Tag Archives: iran

International

Iran to hold regional War Games

“We are ready to stage such war games jointly with those states on the Southern rims of the Persian Gulf in future.”-Brigadier General Hossein Salami, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps

Iran said that for the 2011-2012 year (Iranian year 1389) observers from other countries will be allowed to watch Iranian war games.  It’s hoped that in the near future regional countries will also take part in the war games.  The purpose is to build regional support for controling the Strait of Hormuz, and the Persian/Arabian Gulf.

International

Iran calls Saudi Arabia’s invasion of Bahrain a “Historical Mistake”

“If Saudi Arabia had not made the historical mistake of deploying its forces on the Bahraini soil, today the conditions in the Middle-East would not be so difficult and complicated.”-Alaeddin Boroujerdi, Iranian National Security and Foreign Policy Commission

Boroujerdi made the comment while meeting with Kuwaiti officials. Kuwait’s National Assembly Speaker Jassem Mohammad al-Kharafi, also condemned the Saudi occupation of Bahrain.  Weeks ago Kuwait was going to help with the Saudi and United Arab Emirates invasion of Bahrain, but backed out.  Now Kuwait wants Saudi Arabia and the UAE out.

Even Saudi activists are condemning the Saudi Royal Family for the invasion, and gave a dire warning: “I believe that the fire of Bahrain’s revolution will spread to Saudi Arabia. Any free opinion poll in Saudi Arabia would reveal that at least 70% of the people want the overthrow of the Al Saud dynasty.”-Mohammad al-Mos’ari

What makes the situation more complicated is that Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

International

Kidnapped Iranian contractors freed in Afghanistan

12 contractors have been freed, after being kidnapped in Afghanistan.

Iran officials will only say their diplomatic efforts worked to free the men.  “After the news about the abduction of these individuals, we pursued the case through Kabul’s embassy in Tehran as well as Iran’s embassy in Kabul. We have made several contacts with the Afghan political officials and military forces.”-Ramin Mehman-Parast, Iranian Foreign Ministry

 

International

Iran announces that it is ready to send troops anywhere in the world

“The Iranian military’s Ground Forces will deploy its peacekeeping troops in any region of armed conflict upon foreign ministry’s recommendation.”-Ahmad Reza Pourdastan, Iranian Army’s Ground Forces Brigadier-General

The Iranian general told foreign military attachés that Iran’s Army is ready for “peacekeeping” duties, anywhere in the world.  This is supposedly in accordance with Iran being a member of the Untied Nations, and being willing to help with UN peacekeeping missions.

International

Xenophobic British women attack Iranian woman

An Iranian foreign exchange student, attending school in the United Kingdom, was attacked on April 13, by four British women.  The British women said they attacked her because she would not remove her hijab (head covering).

“If it turns out that the incident has been a racial attack and the Iranian student has been assaulted because of her nationality, Iran will show reaction.”-Mahmoud Mollabashi, Deputy Minister of Science, Research and Technology

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Iran threatens higher oil prices, says “No way will it fall below $100”

“Iran can have an effect on world energy and fuel. Fuel prices will go up dramatically. If sanctions are not removed, particularly sanctions against banks and other economic sanctions, the price of oil will go above $150 a barrel.”-Mahmoud Bahmani, Iran’s central bank

A top U.S. Federal Reserve official said that gasoline prices above $4 a gallon would throw the U.S. economy into another recession.

Iran is the world’s third-leading oil exporter, and thanks to U.S. backed sanctions, has just expanded their own oil refining abilities, now making them an exporter of gasoline as well.

On top of any threats of increased oil prices, Iranian oil Minister Massoud Mir-Kazemi, said factors remain that will ensure that oil prices will continue to go up, regardless of how much oil is pumped out of the ground: “The price of oil depends on two things: First, the fundamentals, including supply and demand, and then the political, psychological and unforeseen elements. Based on these factors, oil prices should increase again by end of the year.”

 


Business/Economics, International

Iran and Pakistan speed up pipeline development, Germany onboard

The Iran-Pak (or Pak-Iran) Gas pipeline just got a boost from Germany.  A German company signed a deal to lay the new pipeline between Pakistan and Iran.

The German company might be ILF Consulting Engineers, who were hired to do a feasibility study earlier in the month of April.

The pipeline will begin from Iran’s Assalouyeh Energy Zone in the south, run through Pakistan, and could end up in China, depending on future deals with China.  Originally the pipeline was to run to India, but there were issues with the Indian government.

Business/Economics, International

Iran and Germany sign Gas deal, so much for U.S. backed UN sanctions

Germany has agreed to provide Iran with the latest technology and training, to take advantage of the South Pars natural gas fields in Iran.

Iran is also working with several European countries for similar deals: “We are in talks with many foreign companies to attract U.S.$20 billion of investment.”-Mahmoud Zirakchianzadeh, Managing-Director of the National Iranian Offshore Oil Company

Iran has already signed a deal with South Korea.

Iran had signed a deal with the French, but said the French failed to live up to their end of the bargain.

Iran hopes to push production of the South Pars gas fields up to 1.1 billion cubic meters per day.

Business/Economics, International

Iran says U.S. led military actions cause of World Instability, part of Control though Chaos

“Military buildup does not result in energy security, rather it causes instability in the energy market.”-Massoud Mir-Kazzemi, Iranian Oil Minister

Mir-Kazzemi says the West’s militant approach to world issues is the root cause of instability in the global energy market.  The U.S. does not have an interest in creating “win-win” situations.

Iran suggests that the situation in Libya is all about driving up the price of oil, in the interests of Western oil companies.  It is also true that non-western oil companies are benefiting as well.

Iran is the current President of OPEC.  The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries was created in September 1960. The members are Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.