LONDON (Dow Jones)--Iran has opened new naval facilities east of the Strait of Hormuz, the entrance to the Gulf which is key to oil supplies, the BBC reports Tuesday, quoting state media.
Admiral Habibollah Sayyari was quoted as saying the base in the town of Jask would enable Iran to block the entry of an "enemy" into the Gulf, the BBC reports on its Web site.
Iran has threatened to close the Strait in response to a potential military strike over its nuclear activities. It denies claims by Western powers that it is seeking to build a nuclear bomb.
About 20% of oil traded worldwide passes through the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. government's Energy Information Administration says.