By Parisa Hafezi and Angus McDowallDUBAI, July 8 - Control over the Strait of Hormuz has become a "golden weapon" to Iran, for which it is willing to risk new escalations with the United States, and is a bigger priority than a nuclear programme for which it accepted decades of sanctions.So central is the issue to Iranian strategy that ships passing the Strait without Tehran's approval were fired upon this week, leading to an exchange of fire with the United States that threatens last month's interim peace deal.

Iran's top joint military command said the only safe passage for commercial vessels and oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz is the route designated by Tehran, amid escalating…

By Parisa Hafezi and Angus McDowallDUBAI, July 8 - Control over the Strait of Hormuz has become a "golden weapon" to Iran, for which it is willing to risk new escalations with the…