Iranian lawmaker says Strait of Hormuz still under review, no decision yet to close it

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DUBAI (Reuters) -Hardline Iranian lawmaker Esmail Kosari said any closure of the Strait of Hormuz was still under review but no decision has yet been made, in comments carried by Iran’s state media on Monday.

“Military measures concerning the Strait of Hormuz have been completed, but no decision has yet been made regarding its (closure) and the matter is still under review,” Kosari, a member of the national security committee in the Iranian parliament, was quoted as saying.

It was not immediately clear what military measures he may be referring to.

The possibility of Iran closing the waterway, through which about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments pass, was speculated upon during the 12-day air war between Israel and Iran last month.

The strait lies between Oman and Iran and links the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman to the south and the Arabian Sea beyond.

Iran has over the years threatened to close it but has never followed through on that threat.

“It’s us who decide what time it is open and what time it would be closed; currently we are reviewing and we can execute whenever it’s necessary,” Kosari added.

(Reporting by Parisa Hafezi and Elwely Elwelly; Editing by Toby Chopra and Alison Williams)