“Iran can single-handedly ensure security of the Strait of Hormuz for the global economy,” Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said in Iran’s northern city of Babolsar on Saturday.
The commander highlighted the significant contribution Iranian naval forces make to the country’s economy, and explained, “If Iran’s military power had been weak in the region, the country’s economy would have faced numerous problems.”
Iran’s Navy has gained such a high degree of power that it can fully protect the vessels from security threats in its operational area, Sayyari stressed.
Iran is now the main power providing security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring the safe passage of energy supplies through the strategic region.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, connects the Persian Gulf with the Sea of Oman.
It is the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the high seas and is one of the world's most strategically-important choke points.
Nearly 40 percent of the world's traded crude oil also passes through this waterway.