will win the war at the end? It wasn't Saddam in the past, nor Ghadafi, and why now would there be any difference?
THe world is full of idiots who never read history!!
30 December 2011, 20:25
00
absolutely warrior hope we wake up on the 2nd of january and see that war is raging against all ennemies of democracy and the war wont stop untill all region from morrocco till iran passing by the gulf become a democracy
30 December 2011, 20:32
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I hope they do something stupid. Unfortunately they are not that stupid. They are only playing these silly games in an effort to raise oil prices. These wimps couldn't defeat an injured fish let alone the US.
30 December 2011, 21:00
02
Locking horns with the US has been proving to be fatal. Iran could cause damage around and could fire its rockets to neighboring countries but the cost of its adventure will be a lot higher than any before.
The US, with no boots on the ground, can inflict a lot of damage to the Iranian military infrastructures and will cripple the Iranians armed forces in hours.
The Iranian people should prevent at any cost their government from embarking in such a suicidal war because they stand to bare the brunt of the losses.
30 December 2011, 23:08
04
this proves that the embargo is effective and that the iranian terrorist state is getting nervous!!!
30 December 2011, 23:21
30
Mankind has grown strong in eternal struggles and it will only perish through eternal peace.
30 December 2011, 23:45
00
Min canada once again throwing words left and right without really knowing what he's talkin about, maybe we should bomb the "pussy nation" which is canada for a change and spare us your pointless views, so easy to say bomb Iran siting in ur cozy little home at the other end of the world, by bombing Iran you would have bombed far smarter far more cultured people than you or your likes in canada ever dreamt to be, So please spare us your accusations cause the biggest threat to world peace comes from you and your neighbors, and not from a nation which hasn't invaded any country for hundreds of years.
31 December 2011, 00:30
51
the filthy zionist information war department is getting aroused because they think usa will attack iran.
31 December 2011, 01:08
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hope the war starts in the 2nd of january and dont stop until the whole region is democratized
31 December 2011, 01:35
02
oh no jabal not aroused! scared to death by the mighty force of the ayatollahs!!! helpppppppp! i m so scared by you and yor friends!
31 December 2011, 02:40
03
jabalamel the only ones working with Isreal are your buddies whether you like it or not.for over 50 years no arab country has attacked Isreal so before you call anyone zionist have a look in your household im sure you have Isreali blood.Thank you
31 December 2011, 07:19
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need to check your stock before u run out what a bunch of idiots
31 December 2011, 08:21
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So be it! Now's as good a time as any! Let this be the straw to break the Camel's back, the sooner the Iranian regime is bombed back to the stone age the better for the whole world! Enough slow dancing with these criminals from hell and send them back to hell where they belong!! Enough taking shit from these arrogant dumb neanderthals time to give Natural Selection a shot in the arm...!!
31 December 2011, 12:12
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talk is cheap let us see the iranians and hafez and hassouni fight ....
