Punishing Iran 'would jeopardise oil supplies'

Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said today any Western attempt to punish Tehran ovr its nuclear programme would jeopardise energy shipments, an implied threat to try to close the Strait of Hormuz choke point, through which much of the world’s oil supplies must pass.

Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, also declared that Western accusations that Iran wanted to build a nuclear weapon were “a sheer lie”.