(Dan Tri) – Iran warns that Israel’s presence in the United Arab Emirates is a threat and that Tehran can close the Strait of Hormuz if necessary.

Iranian soldiers in the Strait of Hormuz (Photo: AFP)

`We will respond if attacked, but we will not rush to respond,` Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s maritime forces Alireza Tangsiri announced on April 9.

`We can block the Strait of Hormuz, but so far we have not done so. However, if the enemy comes to harass us, we will review our policy,` Mr. Tangsiri warned.

Mr. Tangsiri criticized Israel’s presence in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

`We know that Israelis are brought to the UAE not for economic purposes but for security and military purposes. This is a threat to us and this cannot be allowed to happen,` Mr. Tangsiri

Iran recently warned that it would respond harshly to Israel because it believed that Israel was behind the attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria that killed 7 members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including a senior general.

Mohammad Bagheri, an Iranian military general, said Iran will decide the appropriate time and method of retaliation to `cause maximum damage to Israel, making Israel regret what it has done.`

Another senior Iranian official warned that no Israeli embassy in the world is safe after the attack on the Iranian consulate.

Map of the Strait of Hormuz area (Photo: BBC)

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital gateway for the world’s oil industry, with more than a fifth of global oil supply passing through the narrow strait.

Considered a strategically important maritime route, the Strait of Hormuz connects crude oil producers in the Middle East with key markets around the world.

If tensions continue to escalate, blocking the Strait of Hormuz could create a shock in India, China and dozens of countries that are importing large quantities of crude oil from the Middle East.

China, India, Japan, South Korea and Singapore are the largest markets for crude oil passing through the Sea of Hormuz to Asia, accounting for about 65% of the total amount of crude oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz in 2018.

Iran’s territory spans the entire northern area of the Strait of Hormuz, and the deep waters of the strait also lie largely within Iranian waters.