The military advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei - Mohsen Rezaei, defined the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic asset that is more important to Iran than the nuclear program, BTA reports.
His statement, quoted by Agence France-Presse, comes amid ongoing tensions between Tehran and the United States in the Persian Gulf region.
“This strategic strait is more important than dozens of atomic bombs and the Islamic Republic of Iran will defend it“, Rezaei said, quoted by the Iranian news agency ISNA.
The former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (KGIR) stressed that control of the Strait of Hormuz remains a key element of the country's national security.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean and is one of the world's most important sea routes for transporting oil and natural gas. Any tension in the region raises serious concerns about global energy supplies and international markets.
Rezaei's statement also comes against the backdrop of the ongoing dispute over Iran's nuclear program. The United States, Israel and a number of Western countries suspect that Tehran is developing technologies with potential military uses.
Iran categorically rejects these accusations and insists that its nuclear program is aimed solely at peaceful and civilian purposes, including electricity generation.