Iran warned over ‘illegal’ plan to block trade Strait

The Defence Secretary is expected to deliver the message in a speech after talks at the Pentagon with his US counterpart Leon Panetta during his first visit to Washington in the role.

He will also defend severe cuts to military spending on both sides of the Atlantic but accuse other Nato countries of failing to pull their weight.

The visit comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and the US and other allies, fuelled by the implementation of tougher sanctions against the regime.

Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz over the dispute about its nuclear programme.

“It is in all our interests that the arteries of global trade are kept free, opening and running,” Mr Hammond will say in a speech to the Atlantic Council.

“The Royal Navy will continue to play a substantial role as part of the Combined Maritime Forces, both at the headquarters in Bahrain, and through our mine counter-measure vessels which help maintain freedom of navigation in the Gulf.

“Disruption to the flow of oil through Strait of Hormuz would threaten regional and global economic growth. Any attempt by Iran to do this would be illegal and unsuccessful.”