U.S. has nothing left to pressure Iran over its nuclear program: Iranian ambassador

TEHRAN,Jan.27(MNA) – The United States has nothing left to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program except for war, and if it chooses conflict Iran could close a key energy chokepoint, its envoy to Baghdad told AFP on Thursday. Ambassador Hassan Danaiifar insisted in an interview that Tehran retained the right to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which a third of the world’s traded oil passes, in response to any aggression, military or otherwise. “What else Mr. Obama can do?” Danaiifar said through an Iranian embassy translator. “The only remaining card on the table is war. Is it to their benefit? Is it to the benefit of the world? Is it to the benefit of the region?” The diplomat said that if it faced a “problem,” Tehran would be within its rights “to react and to defend itself.” Asked if it could try to close off the strait, Danaiifar replied, “If there is some movement and action from our enemies, including U.S., against us, as a part of natural reaction, that may happen.” “Everybody would be a loser in that case,” he added. On whether only military or other types of pressure could spur Iran to make such a move, he said, “It can include all of them.”