Iran: Plan To Close Strait of Hormuz Finalized

First week of October earmarked for attack?

Iran has confirmed that its plan to close the Strait of Hormuz has been finalized and is ready to be put into action as soon as confirmation is received from Supreme Leader Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, amidst reports that President Obama has earmarked the first week of October for a potential attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“We have a (contingency) plan for the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, but its implementation requires the decision and order of the commander in chief (the Leader),” Major General Hassan Firouzabadi told reporters.

Although some observers have claimed Iran’s repeated rhetoric about closing the transit route is nothing more than hot air, Firouzabadi insisted the threat was genuine.

“The West might think we are just bluffing with the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz but we already have some good plans how to do that,” Firouzabadi was quoted by Fars news agency as saying.

The United States responded to the situation last week by sending underwater sea drones that would find and destroy mines and prevent Iran from being able to block the Strait.

In an effort to reduce Iran’s influence in the region, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates yesterday quietly announced the opening of new pipelines that would bypass the Strait of Hormuz, more than doubling the amount of oil that avoids the choke point to about 40 per cent of the 17 million barrels per day that passes through the Hormuz.

Speculation that Iran would close the Strait, a key choke point through which 33% of the world’s oil shipments pass every day, has raged for the best part of the past year.

False rumors that the Strait was closed have previously sent oil prices soaring. Experts have predicted that oil prices will surge to $300-$500 dollars a barrel if Iran closes the shipping channel in retribution for a US/Israeli attack on the country’s nuclear facilities.

Although tensions in recent months have settled, with any possible strike against Iran’s nuclear program likely postponed until next year, a new report out of Israeli intelligence outfit DebkaFile suggests that the assault could be brought forward to October.

“Nuclear diplomacy has collapsed and President Obama has never been more ready,” states the article, suggesting that the first week of October has been earmarked for the attack.

InfoWars