Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised comments made by Iranian president Hassan Rouhani to close the Strait of Hormuz.

:: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected on Saturday the idea of new negotiations with the United States, praising the latest comments by Iranian president Hassan Rouhani in which he threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz if new oil sanctions are imposed against Tehran.

According to Iranian news agency IRNA, Khamenei considered – during a meeting with Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif and a number of ambassadors and diplomats – that there is “no benefit of negotiating with America.”

“We cannot trust the American statements or even their signings” Khamenei said, adding that “the Iranian president’s statement that if our oil is not exported then the oil of any state in the region will not be exported, is a very important stance and clarifies the regime policy and strategy.”

The Supreme Leader’s stern statements comes at a time when Iranian oil shipments are starting to stop gradually as oil vessel operators started to finish their trade deals with Iran before the American sanctions go into effect in early November.

Also and despite Rouhani’s threat along with other military leaders to close the Strait of Hormuz, other Iranian opposing voices against this threat were heard in the Islamic republic, whereas recently Iranian former Iranian Revolutionary Guards naval commander Maj. Gen. Hossein Alaei, criticized these threats saying: “Not well thought out,” adding that “Iran is unable to close the Strait of Hormuz, but America is capable to reopen it.”

The US Navy issued a statement saying that it stands ready to ensure freedom of commerce.