Rumors that U.S. led NATO was going to use a U.S. airbase in Kyrgyzstan, to attack Iran, resulted in the U.S. Ambassador to Russia denying such claims.
However, the President of Kyrgyzstan has forbidden the U.S. airbase (which is located on a civilian airport) from being used to launch attacks against Iran.
The U.S. is supposed to stop using the airbase in 2014. According to Pentagon statistics, the base handles up to 15,000 personnel and 500 tons of cargo per month.
Right before the Friends of Syria conference began, Britain’s Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said they will recognize the U.S. created Syrian National Council as a “….legitimate representative of the Syrian people.”
This supports yesterday’s claim by Russia, that the Friends of Syria conference is biased and therefore not legitimate.
Hague went on to imply a threat of war against Russia and China, if they did not comply with the wishes of the west: “It is very important in Moscow and Beijing for there to be a re-evaluation of the position….We have in the European Union an arms embargo on Syria, so of course we will observe that arms embargo in all directions.“
“…officials are working hard in order to win a waiver from the sanctions by the end of this month.”-Osamu Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary for Japan’s Prime Minister
Since January, 2012, Japan has been trying to get an exemption from the U.S. oil sanctions against Iran. Japan’s economy depends on it.
“We have not yet reached an agreement in principle, although we have deepened mutual understanding.”-Koichiro Gemba, Foreign Minister of Japan
Since there is no progress in getting the exemption, Japan is now preping for a possible war in the Persian Gulf, which would cut off 10% of their oil supplies.
Foreign Minister Gemba claims Japan is making preparations that would make any cut off of oil, due to the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, have little affect on Japan’s industries. But that’s because Gemba believes any war with Iran would be short. Does he know something we don’t?
Gemba explained that Japan has 200 days of oil reserves and 70 days worth of liquid natural gas. Apparently Japan was told (during their negotiations to get exempted from the U.S. oil sanctions?) by U.S. officials not to worry about a long war.
Gemba added that the Japanese government is going over various scenarios to reduce the impact the war will have on people’s daily lives.
On February 24, 2012, between 50 and 80 countries will meet in Tunis for the Friends of Syria conference. The results of the conference could bypass the United Nations regarding overt foreign intervention in Syria.
China has refused to attend the conference, saying they are true friends of Syria. Chinese officials also say they were given little notice of the conference, so they are not sure of the true purpose of the meeting.
Russia has refused to attend because: “The opposition is invited, the legal authorities are not. This means we have here what we had in Libya: a contact group was created. There is a feeling that it all aims at supporting ONE part in the country’s internal conflict.”-Aleksandr Lukashevich, Russian Foreign Ministry
According to the Israeli private intelligence agency DEBKA, sources inside the Pentagon say plans have been drawn up for military action. Which plan is chosen will depend on the news Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, will bring back from the Friends of Syria conference.
DEBKA says the U.K., France, Italy and even Turkey are preparing for military action as well.
A whistleblower inside the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says the United States has been covertly training the Syrian rebels since May 2011. Also, as many as 10,000 pro-U.S. Libyans are in Jordan waiting for the invasion.
A political scientist, in Syria, said this was about future war with Iran and Lebanon: “They want a political uprising here in Syria to make the country weak and then go to Iran and Hezbollah.”-Balsam Abu Bulla, political scientist
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham admitted this is all about Iran: “If the Syrian regime is replaced with another form of government, that doesn’t tie its future to the Iranians, the world is a better place.”
I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
Iran has made a new oil deal offer to European countries, except the countries of Britain and France: “They must know that our country is in a position which must be talked to and treated on equal standing and through mutual respect, and they must forget about their past empires and exploiting other countries.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Foreign Ministry of Iran
For all other European countries Iran is willing to continue shipping oil to them if: “They…must sign medium, or long term contracts covering periods of three to five years….and ban….oil customers from unilaterally canceling their contracts.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Foreign Ministry of Iran
Iranian officials say that by signing the long term contracts European countries could get a fixed price for Iranian oil. If they don’t sign contracts, then no more oil for you: “We make decisions in our own country and we have sanctioned hostile states; if other countries do not specify their decision about long term oil contracts, Tehran will make a decision about them as well.”-Rostam Qassemi, Oil Minister of Iran
Iranian officials claim they don’t really need the European market, saying only 18% of all of Iran’s oil production goes to Europe.
On February 20, 2012, French steel workers are occupying the ArcelorMittal steel plant in northeast France. Two blast furnaces have been shut down since October 2011.
I’ve posted how U.S. sanctions against Iran include the steel industry, and it’s having negative affects, not for Iran but the West!
The shut down of the ArcelorMittal blast furnaces is supposed to be temporary, but last week company officials announced an extension to the shut down. About 200 employees responded by taking over company offices. Employees fear the temporary shut down is going to become permanent, no thanks in part to the U.S. and European sanctions against Iran.
“India’s decision to walk out of step with the international community on Iran isn’t just a slap in the face for the U.S. – it raises questions about its ability to lead. The Indian government’s ill-advised statement last week that it will continue to purchase oil from Iran is a major setback for the U.S. attempt to isolate the Iranian government…”-Nicholas Burns, former U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs
India joins a growing list of countries basically telling the U.S., and U.K., to go stuff themselves. Indian government officials are working with Indian companies to create a system that will let them pay for Iranian oil with Indian rupees.
In Japan, an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell, says they will continue buying Iranian oil despite pressure from the U.S. government. Showa Shell Sekiyu KK is Japan’s 5th largest refinery, and uses 100,000 barrels per day of Iranian oil. Officials say they are affiliated with Royal Dutch Shell, but they operate independently and have their own contracts with Iran. This is also why Iran has not stopped oil shipments to Japan (Royal Dutch Shell is a British/U.S./Dutch controlled company).
Then there’s South Korea, which has managed to convince U.S. lawmakers to exempt more than 2,000 Korean companies from the sanctions. Not only that, but South Korea’s Woori Bank, and the Industrial Bank of Korea, do business directly with Iran Central Bank. Their transactions are done in Korean money, thus avoiding the U.S. petro-dollar.
On February 17, 2012, the presidents of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan vowed to create an alliance that would prevent anymore ‘foreign’ interventions in the region.
At a meeting held in Pakistan, President Hamid Karzai, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and President Asif Ali Zardari issued the statement to U.S. officials. So far no response from U.S. officials.
They also told U.S. officials that only Afghanistan has final say in peace talks with Taliban: “Presidents of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan reiterated their full support for an Afghan led and Afghan owned inclusive process of peace and reconciliation. They assured the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan that they would extend full cooperation and stressed that any initiative in this regard must have authentic Afghan ownership.”
The above statement was issued because they believe the United States is making secret deals with the Taliban!
Pakistan also pointed out, that despite criticism from the U.S., more Pakistanis have died than Americans in the so called War on Terror. Pakistan claims 35,000 civilians and security personnel have died, in the name of helping the U.S., since the 2001 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.
“Iran is the only market in the world that can move billet prices and now trading has basically come to a halt.”-unnamed British steel trader
Not only is the U.S. oil sanctions on Iran backfiring, but so are U.S. sanctions on steel sold to Iran!
“Now you can really feel the effects of the sanctions imposed by the U.S. and Europe…It is very difficult to do any business with Iran at the moment.”-unnamed Swiss steel trader
U.S. and European sanctions might have stopped the sale of steel to Iran, but it’s also shutting down U.S. and European steel makers! Why? Iran is the biggest buyer of steel billet, and with the biggest buyer of steel out of the game steel prices are dropping like a rock!!! (unlike oil, where everyone is trying to get their hands on it, thus causing oil prices to go up)
Russia is upset because they supply much of the steel Iran uses (Iran buys 15% of the steel exported by Russia): “Russian producers are not selling to Iran as they need pre-payments and won’t accept letters of credit. If I find a way to do that I won’t tell you. Iran is the king market in steel and if we can find a way to trade with them again we certainly would not share the know-how.”-unnamed Swiss steel trader dealing in Russian steel
Unlike the oil market, where Iran has established a successful trade system that avoids the U.S. dollar and U.S. & U.K. banks, the global steel market is still dominated by U.S. & British banks. But some Russian’s are hopeful they’ll find a way ’round it: “Steel demand is pretty strong, the problem is the banking system. Russian banks do not have trading lines with Iranian banks to facilitate ruble transactions.”-Dmitry Smolin, URALSIB Capital
Sometime at the end of March, Iran and Oman will hold joint naval exercises. Oman is located northeast of Yemen, south of the Strait of Hormuz along the Indian Ocean.
The majority of Oman’s Muslims are Ibadhi, with major differences from Iran’s Shi’a. The government of Oman is a Unitary Islamic Absolute Monarcy.
The planned March war games, and rescue drills, would be the third time Iran and Oman held such exercises.