Iran鈥檚 military has the final say regarding the fate of Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Wednesday.
"I don鈥檛 talk about military options as it's up to military people to decide but we have said that Iran will protect its interests and one of our interests is stability in the region," Zarif said in statements cited by the official IRNA news agency upon his arrival to New York to address the United Nations General Assembly and meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
"Stability should be for everybody, economic prosperity should be for everybody," he said.
Earlier this week, Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guards General Ali Reza Tengseiri renewed threats to close the Strait of Hormuz if it is prevented from using the strategic waterway to export oil.
Tengseiri's threats came hours after the U.S. announced plans to end all temporary exemptions for countries that still buy Iranian oil.
The move came as part of the White House鈥檚 policy of exerting 鈥渕aximum pressure鈥� on Iran with a view to bringing the country鈥檚 petroleum revenue to zero.
Iranian officials have repeatedly threatened to close the strait, one of the global oil trade鈥檚 most important waterways, amid steadily mounting tensions with the U.S.
The lion鈥檚 share of petroleum from the region鈥檚 top producers -- including Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait -- passes through the Strait of Hormuz en route to oil-thirsty markets in the Far East.
Reporting by Ahmet Dursun in Tehran
Writing by Ali Abo Rezeg
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr