Iran threatens U.S. Navy as sanctions hit economy - (China blinks)

Iran threatens U.S. Navy as sanctions hit economy

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran threatened on Tuesday to take action if the U.S. Navy moves an aircraft carrier into the Gulf, Tehran's most aggressive statement yet after weeks of saber-rattling as new U.S. and EU financial sanctions take a toll on its economy.

The prospect of sanctions targeting the oil sector in a serious way for the first time has hit Iran's rial currency, which has fallen by 40 percent against the dollar in the past month.

Queues formed at banks and some currency exchange offices shut their doors as Iranians scrambled to buy dollars to protect their savings from the currency's fall.

Army chief Ataollah Saleh said the United States had moved an aircraft carrier out of the Gulf from because of Iran's naval exercises, and Iran would take action if the ship returned.

It did not name the carrier, but the USS John C Stennis leads a task force in the region, and the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet website pictured it in the Arabian Sea last week.

"Iran will not repeat its warning ... the enemy's carrier has been moved to the Sea of Oman because of our drill. I recommend and emphasize to the American carrier not to return to the Persian Gulf," army chief Salehi said.

..........

China blinks....

New sanctions signed into law by U.S. President Barack Obama on New Year's Eve would cut off any financial institutions that work with Iran's central bank from the U.S. financial system, blocking the main path for payments for Iranian oil.

The EU is expected to impose new sanctions by the end of this month, possibly including a ban on oil imports.

Even Iran's top trading partner China - which has refused to back new global sanctions against Iran - is demanding discounts to buy Iranian oil as Tehran's options narrow. Beijing has cut its imports of Iranian crude by more than half for January and, paying premiums for crude from Russia and Vietnam to replace it.

Twas the day after new years and all through the globe.....

The sanctions are signed off on and will be in place in a few weeks sanctioning Iran's oil and some other areas. France is pushing for tougher sanctions and should be introducing a UN resolution at some point. The EU is also working on things on their side.

Iran threatens the US to keep its carrier out of the gulf, which back and forth aside, Iran cannot force since it will violate not only freedom of navigation exercises but regional alliance treaties allowing the US access to and safe passage through sovereign maritime territory of several nations.

China is now demanding cheaper Iranians oil and has taken the extraordinary step of cutting their imports from Iran to extremely low levels. They are finding alternative sources to pick up the slack, paying a premium for it.

Ive said it a few times now it looks like China and Russia were pushing Iran, and its now looking like things went a little out of control on that side of the fence, with Iran calling audibles on their own.

China's move raises a few questions -
If they were going to stand side by side with Iran, why bail now?
If there is nothing coming down the pipeline other than sanctions, why seek out alternative sources?
* - Does China know military action is coming (and as it looks both sides are now actively pursuing that)
* - Did China get a heads up from another nation to take these steps?
* - Coming on the recent discussions between Israel and the US and the red-lines, is it possible the fuel rod announcement was the straw that broke the camels back?
* - Could it be possible that move, which no country expected, has spooked China?

Thoughts?
Im particularity interested in peoples views with reference to the warning issued to our navy about staying out.

The USA and the west a really tightening the screw on Iran. Personally, i believe Iran should offer a new deal with china to sell oil for chinese currency and at a discounted rate. I really feel sorry for Iran and those iranian children who are suffering because of sanctions.

Personally, I believe the sanctions are both illegal and immoral. The west has lost any credibility it had with me. I used to love my country and was proud to be a "thorough bred" Englishman but now I am just really ashamed to be english.

I would just like to add, I believe Iran has every right to attack the US fleet in the gulf for what the US has done. And I dont think the US has any right to defend itself against such and attack. The reason why I say I think they have no right to defend itself is because I truely believe the USA deserves to be seriously punished for its illegal actions.

reply to post by TheMindWar


Setting aside Chinas actions for the moment (because I believe something is going on in that area that we dont have the entire picture yet) I have a question about sanctions and your view of them.

How are they illegal? The reason I ask is because aren't nations allowed to choose who they do business with and who they dont? China has slapped tariffs on several US imports which are in violation of WTO guidelines. Is there any reason no one is calling them out on that?

Btw im not trying to argue that your point of view is wrong. It certainly is not and is one major side of this equation. I just continually see a double standard in this area and can assume why, but figure I would just rather ask.


ETA - follow up to your second post.

Whats illegal about our actions?

Your comments made me think of another possibility. What if China and Russia are pulling the strings and have been specifically pushing the events into this arena. Its a known fact Russia has a butt load of oil / resources ripe for the picking in Siberia. What if they (Russia and China) manipulated Iran into this position in order to force a shift in resources acquirement from Russia and China?

Tangle up Iran, which in turn will tangle up the Mideast, placing the bulk of those resources at risk, will force nations, like we jsut saw with China, to get their items elsewhere. The one thing that has been slowing Russia down is the money needed to develop the resources. Maybe this is their way of doing it by promising Iran one thing and throwing them under the bus at the last minute.

Originally posted by TheMindWar

The USA and the west a really tightening the screw on Iran. Personally, i believe Iran should offer a new deal with china to sell oil for chinese currency and at a discounted rate. I really feel sorry for Iran and those iranian children who are suffering because of sanctions.

Personally, I believe the sanctions are both illegal and immoral. The west has lost any credibility it had with me. I used to love my country and was proud to be a "thorough bred" Englishman

but now I am just really ashamed to be english.

The sanctions are, of course, both illegal and immoral ... it's not the point. The US is doing what it deems it needs to do, to secure the oil resources.

Iran, seen from a military point of view ... is state of idiots, and even if their leader perhaps is a bit more sophisticated than Saddam or Ghaddafi, he is of the same type. He's got a big mouth, and absolutely no balls to back it off. The US knows it, and it is using his "stupidity" to get a possible move on Iran.

If "I" was Iran, I'd "goat" the US into a war there ... literally speaking. The US has taken it's troops out of Iraq, because it's preparing for aireal and naval strikes against Iran and/or Syria ... it's not going to waste it's soldiers. Can't really, because the moment these soldiers die, the US public will stand up and demand them taken home.

The ONLY hope for Iran, is to goat the US into a real war ... but they are losing their ground fast. They SHOULD have done it, while the US was still in Iraq. Now they're gone, and the only possible solution Iran has ... is to really develop a nuke and nuke US carriers in the gulf.

Question is ... do they have the guts, to do it ... and I say "no" they don't. THey're just like the Iraqis, full of it ... and all they have, is in their mouth ... not guts to back it up. They're already dead ... so they might as well, give up right now ....

Seen from a stratetic point of view ... Iran has very few options:

1. Develop a nuke, and nuke the US Carriers in the Gulf. Nuking one or two, would dumfoil the US for decades.

2. Close the suez and other channels that allow for tanking of US/European oil from the middle east. Hurt the US/European economy right now, when it's already too weak to survive ...

3. give up and kiss their ass.

IF Iran doesn't take 1 or 2, fast ... then they'll end up doing 3, sooner than later.

Adding to your list that if the EU places an embargo on Iranian oil imports, the main nations in the EU to import Iranian oil is (I believe) Spain, Greece and Italy..

None of whom have exactly sound economies at the moment and it seems to me this move would (I assume) hurt them badly at a time when the Euro Crisis is still nipping at their arses.

The move raises a number of questions in my mind, most especially why the EU would kick the Eurozone in the crotch!

Originally posted by thoughtsfull

Adding to your list that if the EU places an embargo on Iranian oil imports, the main nations in the EU to import Iranian oil is (I believe) Spain, Greece and Italy..

An EU embargo on Iran, will hurt the EU more than it will hurt Iran ... European leaders are stupid beyond recognition, and if Iran was smart ... they'd make the killing move against European economy, right now.

Cut their oil supplies ....

antifascist-calling.blogspot.com... has a good post on this that is well worth the read .....
The Obama Administration has used 2011 to unleash Washington's so-called 'Coalition of the Moderate' against the Resistance Bloc," Nazemroaya wrote, "which pins together all the countries and forces united by their opposition to U.S. and Israeli hegemony in the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region."

"The two camps that are becoming more and more visible in the MENA region are falling along the lines of what Washington, Tel Aviv, and NATO planned on forming after the 2006 Israeli defeat in Lebanon as a means of tackling Iran and its allies," Nazemroaya observed.

"In 2007, the United States of America, represented by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates, held a meeting in Cairo under the 'GCC + 2' formula with the Gulf Cooperation Council--Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the U.A.E., Oman, and Qatar--plus Egypt and Jordan to form a strategic and all encompassing front against Iran, Syria, and their regional allies.

"This 'Coalition of the Moderate' formed by Washington was a direct extension of NATO that also included Israel and Turkey as important and central participants," Nazemroaya wrote.

In this context, stepped-up sales of advanced weapons systems to so-called "moderate" regimes are, contrary to American propaganda, not the result of a supposed "threat" from Iran but precisely are intended to hasten "regime change," either through National Endowment for Democracy (NED) sponsored "color revolutions" or overt military aggression.

Last week, Antifascist Calling disclosed, citing reports from the Israeli, Russian and Turkish press, that the U.S. has doubled the "special aid" it gives to Israel for long-range anti-ballistic air defense systems and associated radars.

The $235.7 million deal approved by Congress, Israel National News noted was "for the Arrow 3 anti-ballistic long-range air defense system, for the program to improve the basic capabilities of the Arrow systems, and for the David's Sling mid-range anti-missile system."

And as The Jerusalem Post reported, the arms sale comes on the heels of Israeli plans "to hold the largest-ever missile defense exercise in its history this spring amid Iranian efforts to obtain nuclear weapons."

Defense correspondent Yaakov Katz disclosed that "Lt.-Gen. Frank Gorenc, commander of the US's Third Air Force based in Germany, visited Israel to finalize plans for the upcoming drill, expected to see the deployment of several thousand American soldiers in Israel."

The Jerusalem Post noted that "the drill, which is unprecedented in its size, will include the establishment of US command posts in Israel and IDF command posts at EUCOM headquarters in Germany--with the ultimate goal of establishing joint task forces in the event of a large-scale conflict in the Middle East."

"The US," Katz reported, "will also bring its THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) and shipbased Aegis ballistic missile defense systems to Israel to simulate the interception of missile salvos against Israel," and that the "American system will work in conjunction with Israel's missile defense systems--the Arrow, Patriot and Iron Dome."

Well worth a read.....





www.bahrainviews.com...

Originally posted by Xcathdra


Tangle up Iran, which in turn will tangle up the Mideast, placing the bulk of those resources at risk, will force nations, like we jsut saw with China, to get their items elsewhere. The one thing that has been slowing Russia down is the money needed to develop the resources. Maybe this is their way of doing it by promising Iran one thing and throwing them under the bus at the last minute.

edit on 3-1-2012 by Xcathdra because: (no reason given)

You might be right,and the Russia-China Alliance might not be what it actually seems.......

The rivalry between the two neighboring powers, according to SIPRI, is apparent in the military and energy fields. In a recently published study, the Swedish Institute explains how the success of China in diversifying energy supplies and military cooperation have undermined a decades old alliance. Beijing is increasingly dependent of Moscow, which now looks at the dragon as a veiled threat. "Diplomatic relations remain good, but the key points of collaboration in recent decades - weapons and energy – are deteriorating," says the document. And "Russian influence on China will continue to decline." Beijing once relied on Moscow for arms, but now its progress in the defence industry has transformed it from buyer into competitor. For its part, the Kremlin does not trust its neighbour enough to share its know-how in advanced technology, for which Beijing is rather thirsty.

Moscow and China, a deteriorating alliance The two powers have moved in unison against the UN resolution on Syria, but behind the facade their rivalry in energy and military might grows.

S&F

That won't stop the EU to defend their interests if Iran really is gonna try to close the strait. I think if Iran takes that course, they will get an ultimatum to cancel the blockade, or NATO does it for them.

The sanctions dont go into effect for 6 months.
Iran is doing its best to provoke an attack.

I can't believe people on here actually think that Iran should be protected. This is a society that is happy to stone a woman to death in front of children, just because she dared to cheat on her husband. The people of Iran may be innocent and do not deserve war, but their government is indefensible and war should be a very realistic option. This government cannot have nuclear weapons.

Originally posted by michael1983l
I can't believe people on here actually think that Iran should be protected. This is a society that is happy to stone a woman to death in front of children, just because she dared to cheat on her husband. The people of Iran may be innocent and do not deserve war, but their government is indefensible and war should be a very realistic option. This government cannot have nuclear weapons.

That's just more propaganda. It doesn't matter whether Iran is happy to do it or not. This is a completely domestic issue and the US or any other country has no right to dictate how Iran's legal system should be. And whether or not Iran does "stone to death woman in front of children", without providing evidence while there is every evidence of children and women being bombed in Afghanistan and elsewhere your call for a war is just disgraceful. If you are ready for war, you should sign up to the military and be the first one to volunteer to join in the fight.

The government doesn't have nuclear weapons either.

Iran says depreciation in riyal not linked to latest US sanctions

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran said Tuesday that the steep depreciation in the country’s currency against the U.S. dollar was not linked to U.S. new sanctions targeting its Central Bank, while officials geared up for a meeting to assess possible measures to shore up the riyal in an already ailing economy.

www.washingtonpost.com... pm_business_pop

I think Iran should convert to the gold Dinar immediately as the standard currency and get rid of their standard fiat currency. The dinar will be much much stronger than the dollar and will retain its value even in the face of these sanctions.

reply to post by bjarneorn

Have you got a map handy? Have a look at it. I think the Egyptians and the Saudis (among others) might have something to say about the Iranians closing Suez, don't you? Keep that map handy. And you might like to try a visit to the region while you are at it. That usually helps.

reply to post by exroyalnavy


You mean the Straits of Hormuz?

Edit: whoops, sorry. I don't think the Iranians have the capacity to even get their army to the Suez Canal, let alone keep them supplied and fighting

Originally posted by Mkoll
reply to post by exroyalnavy

 

You mean the Straits of Hormuz?

Read the message he was responing to.