Cannot blame them for playing all their cards. Might work against the Euroweenies, Russia and China won't do a thing.


Iran issues stark warning on oil price

War of words over trade sanctions

Robert Tait in Tehran
Monday January 16, 2006
The Guardian


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.

I sense a couple "bunker buster" visitors in the future of the Iranian's nuclear test site.

If there is a precision drop do you think Iran comes puring over the Iraq border or do they hunker down and lick their wounds playing with gas prices?

I am thinking those busters won't be ours, necessarily. Our buddies in the middle east have done it before. Their patience for a diplomatic solution may wear thin at some point. Of course our patience might wear thin too.

From what ex-administration officials say, all decisions in the Bush administration are made for domestic political advantage. I expect the Iran thing won't be any different.

I think Iran is banking on the UN Yapping and the SC dragging their feet for at least as long as they did on Iraq. By then it is too late they have the capability. Not a bad strategy specifically now that Sherron is in a coma. I doubt anyone there will get twitchy on a strike until well after the elections. If Isreal goes for a hardliner maybe we will see some movement middle of next year.

right! The wackos in both countries are using each other!

i think it is more important to overthrow the bush admin and exile them from this country than it is to invade another country based upon what our lieing piece of crap goverment says.......look at how they changed the statement from the pres of iran regarding the hollocaust to say exactly the opposite of what he really said......this country needs an enema and it needs to start with the whitehouse then capitol hill, then the media

Looks like they are feeling froggy.


Iran Moving Its Foreign Currency Reserves
Jan 20 9:03 AM US/Eastern
Email this story

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI
Associated Press Writer


TEHRAN, Iran


Iran is moving its foreign currency reserves out of European banks as a pre-emptive measure against any possible U.N. sanctions over its nuclear program, the Central Bank Governor said Friday.

Ebrahim Sheibani told reporters that Iran has started transferring the foreign currency reserves from European banks to an undisclosed location, the semiofficial Iranian Students News Agency reported.

"We transfer the foreign exchange reserves to wherever we deem fit," Sheibani was quoted by ISNA as saying. "We have begun transferring. We are doing that."

What do you think the cost of oil will rise to if Iran stops exporting? Of course if they stop exporting oil the will have no income.
The entire Persian gulf region produces 27% of the worlds oil at this time.

"In 2003, Persian Gulf countries had estimated net oil exports of 17.2 million bbl/d of oil (see pie chart). Saudi Arabia exported the most oil of any Persian Gulf country in 2003, with an estimated 8.40 million bbl/d (49% of the total). Also, Iran had estimated net exports of about 2.6 million bbl/d (15%), followed by the United Arab Emirates (2.4 million bbl/d -- 14%), Kuwait (2.0 million bbl/d -- 12%), Iraq (0.9 million bbl/d -- 9%), Qatar (0.9 million bbl/d -- 5%), and Bahrain (0.01 million bbl/d -- 0.1%). "
Link
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/pgulf.html

They will sell it to China. I think the deal has already been done.

It doesn't matter who they sell it to. Oil is a commodity. If China buys it from Iran, they buy less from somebody else.

China is trying to buy more oil that the US has locked up. Production is controlled.

Yeah... but we owe China a lot 'o money... so they may try to use that fact to leverage some of that 'locked up' oil away from us.