Strait of Hormuz on 24-hour Iran watch

A senior Iranian commander says the Islamic Republic is monitoring the strategic Strait of Hormuz round the clock, using highly sophisticated air defense systems.

Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base, insisted that the Strait of Hormuz serves as a strategic waterway since 27 percent of transits carry crude on oil tankers passed through the conduit, IRNA reported Wednesday.

He said that the Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base used all the country’s potentials to defend the Islamic Republic’s territory.

He said that no flying object was allowed to enter the Iranian sky without obtaining permission first, adding that any plane entering the territory without clearance would be destroyed.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, connects the Persian Gulf with the Sea of Oman.

Iran has repeatedly warned that it would not hesitate to take all crucial measures, one of which is to close the strategic oil passage, in the event of a military attack on the country.

Pundits believe that a possible closure of the waterway would have serious consequences for the world economy due to greatly reduced supplies of crude oil, petroleum supplies and liquefied natural gas.