Cordesman/Wilner, Iran & The Gulf Military Balance Rev 3
AHC 2/29/12
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“Iran has total control over the strategic waterway. Closing the Strait of Hormuz is very easy for Iranian naval forces.” -Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Iran’s naval commander, December 28, 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/29/world/middleeast/noise-level-rises-over-iran-threat-to-close-strait-ofhormuz.html?_r=2
“If they impose sanctions on Iran’s oil exports, then even one drop of oil cannot flow from the Strait of Hormuz.” - Mohammad-Reza Rahimi, Iran’s first vice president, December 27, 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/28/world/middleeast/iran-threatens-to-block-oil-route-if-embargo-isimposed.html?pagewanted=all
“Closure of the Strait of Hormuz is not on the Islamic Republic of Iran's agenda (at present), but if threats against Iran come to trample upon the rights of our nation while others use the strait for exporting their oil, then Iran will be entitled to the right to close the Strait of Hormuz. The international conventions reserve such rights for the Islamic Republic of Iran as well. For the time being, the Islamic Republic of Iran has not decided to close the strait, but this (closing the strait) depends on the conditions of the region." Mohammad Taqi Rahbar, Iranian lawmaker, December 19, 2011. http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9007277986
"According to the international laws, including Paragraph 4 of Article 14 of the Geneva Convention, in case Iranian oil is sanctioned, we will not allow even a single barrel of oil to pass through to reach the hostile countries". -Isa Jafari, Senior Iranian lawmaker, December 18, 2011. http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9007277872
"Iran's military strategy is defensive in nature, while our tactics are offensive." – Brigadier General Hossein Salami, Lieutenant Commander of the IRGC, June 28, 2011.
"The hegemonic system and its regional supporters should know that as they could not isolate or weaken the Iranian nation and could not trample upon the Iranian nation's rights through their supports for (former Iraqi dictator) Saddam Hussein and the Baath party, they will not succeed in ignoring the inalienable rights of the Iranians through continuing their threat, sanctions and Iranophobia strategy and through their resort to lies and deceitful measures, use of an arrogant language, hegemony and bullying behavior." – Major General Gholam Ali Rashid, Deputy Head of the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces
“When we study history we reach the absolute conclusion that the only nation that is fit for passing through the last curve leading to the promised point is the pious and revolutionary, dear Iranian nation; a nation that with its Islamic Revolution started this great historic mission." – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, May 5, 2011.
"The new and young generation of the IRGC should be growingly higher and stronger (than the older generation) in knowledge, informedness, insight, dedication, correct and prompt accomplishment of tasks and duties, because although there is no military war happening today, a more delicate and of course more dangerous war is underway." – Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei, July 4, 2011.
“It is the warmongering and interventionist American leaders who try to harm good relations between the countries of the region by designing false matters and creating divisions.” – Ahmad Vahidi, Iranian Minister of Defense, December 13, 2010.
“The US’ Iran ‘scenario’ is intended to create an excuse for its illegitimate presence and the sale of weapons in the region.” – Ahmad Vahidi, Iranian Minister of Defense, December 13, 2010.
"With the arrival of the British and later the Americans in the region, plots were hatched to try and change the name with fake identities... to distort the history and identity of the Persian Gulf." – Major General Hassan Firouzabadi, Chief of Staff of Iran’s armed forces, April 30, 2011.
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