"Iran has warned that it could shut the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil transit chokepoints, in retaliation for U.S. involvement in its conflict with Israel.
"If the United States officially and operationally enters the war in support of the Zionists (Israel), it is the legitimate right of Iran in view of pressuring the U.S. and Western countries to disrupt their oil trade's ease of transit," Ali Yazdikhah, a senior Iranian lawmaker, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr news agency on Thursday.
"Iran has numerous options to respond to its enemies," Behnam Saeedi, a member of the parliament's National Security Committee presidium was quoted as saying. "Closing the Strait of Hormuz is one of the potential options."
The officials spoke amid heightened tensions as President Donald Trump is reported to be inching closer to ordering military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities."
Isabel van Brugen reports for Newsweek June 19, 2025.
SEE ALSO:
"Oil Tanker Collision Near Strait of Hormuz Raises Security Fears" (New York Times)
"What Are The Risks Of Bombing Iran's Nuclear Sites?" (BBC News)
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