Iran threatens to close Hormuz Strait

TEHRAN, July 5 (UPI) -- Iran will close the Hormuz Strait if the Middle Eastern country's interests in the region are threatened, the Iranian military's chief of staff says.

Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi said his country is prepared to close the Persian Gulf strait to foreign traffic if Iran is targeted by members of the international community, PressTV reported Saturday.

"The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic waterway and it is therefore very important for us to keep it open," Firouzabadi said.

"It should be made clear that we will not allow anyone to pass through the waterway, if Iran's regional interests are jeopardized."

A recent report said Israel was considering strikes against Iran and had been conducting aerial maneuvers in preparation for a conflict, PressTV reported.

Firouzabadi also criticized U.S. President George Bush for supporting Israel, referencing the U.S. military's downing of an Iranian passenger plane in the Hormuz Strait 20 years ago.

"The U.S. military belongs to the government of the United States. Greedy warmongers like Bush and the Zionists must not be able to take advantage of this institution," he said.