Iran confirms receipt of US message on Strait of Hormuz

Jan 15, 2012, 15:56 GMT

Tehran - Iran on Sunday confirmed having received a message by the United States regarding the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, official news agency IRNA reported.

On Friday, the New York Times cited officials that the US government had warned Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that blocking the strategic Strait of Hormuz was a 'red line' and would provoke a response.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said that three copies of the letter had been delivered to Iran, via three channels.

One copy was delivered by US permanent representative to the United Nations Susan Rice to Iran's UN envoy Mohammad Khazaei, another copy via the Swiss embassy in Tehran - which represents US interests in Iran - and a third copy via Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

The spokesman added that Iran was studying the letter and 'would respond to it if necessary.' He did not give any details about the contents of the letter and whether it was addressed to Khamenei.

Iranian generals have warned that they could close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international oil route in the Persian Gulf - thus blocking a considerable share of global oil exports - if oil sanctions were imposed.

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