DUBA
I (Reuters) - Iran could use oil as a political tool in the event of any future conflict over its nuclear programme, Iran's energy minister told Al Jazeera television.
Tension over Iran's nuclear programme has increased since the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on Nov. 8 that Tehran appears to have worked on designing a bomb and may still be pursuing research to that end. Iran has warned it will respond to any attack by hitting Israel and US interests in the Gulf and analysts say Tehran could hit Western interests by closing the Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world's oil passes.