China said?on Thursday that it hopes stability can be maintained in the Strait of Hormuz.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the remarks at a press conference.

Iran's Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said Wednesday that the country's naval forces can readily block the strategic Strait of Hormuz if needed, the local satellite Press TV reported.

On Saturday, the Iranian navy launched a 10-day exercise dubbed Velayat 90, which covers a length of 2,000 km stretching from the east of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Aden.

Iran's First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi said Tuesday that Iran will close the strait if its oil exports are sanctioned by the West.

The Pentagon on Wednesday warned Iran against any attempt to block the strait, one of the world's most critical oil routes.

Tensions between Iran and the West have intensified since October when the United States accused Iran of backing an assassination plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington.

Soon after, following an International Atomic Energy Agency report on Iran's nuclear program, the United States, Britain and Canada announced new sanctions against Iran.

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