TEHRAN: Iran began 10 days of wargames around the Strait of Hormuz, a
vital route in the Gulf through which more than a third of the world s
ship-borne oil passes.The Velayat-90 military exercises, announced
Thursday by navy chief Admiral Habibollah Sayari, kicked off on Saturday
as planned, Iran s Arabic-language broadcaster Al-Alam reported.Iranian
navy forces were being deployed throughout the wargame area to the east
of the Strait of Hormuz, comprising the Gulf of Oman around to the Gulf
of Aden, in the first phase of the exercises, Al-Alam said, citing navy
command.The exercises were taking place at a time of heightened
tensions between Iran and the West, with sanctions being ramped up over
Tehran s nuclear programme.The United States, which maintains its own
navy presence in the Gulf, has noted Iran s drill.Tehran in September
rejected a Washington call for a military hotline between the capitals
to defuse any 'miscalculations' that could occur in the Gulf.The
wargames were ordered as the United States and its allies ratchet up
economic sanctions on Iran, targeting its oil and financial sectors.
More measures were expected to be imposed in coming weeks.The sanctions
have helped fuel a depreciation of Iran s currency, the rial.A rumour
that spread last Tuesday from an Iranian lawmaker s comments that Tehran
was to block the Strait of Hormuz in the drill sent the rial to a new
low and oil prices soaring before it was denied by the government.But
while the foreign ministry said last week such drastic action was 'not
on the agenda,' it reiterated Iran s threat of 'reactions' if the
current tensions with the West spilled over into open confrontation.Most
Western countries believe Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, despite
Tehran s denials.Iran-US tensions have also worsened over US accusations
of a thwarted Iranian plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington,
Iran s capture this month of a CIA drone, and Tehran s arrest and
detention of an American-Iranian it alleges is a CIA spy.
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