Iran Rejects US Warning Against Closing Strait of Hormuz

 　　Iran has rejected a U.S. warning against blocking oil shipments through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as a war of words between the two countries continues.

　　Iran's semi-official Fars news agency Thursday quoted Revolutionary Guard commander Hossein Salami as saying Iran can carry out its own "defensive¹ strategies."

　　Tehran threatened earlier this week to block the entrance to the Persian Gulf² if the West imposes sanctions targeting Iran's oil exports. Such a move by the West would add to several rounds of sanctions already imposed on Iran over its controversial nuclear program.

　　More than one-third of the world's tanker-borne oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz. A closure could temporarily cut off some oil supplies and impact the price of oil worldwide.

　　The Pentagon has said interfering³ with the passage of vessels⁴ through the strait will not be tolerated.

　　A recent United Nations report said Iran appears to be secretly working on designing a nuclear weapon - something Tehran denies. European Union ministers have said that a decision on further economic sanctions, including a boycott⁵ of Iranian oil, will be made in the coming weeks. The vast majority of Iran's foreign revenue comes from oil exports.

　　Separately, a spokeswoman for the Bahrain-based U.S. Fifth Fleet told VOA in an email that the flow of goods through the strait is "vital to regional and global prosperity."  Lieutenant Rebecca Rebarich said the U.S. Navy is ready to "counter malevolent⁶ actions" to ensure navigation freedom.

　　Iranian Vice⁷ President Mohammad Reza Rahimi said Tuesday that if Iranian oil is banned, "then not a drop of oil will pass through the Strait of Hormuz."

　　Iran's warnings come as its naval⁸ forces continue a 10-day exercise in the strait and nearby waters that began on Saturday.

　　The Associated Press quoted a Saudi oil ministry⁹ official as saying Gulf oil producers would be ready to step in, if necessary, to make up for any losses of Iranian crude.

1 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

2 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

3 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

4 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

6 malevolent   

adj.有恶意的，恶毒的

参考例句：

• Why are they so malevolent to me?他们为什么对我如此恶毒？
• We must thwart his malevolent schemes.我们决不能让他的恶毒阴谋得逞。

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。