U.S military officials hinted strongly on Wednesday that Tehran courts possible military response if it makes good its threat of sealing the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the major passageway of oil shipments to and from the Persian Gulf.

In a statement, U.S. Navy spokeswoman Lt. Rebecca Rebarich declared that any disruption of trade activities in the area will not be tolerated by American forces stationed in the region.

"The U.S. Navy is always ready to counter malevolent actions to ensure freedom of navigation," Rebarich was reported by AP as saying in the official statement.

America's 5th Fleet calls Bahrain its home, the AP report said, making it easy for U.S. forces to deploy immediate response in the event Iran decides to dispatch its navy to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier this week, Iranian Vice President Mohamed Reza Rahimi issued warnings that the Iranian Navy was capable of closing the strait if Western nations push through with their plans to implement new sanctions on Iran's oil exports.

That threat was followed through by a statement made by Iranian Adm. Habibollah Sayyari on Wednesday, stressing that if ordered his naval forces would implement Tehran's orders with relative ease.

Analysts said that oil shipments contribute about 80 percent to Tehran's revenues, making the sector its virtual lifeline, which could force the Islamic Republic to defend its continuous even by use of force.

Recent reports carried by Iran's state-media detailed the country's apparent capability to conduct naval exercise that could support Tehran's declaration that commerce on the area will stand still once sanctions were imposed, AP said.

Apart from its vaunted naval strike force, Iran claims that it has a fleet of submarines that can operate with fear of detection and destroy enemy vessels sent to the Persian Gulf.

As concerns for its nuclear programs grow, Western powers mull possible sanctions to compel the Iranian government to submit to international agreement that would halt what America calls as the country's development of nuclear weapons.

Tehran has consistently denied any plans to manufacture nuclear weapons and insisted on its prerogative to pursue peaceful means of using nuclear energy.

Its stance, though serves as a puzzle for the international community as Iran maintains enough oil reserves to hold the distinction as the world's fourth biggest oil producer, pumping some four million barrels of oil everyday.

The country's oil-producing capacity prompted concerns that another sanction on Iran could impact on flow of global oil supply, though AP reported that other Gulf Arab nations were willing to step up their outputs in the event of any shortage.