By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iranian Oil Minister Gholam-Hossein Nozari said Saturday that no country will ever dare to carry out an act of aggression against the Islamic Republic, Iran’s satellite Press TV reported.
“Iran’s capabilities are such that no country can conceive of attacking it,” Nozari said.
“If Israel dares to engage in a military conflict with Iran, it is not clear what would happen to oil prices,” Nozari warned, adding that even empty anti-Iran rhetoric “pushes oil prices up by10 to 15 dollars.”
The recent escalation of the war of words between Tehran and Tel Aviv has fueled worries about oil security.
“As a great and powerful country, Iran will help ensure the security of the waterway,” he said.
He said Iran and regional countries bear the responsibility of ensuring the security of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz oil route.
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway in the Persian Gulf, through which roughly 40 percent of the world oil is transported.
The U.S. and Israel have recently stepped up their rhetoric against Iran and are believed to be preparing the public for a war against the oil-rich country.
A recent report published in The New York Times quoted Pentagonofficials as saying that over 100 Israeli F-16s and F-15s staged amaneuver over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece in early June.
According to the report, Israeli jets flew over 900 miles (1,450 km), roughly the distance from their airfields to a nuclear enrichment facility in the central Iranian city of Natanz, thus giving rise to speculation that Israel is making preparations for an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
A senior commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), however, has indicated that in case the country comes under attack, Iran would consider everything in its power to repel the invaders.
His remarks were seen as a signal that in the event of an attack on the country, Tehran may consider, among other things, closing the Strait of Hormuz.