Iran confident of escaping Security Council referral

Daily Times (Pakistan) ^ | 19 January 2006

[Racehorse]

Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Wednesday there was only a ‘weak’ chance of his country being referred to the UN Security Council over its disputed nuclear programme.

“Taking into account the current context, the possibility of Iran’s case being sent to the Security Council is weak,” he was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA. He nevertheless warned Britain, France and Germany – which are pushing for Iran’s case to be sent to New York – not to take any ‘hasty steps’. “I hope the Europeans have understood Iran’s very clear and direct message and do not make any hasty decision... which would complicate the situation for all sides,” he said.

[. . .]

Another official also repeated the threat that if Iran is referred to the Security Council, UN inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency would lose their current level of access to the Islamic republic’s nuclear facilities and Iran would resume full-scale uranium enrichment work – which remains frozen for the time being.

[Racehorse]

“We are not after nuclear weapons and the West knows this because obtaining nuclear weapons is against the country’s political and economic interests and is against Islamic teachings,” added [Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei

There you have it.  Nothing to worry about.  Go back to sleep. /Sarcasm.

[xcamel]

Hitler was convinved we wouldn't bomb the S$!& out of his country too.

[diverteach]

Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki is the new "Bagdad Bob"

[bnelson44]

Let's see if this makes sense:

1 - UN votes for sanctions
2 - Iran closes Straits of Hormuz
3 - Iran shuts down oil production
4 - Oil goes to $100 a barrel overnight
5 - Stock markets all over the world plunge
6 - World-wide depression

Yep makes sense to me... or something like it. If I were Iran, I wouldn't be very worried either.

[NordP]

We will NOT create nuclear weapons, only nuclear power...believe us.

[Frank_Discussion]

You forget #7: Iran gets the bomb and erases Tel Aviv.

Makes chancing Steps 1 thru 6 pretty much an imperative.

[diverteach]

Let's see if this makes sense:

1 - UN votes for sanctions
2 - Iran closes Straits of Hormuz
3 - Iran shuts down oil production
4 - Oil goes to $100 a barrel overnight
5 - Stock markets all over the world plunge
6 - World-wide depression



You forgot to add that current Gulf of Mexico water temps are still largely in the 80's and here in the northern Gulf they are 9-10 degrees above what they should be this time of year making for a POTENT hurricane season this year.

Gas will be sure to top out well over $5 a gallon this summer/fall.

[bnelson44]

We will get to step 5 and you will see Israel all by itself out there.

[colorado tanker]

Just a few problems with your scenario. Iran has to defeat the U.S. Navy to close the strait. And, if Iran shuts off shipments, it stops the petrodollars. In the 70's the Saudis were flush with cash reserves, but the Iranians aren't in the same position. Finally, if the worst case really happened, we'd just bomb the facilities anyway; why not?

The real reason the Iranians are confident is that they know there might be two sets of cahones at the UN, on a good day. The euroweenies are already backpedaling.

[bnelson44]

Yep, world climate is definitely in Iran's favor.

[bnelson44]

Iran has to defeat the U.S. Navy to close the strait.

Is the US ready to go to war with Iran? Not sure how much they have to stop the US Navy, just make it unhealthy for the slow moving tankers to navigate the straits. You can do that with explosive fishing boats.

[Frank_Discussion]

Then we better do something to stop your chain of events. We may not even have time to get to #1.

[Principled]

Straits of Hormuz

[snoringbear]

Now children,

Let not your hearts be troubled. You may sleep comfortably knowing that Israel is staying well abreast of the goings on with the Iran nuclear program. Israel will take out any and all of Iran's necular facilities necessary to prevent bomb development when the right time comes.

[bnelson44]

Israel hits Iran and we go directly to #2

[Frank_Discussion]

I hope you're right. However, Iran is being belligerent on the Iraqi border right now, along with all the nukey nonsense, so it doesn't seem Israel will be going it alone. We are in the thick of this, and we will be nailing Iran right alongside the Israelis.

[Principled]

Iran could make it harder to get thru, but how would they be able to "close" the straits?

[colorado tanker]

Closing off the Straits of Hormuz would cut off the U.S. Fifth Fleet and shipping to and from Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Yes, we would stop any such attempt with force.

[Frank_Discussion]

Depends on how Israel hits Iran.

[bnelson44]

just need to discourage the tankers. don't need to mess with anyone else.