No matter what one's opinion is of Iran it is a fully recognized sovereign state with a seat in the United Nations and as such should be left to conduct its own policies in peace.

The USA, Britain, France and Israel are virtually at war with Iran with absolutely no justification. These four countries all posses nuclear weapons. Their excuse for their belligerent behavior is that their "intelligence" agencies prove beyond a doubt that Iran is pursuing the technology to build its own nuclear weapons.

What about the rouge state of Israel, it has some 200 nuclear warheads and unlike Iran it does not allow its nuclear activity to be monitored. Why is the attention on a state where there is no proof that it aims to acquire nuclear weapons?

The West are playing a dangerous game with Iran who is almost completely surrounded by US troops and USA client states. A covert war has already commenced and a proxy war has already been waged for some time. Iran has not fired a single bullet in the USA, Britain, France or Israel and not a single soldier has set foot in these countries but that isn't the case at all with the West.

If Iran chose to close the Hormuz Strait which country could blame it? The duty of the leaders of a sovereign state is to protect the well being of its civilians and defend it from a hypocritical, cynical, blood thirsty enemy in any way that it sees fit.

The world does not need more irresponsible Western adventures in the Middle East where it has already destroyed Iraq, has invaded and continues to make war and destroy Afghanistan, has indiscriminately attacked Pakistan killing many of its civilians. The Arab world is in turmoil which could result in an explosion the likes of which the world has never seen. The West doesn't understand the Arab Middle East as all its experts are either American Jews or Zionist Israelis and as such should leave it alone. Leave Iran alone.

Dear Ali, Unfortunately you were off to a bad start by basing your article on comments from Seumus Milne in the Guardian? Is this the same Guardian that brought us..., Oh never mind.

So the “stealth war against Iran has already begun”. Where on earth has the Guardian been for the past 20 years? Oh, I forgot, planet Guardian.

Now that you seem willing to play a little catch up and do some research you will no doubt come to realize that Iran will continue to raise “potential conflict” issues for you and the rest of western progressive media to play with. Meanwhile the Iranians will do absolutely nothing in the Gulf that will put at risk every asset they have there. Should the Yanks decide that regardless of conventions, pacts, articles or obligations, those assets need to be taken out, they will evaporate overnight.

The Iranians know full well what will happen if they try to block the Hormuz straits.They value their wellbeing and wealth too much to play stupid games like one-upmanship with lethal weapons. It'll be the next Muslim state to be reduced to rubble.All their scientists know full the catastrophic consequences. It wont happen. That monkey with the longest tale will be stopped by its own generals and scientists. Why would they want to lose?

socratease

It wouldn't be legal. Access to the strait is controlled by Saudi and Iran. Those travelling on the Saudi side could piracy if ships were stopped, with consequences for Iran incl military retaliation.

All the USA needs to do is float an aircraft carrier up the strait to remove the blockage.

Good article,
I cannot understand the stance of the Western nations including Australia against Iran. They clearly pose no threat to anyone. They have invaded their neighbours nor threatened to do so. If they did want nuclear weapons, it would not be surprising, given that Israel and the US threaten it with military action on an almost daily basis. If it had a nuclear weapon then noone would risk invading it.
It seems that the US is just addicted to war. If only AUstralia would stop following blindly after them into every blood bath they create.

>>It could be quite legal for Iran to block the Straits of Hormuz, blocking 40 percent of oil supplies.>>

And also blocking most of Iran's exports.

The US Navy would force the straits open again but Iran would be reduced to penury.

It must also be assumed that the US and its allies have contingency plans in case the Iranians really are rash enough to attempt anything so foolish. They will be watching the Iranians like hawks and would react at the mere hint that Iran was about to attempt blocking the straits. I doubt the Iranians would get very far.