Iran in full control of Hormuz Strait: IRGC

TEHRAN - Commander of the navy of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) reiterated Saturday the strategic Strait of Hormuz is in full control of Iranian military forces.

"Iran fully controls the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.. . If they (the United States and Israel) take any hostile action against Iran, they will have to pay greatly for it," Ali Fadavi was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying.

Iran is able to fully close the Strait of Hormuz, he emphasized, saying that nothing will happen as long as the security and interests of Iran are not endangered, but if the United States seeks to "damage" the security of the region, all parties will suffer alike.

"We determine the rules of military conflict in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz," he said, adding that Iran has greatly improved and upgraded its missile power.

Any conflict in the Persian Gulf will indicate the "stupidity" of Western troops, he said.

Tensions over Iran's nuclear program have been mounting recently after three rounds of nuclear talks held earlier this year between Tehran and six world powers, namely the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, failed to bear concrete results.

The United States and Israel has said repeatedly that a nuclear Iran is intolerable and they would do whatever necessary, including military attacks, to prevent Tehran from getting that capability.

Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Iran will resolutely respond to any military attack and make the "enemies regret their actions."

Since the end of last year, Iran has launched a series of military drills and tested a number of missiles with various ranges. It also threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most crucial waterways for shipping crude oil, if its interests are affected.

The Western powers, fearful that Iran may use its nuclear program as a cover to develop nuclear bombs, have recently tightened sanctions on Tehran, including the European Union's oil embargo that came into effect since July 1, trying to force Iran to give up its uranium enrichment activities.