The United States on Thursday warned Iran against disrupting oil shipments at the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran threatened to shut the vital waterway if the West imposed sanctions on its crude exports. 
The US Navy said Iran's threat to block the strategically and economically important Strait of Hormuz is "unacceptable". "The free flow of goods and services through the Strait of Hormuz is vital to regional and global prosperity," Navy 5th Fleet spokeswoman Cmdr. Amy Derrick Frost told reporters.
"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," she said. Iran's vice president has warned that the country could block the strait if sanctions are imposed on its exports of crude oil.
France, Britain and Germany have proposed sanctions to punish Iran's lack of cooperation on its nuclear program. About 40 % of the world's tanker-borne oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
"Interference with the transit or passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz will not be tolerated," Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a strongly worded message to Iran. 
In 2009, 15 million barrels passed through the strait every day, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
 

Source: BNA