Washington, Dec 30 : The standoff between Iran and US over the proposed blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has further escalated after Iran claimed to have taken surveillance footage of a US aircraft carrier near the area. The Commander of Iran's navy, Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said that the investigation mission was a testimony that his fleet was in total command of every move made by foreign armed forces.

Sayyari's statement came as a
10-day war exercise was carried out by Iranian ships, helicopters and submarines, which is seen as a direct attempt to add substance to Iran's threat of closing the Strait of Hormuz that could eventually lead to clogging off the world''s oil supplies if the West moves ahead with sanctions. The exercise is underway in international underwaters near the Strait of Hormuz, which is only a few hundred miles from America''s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet.

Iran has threatened to block the narrow shipping channel after the European Union, backed by the US, declared that it was tightening sanctions on Iran for going ahead with its nuclear programme. The US Navy has however assured to stop any kind of blockade of the channel through which 15 million barrels of oil pass daily. (ANI)