“Kuwaiti concern” about Iran’s threat to close the Strait of Hormuz

Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid al-Jarallah said his country is following up with “concern” about Iranian threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, according to official news agency KUNA.

Al-Jarallah called for “reason, wisdom and peace prevail in the region.”

The comments came in response to the recent threat by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to close the vital sea strait.

“We are concerned about these threats, and we always look forward to keeping our region away from this tension,” the official said.

About 40 percent of the world’s oil supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

All the exports of Kuwait, Iran and Qatar are exported through the strait. Most of the exports are from the UAE, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Washington has stepped up its pressure on Iran, targeting its oil exports.

Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, ruled out a military confrontation between his country and the United States on the backdrop of recent tension between the two countries.

Zarif accused people close to US President Donald Trump of trying to provoke a military confrontation between Tehran and Washington.

In a series of interviews with Zarif, American media said during his visit to the United States, Zarif said that what he called “B”, including people including Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, were trying to create tension.

But Zarif said in a television interview broadcast on Sunday: “We do not believe that President Trump wants to face (military), but we know that there are people pushing in this direction.”

“I do not think a military confrontation will happen,” he said. “I think people have the wisdom to prevent a military confrontation.”

Washington recently announced the abolition of exceptions to the US sanctions, granted to a number of countries when buying Iranian oil, and not extend from next month. Including allied countries close to the United States, may now face sanctions if they continue to buy Iranian oil.

BBC