Posted on 01/16/2006 2:20:31 AM PST by mcg2000
War of words over trade sanctions Iran stepped up its defiance of international pressure over its nuclear programme yesterday by warning of soaring oil prices if it is subjected to economic sanctions. As diplomats from the US, Europe, Russia, and China prepared to meet today in London to discuss referring Tehran to the UN security council, Iran's economy minister, Davoud Danesh-Jafari, said the country's position as the world's fourth-largest oil producer meant such action would have grave consequences. "Any possible sanctions from the west could possibly, by disturbing Iran's political and economic situation, raise oil prices beyond levels the west expects," he told Iranian state radio. In a provocative move, Iran also announced plans yesterday to convene a "scientific" conference to examine the evidence supporting the Holocaust. The news comes weeks after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad provoked a global outcry by describing the slaughter of 6 million Jews by the Nazis in the second world war as a "myth". Mr Danesh-Jafari's comments echoed fears voiced by energy market analysts after crude oil prices last week rose above $64 (£36.50) a barrel as hopes faded of a diplomatic solution to the dispute. Last week, Manouchehr Takin, of the Centre for Global Energy Studies, argued that crude prices could hit $100 a barrel if Iran stopped exporting. "Supply and demand are very tightly balanced," he said. Mr Danesh-Jafari's warning added weight to veiled threats by Iran's president on Saturday. Iran had a "cheap means" of achieving its nuclear "rights", Mr Ahmadinejad said, adding: "You [the west] need us more than we need you. All of you today need the Iranian nation." Recognising the danger,
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Time to get the Cav in there and clean house, or let the Israelis do it for us, but this regime has got to go....and soon.
You'd think after that we did to Saddam, these morons mullahs in Iran would think twice before daring us to go in there.
Eh, Walking will do us some good.
Expect Chavez to turn off the spigot at the same time that Iran does. Bet they plan to crash the world economy.
"Expect Chavez to turn off the spigot at the same time that Iran does. Bet they plan to crash the world economy."
Expect Chavez to have an "accident" like falling down the stairs and braking his neck.
This is mild, Iran warns to cause oil prices to rise. Think of the warnings and demands they'll be after this decades long, terror sponsoring state obtains nuclear weapon capabilities.
This should be fun.
How about putting him in a cell with Manuel Noriega and let them play Brokeback Mountain?
Iran does seem to be bothered by even the vague threat of sanctions. They really, really need to sell oil IMO.
Iran cannot unilaterally cease production and achieve the amount of income it requires to keep the nation on its feet.
All it is doing is cutting its own income unless other oil states choose to cooperate with Iran.
Yep! An in a millitary conflict it will be quite likely that the Iranians mine the Gulf of Hormuz (=> No oil from Kuweit, Iraq and parts of Saudi Arabia). I would do that if I were the Iranian commander in chief.
This is one of the reasons why all of our politicians are that careful when they talk about the use of millitary force. Furthermore I believe that they could be conquered but it will take much more efforts than we can imagine. To neutralize their nuclear ability you need "boots on the ground". Just a simple airstrike will not help. Therefore it would be good if the West would stand united instead of splintering up like in the recent Iraq crisis. *uck Chirac.
"You [the west] need us more than we need you. All of you today need the Iranian nation."
This guy is a megalomaniac!
It's a good thing we have all those US troops in Iraq to make sure some oil gets on US bound supertankers now eh?
Iraq was a mistake tho wasn't it? Wasn't it?
As I posted back in April of 2004 ( http://freerepublic.info/focus/f-bloggers/1121399/posts ) there was a lot of reasons to go into Iraq besides WMDs and we're about to start finding out a few of them if the situation in Iran keeps moving in the current direction.
Our friends from China and India are happy to buy every single drop of oil. No matter if it comes from the Vatican, Israel, North Korea or - Iran.
The world made a basic mistake when they allowed other countries like the nuclear 5 to own and process nuclear warheads.
If we light up Iran it will free up all kinds of energy supplies.
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