TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A top Iranian naval commander said today that Tehran’s forces have full control over the Gulf ’s strategic Strait of Hormuz, but have no plans to try to close the route for onefifth of the world’s oil.

The comments by Adm. Ali Reza Tangsiri, acting commander of the Revolutionary Guard naval forces, appear designed to reinforce Iran’s claims of military dominance over the Strait as U.S. naval forces boost their presence in the Gulf.

“Enemies regularly say Iran is after closing the Strait of Hormuz. But we say that wisdom does not recommend closing the strait while Iran is using the Strait of Hormuz,” Tangsiri was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

He did not elaborate, but the remarks appear to point to Iran’s efforts to build pipelines to Asian markets and develop other Iranian ports with direct access to the Indian Ocean.

Tangsiri’s message also is seen as an effort to reassure world oil markets that Iran — which was OPEC’s secondlargest producer before recent sanctions — will not disrupt supplies. Oil prices have been swayed by worries that Iran could choke off tanker traffic in retaliation for tighter sanctions over its nuclear program.

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