WASHINGTON (Reuters)-Iranian military personnel carried naval mines on Persian Gulf boats last month, an action that intensified worries in Washington that Tehran was preparing to block the Strait of Ormuz after Israel’s attacks on Iran, according to two North American authorities.
The previously reported preparations, which were detected by US intelligence, occurred some time after Israel launched their initial missile attack on Iran on June 13, authorities said, who requested anonymity to discuss confidential intelligence issues.
The loading of the mines – which were not installed in the narrow – suggests that Tehran may have taken seriously the idea of closing one of the busiest navigation routes in the world, a measure that would have aggravated a conflict already underway and seriously impaired global trade.
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About a fifth of global oil and gas remittances pass through the Strait of Ormuz and a block would probably have increased the world prices of energy.
Instead, global oil reference prices have fallen more than 10% from US attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, driven in part by relieving the conflict that caused significant interruptions in oil trade.
On June 22, shortly after the US bombard three of Iran’s top nuclear facilities in an attempt to paralyze Tehran’s nuclear program, the Iranian Parliament would have supported a measure to block the narrow.
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This decision was not binding, and it was up to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council to make a final decision on closing, Iran’s press tv at the time. Over the years, Iran has threatened to close the narrow, but never fulfilled the threat.
Reuters could not accurately determine when, during the air war between Israel and Iran, Tehran carried the mines, which – if implanted – would have actually prevented ships from passing the main way.
Nor is it clear if the mines have been unloaded since then.
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The sources did not reveal how the United States determined that the mines were placed on Iranian vessels, but this intelligence is usually obtained through satellite images, clandestine human sources or a combination of both methods.
Asked about Iran’s preparations, a White House member said: “Thanks to the brilliant execution of midnight operation by the president, the successful campaign against the Houthis and the maximum pressure campaign, the Strait of Ormuz is still open, freedom of navigation has been restored, and Iran was significantly weakened.”
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Iranian mission in the United Nations did not respond to comments requests either.
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The two authorities said the US government did not rule out the possibility that the loading of the mines was a ruse. Iranians could have prepared the mines to convince Washington that Tehran was serious about the closure of the narrow, but without the intention of doing so, the authorities said.
Iranian military could also be simply making the necessary preparations for Iran leaders to order the order.
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The Strait of Ormuz is between Oman and Iran and connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, south, and to the Sea of Arabia, beyond.
It has 21 miles (34 km) wide at its narrower point, with the navigation route with only 2 miles wide in each direction.
Members of Saudi Opep Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuweit and Iraq export most of their gross oil by the narrow, especially to Asia. Qatar, one of the largest liquefied natural gas exporters in the world, sends almost all of its LNG through Strait.
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Iran also exports most of its gross oil through the passage, which, in theory, limits Tehran’s appetite to close the narrow. However, Tehran has devoted significant resources to ensure that he can do so if he deems it necessary.
In 2019, Iran had more than 5,000 naval mines, which could quickly be implemented with the help of small high -speed boats, according to the US Defense Intelligence Agency at the time.
The fifth US fleet, based in Barein, is in charge of protecting trade in the region. The US Navy usually keeps four ships of mines, or MCM ships in Barein, although these ships are being replaced by another type of ship called lititor combat, or LCs, which also has antimini capacity.
All antimine ships were temporarily removed from Barein in the days before the US attacks on Iran, in anticipation of a possible retaliatory attack on the fifth fleet headquarters.
Finally, Iran’s immediate retaliation was limited to a missile attack on a US military base in the neighboring Qatar.
US authorities, however, did not rule out other retaliation measures from Iran.
