[...]

Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international strait is clearly outside the community of nations; any disruption will not be tolerated," the spokesman added. Iranian officials have repeatedly said they would close the Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic if the U.S. and its Western allies proceed with the imposition of sanctions on Iran's oil industry. The proposed sanctions are the result of growing concern among Western nations that Iran has been covertly developing nuclear weapons.