Annika Folkeson
Tension has increased between Iran and the United States over the past weeks following new U.S. sanctions and Iran’s threat to close the Strait of Hormuz. The following are quotes on the tensions between Tehran and Washington.
IRAN
Vice president, Mohammad Reza Rahimi on Dec. 27
"If they impose sanctions on Iran's oil exports, then even one drop of oil cannot flow from the Strait of Hormuz,''
Navy Commander Admiral Habibollah Sayari on Dec. 29
"Shutting the strait for Iran's armed forces is really easy—or as we say [in Iran] easier than drinking a glass of water."
Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami on Dec. 29
"Any threat will be responded by threat ... We will not relinquish our strategic moves if Iran's vital interests are undermined by any means."
"Americans are not in a position whether to allow Iran to close off the Strait of Hormuz."
“We advise, recommend, and warn them that this aircraft carrier (should) not return to its previous place in the Persian Gulf, because we are not used to repeating a warning and give a warning only once,”
Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi on Jan. 4
“We have said that the presence of extra-regional powers in the Persian Gulf is unhelpful and damaging and their presence has no result other than turbulence in the region”
“Therefore we have always been saying that they (should) not be present in this waterway.”
UNITED STATES
U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet spokeswoman Lt. Rebecca Rebarich on Dec. 29
"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."
Pentagon press secretary George Little on Jan. 3
"The deployment of US military assets in the Persian Gulf region will continue as it has for decades,"
"These are regularly scheduled movements in accordance with our longstanding commitments to the security and stability of the region and in support of ongoing operations."
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Jan. 8
“We made very clear that the United States will not tolerate the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz,”
“That's another red line for us and that we will respond to them.”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin Dempsey on Jan. 8
“They’ve invested in capabilities that could, in fact, for a period of time block the Strait of Hormuz,”
“We’ve invested in capabilities to ensure that if that happens, we can defeat that.”