9 hours agoIran made preparations to undermine the Strait of Hormuz?
Periskopi(a year ago)
(a year ago)The Iranian Army loaded maritime mines into the Arabian Gulf last month, a move that intensified concerns in Washington that Tehran was preparing to block Hormuz's Strait following Israel's attacks on countries across Iran, according to two American officials. Prereported preparations, which were discovered by American intelligence, took place little [...]
The prereported preparations, which were discovered by American intelligence, took place shortly after Israel launched its first missile attack against Iran on 13 June, officials said, who asked anonymously to discuss sensitive intelligence issues, wrote foreign media, Telegrafi explains.
Equipment of mines that are not placed in the strait suggests Tehran may have been serious about closing one of the world's largest shipping lanes, a move that would have escalated conflict and severely hampered global trade.
About a fifth of global shipments of oil and gas pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and a deadlock likely increased world energy prices.
Global oil prices have dropped by more than 10 percent since the US attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, driven in part by relief that the conflict did not cause significant disruptions in the oil trade.
On June 22nd, shortly after the US bombed three of Iran's top nuclear sites in an effort to paralyse Tehran's nuclear programme, Iran's parliament reportedly supported a move to block the strait.
This decision was not binding and belonged to Iran's Supreme National Security Council to make a final decision on closure, Iranian Press TV said at the time.
Iran over the years has threatened to close the strait, but has never implemented this threat.
Sources did not find out how the United States determined that mines were located on Iranian ships, but such intelligence is usually collected through satellite images, clandestine human resources, or a combination of both methods. /Periscope/
