Iran has prepared a plan for closing the Strait of Hormuz but will only use it if threatened, Kuwait News Agency reported, citing Iran’s non-official Mehr News Agency report.

According to Saudi Gazette, even though Iran and the US might be talking up their readiness for war in the Gulf, beneath the rhetoric, all sides appear keen to avoid conflict and prevent accidental escalation,  at least for now.

Despite occasional talk of Iran refusing to allow US carriers through Hormuz, US naval officers say Iranian units appear to have had instructions to steer well clear when the giant ships transit the strait. When foreign warplanes approach Iranian air space, they find themselves swiftly warned off with a simple but firm radio warning in English. For its part, the US Navy says it has rescued dozens of Iranian sailors from Gulf and Indian Ocean waters, according to Gulf In The Media.