Category: Iran
The analysis published under this category are as follows.
Tuesday, January 05, 2021
Trump’s Iran-COVID-Gate Anniversary / Politics / Iran
By: Dan_Steinbock
A year ago, the Trump administration escalated regime change efforts against Iran, while shunning the war against COVID-19. Due to misplaced priorities, more Americans have perished in the pandemic than US combatants in World War II.
In the past month, US B-52 bombers flew over the Gulf three times in a show of force the Trump administration called a deterrence measure. Presumably, to keep Iran from retaliating on January 3; the first anniversary of the assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike.
The international concern is that President Trump could resort to military action against Iran, even in his remaining days in office.
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Tuesday, June 04, 2019
Is Trump Reversing Course On Iran? / Politics / Iran
By: OilPrice_Com
The Trump administration is attempting to dial down the tension with Iran, lowering the risk of military conflict and pushing for diplomatic negotiations.
On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the U.S. was ready to negotiate with Iran with “no preconditions,” a shift in strategy after laying out a list of 12 hardline demands last year, a list that seemed to be a set of preconditions. Meanwhile, last week, President Trump stated that he was not seeking regime change in Iran, contradicting his national security adviser, John Bolton, who has repeatedly advocated for toppling the regime in Tehran.
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Monday, May 06, 2019
America’s Iran Plans Suffer from a Double-Bind / Politics / Iran
By: Dan_Steinbock
The Triangle Drama of the United States, Iran, and China
Starting in May, the White House hopes to extinguish Iran’s oil exports. However, any destabilization may prove counter-productive and cause long-term damage to the United States, the region and global prospects.
For three years, the nuclear accord (JCPOA) offered Iran relief from the multilateral sanctions on energy, financial, shipping, automotive and other sectors.
The shift in the U.S. policy began in late 2016, when the Congress extended the Iran Sanctions Act for a decade. That emboldened Trump's unipolar stance.
But what are the immediate economic and strategic implications?
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Iran's Death Spiral -- 40 Years And Counting / Politics / Iran
By: Steve_H_Hanke
Today, Supreme Leader Khamenei and the mullahs celebrated the 40th year of Iran’s Islamic Revolution. With the exception of the Revolutionary Guard and “the beards,” as the hard core have been dubbed, few in Iran have much to celebrate. In the economic sphere alone, Iranians have been in a forty-year death spiral. And, let us not forget the estimated 750,000 Iranians who were slaughtered in the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988).
Like the slaughter in that bloody war, the Iranian rial has been slaughtered, too. At the time of the Revolution, the rial fetched 70.5 per U.S. dollar. Today, it takes 122,500 rials to get a greenback. Thanks to the Revolution, the value of the rial has been decimated. The recent picture of the rial’s black market (read: free market) plunge is shown in the chart below.
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Sunday, August 05, 2018
Iran's Rial Currency Is In A Death Spiral, Again / Currencies / Iran
By: Steve_H_Hanke
Iran’s rial plunged from 98,000 IRR/USD on Saturday to 112,000 IRR/USD on Sunday on Tehran’s Ferdowsi Street. That stunning 12.5% one-day plunge has pushed the rial into a classic death spiral. The last time the rial was in a grip of such a spiral was back in September 2012.
The chart below shows the downward roller coaster ride the rial has been on during the past six months, as well as this weekend’s free fall. As the chart indicates, the official IRR/USD rate is 44,030; whereas, the rate in the black market (read: free market) is 112,000. That widespread rate is now measured by a huge black-market premium of 154%. This means that those who are privileged and have access to the official exchange rate can turn handsome profits of 154% in the blink of an eye.
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Monday, May 14, 2018
US Quest for Iran Regime Change: Will EU Sustain the Nuclear Deal / Politics / Iran
By: Dan_Steinbock
Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal was the wrong decision in the wrong time. It is likely to compound global political, economic and security risks. Now EU must sustain the nuclear deal, along with Russia and China.For three years, the comprehensive nuclear accord (JCPOA) has offered Iran relief from US, UN and multilateral sanctions on energy, financial, shipping, automotive and other sectors.
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Monday, January 15, 2018
What Really Happens in Iran? / Politics / Iran
By: Dan_Steinbock
US New Sanctions amid Iran's Transition and Pivot to the East
Iran’s recent volatility reflects US effort to undermine the nuclear accord as Iran is amid economic transition and increasingly looking toward the East.
At the end of December, a series of protests against economic policies erupted in Iran. As they spread, their scope expanded to include political opposition against the government. As President Trump tweeted his support for the protesters and criticism of the government, pro-government marchers filled the streets.
Friday, August 04, 2017
Iran: Public Image Versus Historical Reality Part 2. Iran: The Last Century to the Present / Politics / Iran
By: Raymond_Matison
Iran: Part 2. Iran: The Last Century to the Present is a sequel to the first part of this report on Iran. The reading of both parts is necessary for a more complete understanding of how Iran has evolved to its present media perceived status in the world, and how reality diverges from popular perceptions. Part I, traces historical events which have shaped Iran’s evolution and development from its great Persian empire of over two thousand years ago to those taking place in the 20th century.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Iran: Public Image Versus Historical Reality - Part 1: An Abridged History to the 20th Century / Politics / Iran
By: Raymond_Matison
Part I, traces historical events which have shaped Iran’s evolution and development from its great Persian empire of over two thousand years ago to those taking place in the 20th century.
Over the last several decades Iran has been labeled by the United States a terrorist state, a state that needs to be restricted or otherwise controlled. Consequently, Iran has been under frequent, broad and severe sanctions over the last several decades, whereby it was impeded from selling its oil to generate revenues, and foreclosed to use the SWIFT system of international money transfer. It is a state, according to the international community, which cannot be permitted to develop nuclear arms. President George W. Bush identified Iran as part of a global axis of evil. More recently President Trump has noted on his recent trip to the Middle East that Iran “is the biggest sponsor of terrorism, and that Iran must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon”. He called on “all nations of conscience to isolate Iran”.
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Sunday, February 26, 2017
Iran Holds Large Scale Naval Exercises / Politics / Iran
By: Stephen_Lendman
Iran is threatened by Israel and America’s regional military presence. In areas around the Persian Gulf, it has bases in every country except Iran - plus numerous others in North Africa and Central Asia.
Its actions destabilized much of the Middle East. It supports the region’s worst despots.
The late Chalmers Johnson said “the United States has been inexorably acquiring permanent military enclaves whose sole purpose appears to be the domination of one of the most strategically important areas of the world.”
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Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Iran’s Strengthening Economy Is A Threat To The US—Not Nukes / Politics / Iran
By: John_Mauldin
BY KAMRAN BOKHARI : There is a great deal of noise over the fate of the Iran nuclear deal which we wrote about last year. It is going to be very hard to roll back the agreement announced a year ago. Thus, it’s unclear what Trump can do to limit Iran’s benefits from the respite in sanctions.
The issue is not a nuclear Iran or one with ballistic missile capability, but rather an economy that is improving because of the nuclear deal.
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Thursday, February 02, 2017
White House Puts Iran on Notice Over Its Legitimate Missile Tests / Politics / Iran
By: Stephen_Lendman
On Wednesday, Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael Flynn irresponsibly lashed out against Iran’s recent legitimate ballistic missile tests.
Without justification, he claimed they “undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East that puts American lives at risk.”
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Sunday, April 10, 2016
The Curious Case of Iran’s Stock Market / Stock-Markets / Iran
By: Dylan_Waller
The recent removal of sanctions against Iran will prove to serve as a major economic catalyst for Iran, and investors should begin to start noting the opportunities of Iran’s stock market and economy. Iran is by no means a small contributor to the global economy, and apart from the country’s ability to thrive amid low oil prices, it is also a key global contributor in the following areas:
Friday, July 24, 2015
Why There's Resistance to the Iran Nuclear Deal / Politics / Iran
By: ...
MoneyMorning.com
Dr. Kent Moors writes: Years ago, when I was doing monthly analysis on Iran's oil and gas industry, one of the biggest quandaries was trying to make market sense out of what came from the leadership in Tehran.
Well, the past 72 hours and the July 14 Iran nuclear deal have brought me back to those days.
Back then, it was not unusual for Iran's religious and political heads to shoot themselves in the foot economically every time they opened their mouths on policy matters. And Iran remains one of the most convoluted webs of power relationships and brokerages anywhere.
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Wednesday, July 22, 2015
The Three Reasons Behind Iran’s Resistance to the Nuclear Deal / Politics / Iran
By: ...
MoneyMorning.com
Dr. Kent Moors writes: Years ago, when I was doing monthly analysis on Iran’s oil and gas industry, one of the biggest quandaries was trying to make market sense out of what came from the leadership in Tehran.
Well, the past 48 hours have brought me back to those days.
Back then, it was not unusual for Iran’s religious and political heads to shoot themselves in the foot economically every time they opened their mouths on policy matters. And Iran remains one of the most convoluted webs of power relationships and brokerages anywhere.
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Friday, September 19, 2014
Iran Prepares for a Leadership Transition / Politics / Iran
By: STRATFOR
Though Iran has been broadcasting pictures and videos of top state officials and noted foreign dignitaries visiting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the hospital, the health of the man who has held the most powerful post in the Islamic Republic remains unclear. The unusual public relations management of what has been described as a prostate surgery suggests Tehran may be preparing the nation and the world for a transition to a third supreme leader. Iranian efforts to project an atmosphere of normalcy conceal concerns among players in the Iranian political system that a power vacuum will emerge just as the Islamic republic has reached a geopolitical crossroads.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Iran Economy Stable but Miserable / Economics / Iran
By: Steve_H_Hanke
Since Hassan Rouhani assumed the presidency of the Islamic Republic of Iran in August of last year, the economic outlook for Iran has improved. When Rouhani took office, he promised three things: to curb the inflation which had become rampant under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to stabilize Iran's currency (the Rial), and to start talks to potentially try and end the sanctions which have battered Iran since 2010. Rouhani has delivered on each of these promises. From this, one might assume that the Iranian economy, and the Iranian people, are headed towards better times.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
The Iranian Navy's Symbolic Show of Force in the Atlantic / Politics / Iran
By: STRATFOR
Tehran announced Feb. 8 that it had dispatched a frigate and a supply ship to the North Atlantic Ocean, where they will approach U.S. maritime borders. This is not the first time the Iranians have announced their intent to deploy naval vessels close to the United States. Iran made two such declarations in 2011 but never followed through.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
US Throws Imperial Temper Tantrum at UN Over Iran / Politics / Iran
By: LewRockwell
Daniel McAdams writes: UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon had the temerity Monday to invite Iran to participate in the “Geneva II” conference on the ongoing crisis in Syria. Though one might believe Iran has a legitimate interest in a conflict right in its neighborhood, the US refused to allow Iran to participate unless its leadership agreed to the pre-condition that Assad must be driven from power. For the US, the result of the conference must be decided before the conference commences. It is Queen of Hearts diplomacy: sentence first, verdict afterward!
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Monday, October 07, 2013
Obama Phone Call an Opening for Iran? / Politics / Iran
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
Last week, for the first time since the 1979 Iranian revolution, the US president spoke with his Iranian counterpart. Their 15 minute telephone call was reported to open the door to further high-level discussions. This is a very important event.
I have been saying for years that we should just talk to the Iranians. After all, we talked to the Soviets when they actually had thousands of nuclear missiles pointed at us! The Iranians have none, according to our own intelligence services. I even suggested a few years ago that we should "offer friendship" to them. Unfortunately, so many so-called experts have a stake in keeping tensions high and pushing us to war. They did not want to hear what I was saying. It seems, though, this is beginning to change now with these recent events.
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Thursday, May 23, 2013
Iran’s Search for a “Master of the Economy” / Politics / Iran
By: Steve_H_Hanke
Iran’s Guardian Council announced yesterday that former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has been barred from Iran’s presidency poll—reportedly due to his old age and debilitating health. In recent weeks, speculation over a Rafsanjani comeback bid had spurred some optimism among Iranians who recognize that their broken economy desperately needed a jolt. Some Iranian voters have described him as a “master of the economy” and the solution to their economic woes. However, a closer look at Iran’s misery index shows just how fatally flawed this perception is.
Tuesday, February 05, 2013
Value of the Iranian Rial Hits an All Time Low / Currencies / Iran
By: Steve_H_Hanke
For months, I have kept careful tabs on the black-market exchange rate between the Iranian rial and the U.S. dollar. This is the metric I used to determine that Iran underwent a brief period of hyperinflation, in October 2012. And, using these data, I calculated that Iran ended 2012 with a year-end annual inflation rate of 110%.
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Friday, November 30, 2012
Where’s Iran’s Money? / Economics / Iran
By: Steve_H_Hanke
Since I first estimated Iran’s hyperinflation last month , I have received inquiries as to why I have never so much as mentioned Iran’s money supply. That’s a good question, which comes as no surprise. After all, inflations of significant degree and duration always involve a monetary expansion.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
War with Iran Keshe Weirdness / Politics / Iran
By: Patrick_Henningsen
Danté Xavier Voltaire writes: Is there a hidden dimension to the war posturing against Iran by the Western Alliance?
Mehran Tavakoli Keshe, an Iranian born Nuclear Engineer, Inventor and Founder of The Keshe Foundation, based in Belgium, claims to have helped the Iranian Government develop a ‘superior’ space program based on his nuclear plasma technology. The Iranian Government openly promotes their space program and may have used a Keshe technology based ‘UFO’ style anti-gravity spaceship complete with tractor beams to capture the infamous US RQ170 Sentinel drone, an event which embarrassed the Obama administration and shook the CIA in December 2011.
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Iran’s Lying Currency Exchange Rates / Currencies / Iran
By: Submissions
Steve H. Hanke writes: On September 24th, the Iranian government announced that it would adopt a three-tiered, multiple-exchange-rate regime. This wrong-headed attempt to exert more control over the price of domestic goods and combat inflation has failed (and will continue to fail). Since the rial began its free-fall in early September, international observers and the Iranian people have struggled to understand the implications of this exchange-rate regime.
Tuesday, October 09, 2012
Iran's Cascading Hyperinflation Currency Collapse Crisis / Currencies / Iran
By: Money_Morning
Kent Moors writes:
Matters are beginning to come to a head in Iran.
So far, the impact of Western sanctions - an EU embargo of oil purchases, European and U.S. restrictions on Tehran's access to international banking, and a new move to intensify the trading restrictions even further - have had a devastating impact.
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Wednesday, October 03, 2012
Iran Wage Price Spiral Towards HyperInflation Panic Collapse Triggered by U.S. Currency War WMD's / Politics / Iran
By: Nadeem_Walayat
Whilst the Israeli PM was busy using propaganda cartoons at the UN to prepare the brain washed masses of the world for an attack against Iran's nuclear infrastructure, in addition to the raging cyber war, the currency war against the Iranian elite has continued to accelerate as the US elites succeeds in decoupling Iran's central bank from the global central bank crime syndicate that manages the relative rates of free fall amongst all fiat currencies to give the illusion of currency stability which has sent the Iranian Rial literally into free fall.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Is Iran Trying To Tell Us Something We Won’t Hear? / Politics / Iran
By: Danny_Schechter
New York, New York: Sometimes, major media is the last to recognize, shifts in policy positions. Iran is a case in point.
In the lead up to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s annual speech to the General Assembly, the American TV stations were preparing their audiences for another provocative Israel-hating rant.
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Monday, September 24, 2012
Nuclear Iran Persian Gulf Challenge Looms Large / Politics / Iran
By: Money_Morning
Dr. Kent Moors writes:
My meetings and media interviews continue here in London. But this morning I want to fill you in on one of the more interesting briefings I have ever held.
Last night, Marina and I had the distinct pleasure of dining with Khaled Duwaisan, Kuwait's Ambassador to the Court of St. James and the longest-serving foreign emissary in London.
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Monday, August 27, 2012
Can the War Israel Wants With Iran Be Averted? / Politics / Iran
By: Danny_Schechter
For more than a year now, the drums of war emanating from Israel have become louder and louder with weekly news leaks, and threats including the disclosure of alleged attack plans. The whole exercise seems designed to create a sense of alarm and inevitability.
These warnings have been amplified by statements by American politicians that seem to be occurring with greater frequency.
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Wednesday, April 04, 2012
U.S. Standing Down on Military Action as Iran's Internal Power Struggle Unfolds / Politics / Iran
By: OilPrice_Com
A strike on Iran, however limited, would push the current internal power struggle to a premature end that would not be in the US' best interests - that is the message, whether intentional or not, of the recent "intelligence leak" that has provided the Obama Administration with justification for standing down with regard to Iran.
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Wednesday, February 29, 2012
US, Britain Gear Up for War on Iran / Politics / Iran
By: Global_Research
Bill Van Auken writes: The military commands in both the US and Britain have sought increased funding and stepped up deployments of arms and personnel to the Persian Gulf in preparation for an anticipated war against Iran.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon, acting on the request of the Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the region, has requested the re-allocation of some $100 million in military spending to ratchet up war preparations.
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Sunday, February 19, 2012
Who is Stronger: Iran or the West? / Politics / Iran
By: Pravda
While developed countries continue to print their money as fast as they can to overcome the debt crisis, investors turn their heads to the East. The West introduced sanctions against Iran, but it appears that the Islamic Republic is capable of throwing the world economy into deep crisis.
The European consumers of Iranian oil shudder at the thought that Iran may block the Hormuz Strait in response to the economic sanctions from the West. If it happens, all the efforts aimed at overcoming the financial crisis, will be wasted in an instant.
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Tuesday, February 07, 2012
U.S. War With Iran? / Politics / Iran
By: Danny_Schechter
The TV series House of Lies is about business but it could as easily be about government and foreign policy.
In a recent episode, one of the management consultants pitches a company about the need to launch a new product. She recounts the story of the Polaroid Company known as the Apple of its day, widely admired for the cool design of its instant cameras.
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Thursday, January 05, 2012
Why Attacking Iran Will Not Work in 2012 / Politics / Iran
By: Patrick_Henningsen
All signs coming out of Washington, London, Paris and Tel Aviv are pointing towards a pre-emptive military strike against Iran in 2012. But a number of key indicators are also pointing towards an unsuccessful, unlikely operation, whose failure could result in a military and economic tailspin from which the United States and Israel are unlikely to recover.
Thursday, January 05, 2012
US, EU Warmongers Wage Economic War on Iran / Politics / Iran
By: Mike_Shedlock
One might think the US and EU would have enough economic problems already to risk oil soaring to stratospheric heights by an embargo of Iranian oil.
Unfortunately, common sense never gets in the way of bureaucrats and fools or their foolish missions.
Friday, December 09, 2011
Iran Airs Footage of Downed U.S. Stealth Cylon Spy Drone / Politics / Iran
By: Videos
Iran has released video footage of the most advanced US reconnaissance drone which was downed by the Iranian Army in the eastern part of the Islamic Republic earlier this week.
On Sunday December 4, the Iranian Army's electronic warfare unit downed the US RQ-170 Sentinel stealth aircraft which was flying over the Iranian city of Kashmar, some 140 miles (225km) from the Afghan border.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
U.S. Threatens Iran with 'Safe' Nuclear Weapons / Politics / Iran
By: Michel_Chossudovsky
Last weekend the Pentagon lost communication with 50 intercontinental nuclear warheads, it was made public after a former US Air Force officer tweeted the news.
This mistake happened as members of the Obama Administration have been preaching about the importance over safe and secure nuclear programs. Michel Chossudovsky the Director of the Center for Research on Globalization believes the worst case scenario is when politicians are threatening to use these weapons in conventional warfare.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Iran Begins a New Phase in Uranium Exploration / Politics / Iran
By: Submissions
Tehran writes: Iran’s nuclear chief announced beginning of a massive operation to explore for uranium located in central and southern parts of the country, areas presumed to hold large quantities of the said element.
Ali Akbar Salehi, Director of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), told reporters the country seeks to fulfill its long-term commitments in uranium mining and reach self-sufficiency in that field. ‘We have divided the country into several regions and in each one we are doing some research. But most of our exploration activities are being conducted in the central and southern parts of the country,’ MNA quoted Salehi as saying.
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Saturday, October 23, 2010
Iran Produces 30 kg of Enriched Uranium / Politics / Iran
By: Submissions
Tehran writes: Iran has so far produced 30 kilograms of 20 percent enriched uranium up until now, according to the country’s top nuclear official.
In a surprise announcement Ali Akbar Salehi in an interview with Iran’s Press TV on Wednesday said all the efforts are aimed at nuclear sufficiency in production and exploration.
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Monday, September 27, 2010
Iran's Option In Case Of Attack On Its Nuclear Facilities / Politics / Iran
By: Global_Intel_Report
INCIDENT: Sources in the Gulf region report that Iran is preparing for a possible attack by Israel and/or the United States on one or more of its nuclear production units by stockpiling arms and munitions with its proxy militias in Kuwait and Bahrain. This comes as Bahrain arrests 23 opposition leaders accused of terrorism offences and hints that Iran is behind an alleged plot to overthrow the government.
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Thursday, August 12, 2010
Unintended Consequences of Iran Trade Sanctions / Politics / Iran
By: J_M_Finegold_Catalan
As the Iranian government continues to resist American political pressure to abandon its nuclear program, the United States and her allies have once again turned to economic sanctions as a method of enforcing their will — or, at least, so they intend. On June 9, 2010, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1929, which, among other things, bans the sale of armaments and the provision of military training to the Iranian military, and prohibits travel for certain blacklisted Iranian citizens. Unsatisfied, the United States and the European Union intends to enact even tougher economic sanctions of their own in the near future. Even worse, these are only additions to sanctions that have existed since the Revolution of 1979.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Iran Attack, Rumours of a Hard-Rain and the Price of Oil: My Trip to Tehran / Politics / Iran
By: Andrew_Butter
Oil-Blogger Alan Von Alterdof (http://seekingalpha.com/..) is convinced that pretty soon Iran is going to “get what’s coming to it”, he tells us:
Hundreds of powerful US "bunker-buster" bombs are being shipped from California to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean
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Sunday, March 21, 2010
US-NATO Military Strike Against Iran? / Politics / Iran
By: Submissions
Rick Rozoff says that the US and NATO are tightening the military noose around Iran. The United States has made many moves, including placing land-and sea-based interceptor missiles in the Mediterranean. In addition, NATO has increasingly been deploying its deputy secretary to the United Arab Emirates, possibly to lay the groundwork for a military strike against Iran.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
U.S. Iran Sneak Attack? / Politics / Iran
By: Pravda
It has been revealed that hundreds of powerful U.S. “bunker-buster” bombs are being shipped from California in the U.S. to the British island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean in preparation for a possible attack on Iran. Although Diego Garcia is part of British Indian Ocean Territory, it is used by the US as a military base under an agreement made in 1971. The agreement led to 2,000 native islanders being forcibly evicted to the Seychelles and Mauritius.
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Thursday, February 11, 2010
NATO’s Role In The Military Encirclement Of Iran / Politics / Iran
By: Rick_Rozoff
Following on the heels of identifying himself as the “Commander-in-Chief of a nation in the midst of two wars” and moreover the head of state of no less than “the world’s sole military superpower” [1] while being presented with what is still curiously called the Nobel Peace Prize, U.S. President Barack Obama in his first State of the Union address on January 27 asserted “the international community is more united, and the Islamic Republic of Iran is more isolated” and threatened: “As Iran’s leaders continue to ignore their obligations, there should be no doubt: They…will face growing consequences. That is a promise.”
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
U.S. Congress Targets Iran with New Energy Sanctions / Politics / Iran
By: OilPrice_Com
U.S. lawmakers are toughening their stance on Iran's energy industry with new economic penalties, but experts doubt the Islamic regime will pay much attention and is more likely to open the doors even wider to other players eager to replace fleeing investors.
Monday, December 28, 2009
U.S. Democrats Subverting Iranian Peoples Revolution / Politics / Iran
By: Shamus_Cooke
On Sunday in Iran, mass protests were drowned in blood by government authorities; at least ten reportedly have been killed with hundreds injured. The events have been given ample coverage in the U.S. media, with the intention of further demonizing Iran’s repressive government. Absent in the American media are the deeper implications of the protests, which, to anyone paying close attention, constitute a powerful revolutionary movement.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Secrets Leaked on the Deepening Iran Crisis / Politics / Iran
By: STRATFOR
Two major leaks occurred this weekend over the Iran matter.
In the first, The New York Times published an article reporting that staff at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. nuclear oversight group, had produced an unreleased report saying that Iran was much more advanced in its nuclear program than the IAEA had thought previously. According to the report, Iran now has all the data needed to design a nuclear weapon. The New York Times article added that U.S. intelligence was re-examining the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) of 2007, which had stated that Iran was not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon.
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Friday, October 02, 2009
Iran Sanctions and the Doomsday Scenario / Politics / Iran
By: John_Mauldin
Recently I had a discussion with a colleague about university athletes. I was previously unaware that NCAA colleges set up guidance programs that develop the well-roundedness of student athletes. 'Life coaches' ensure that these individuals balance their rigorous athletic commitments with personal and academic accomplishments. I'm not judging your ability to run a mile or catch a football, but well-roundedness is an element to being successful - whatever your area may be.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Iran, IAEA, Another War in the Works / Politics / Iran
By: Paul_Craig_Roberts
Does anyone remember all the lies that they were told by President Bush and the "Main Stream Media" about the grave threat to America from weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? These lies were repeated endlessly in the print and TV media despite the reports from the weapons inspectors, who had been sent to Iraq, that no such weapons existed.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Misreading the Iranian Nuclear Situation / Politics / Iran
By: STRATFOR
The Iranians have now agreed to talks with the P-5+1, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China) plus Germany. These six countries decided in late April to enter into negotiations with Iran over the suspected Iranian nuclear weapons program by Sept. 24, the date of the next U.N. General Assembly meeting. If Iran refused to engage in negotiations by that date, the Western powers in the P-5+1 made clear that they would seriously consider imposing much tougher sanctions on Iran than those that were currently in place. The term “crippling” was mentioned several times.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Iran's Election and US - Iranian Election / ElectionOracle / Iran
By: Stephen_Lendman
In the run-up to Iran's June 12 presidential election, early indications suggested the media's reaction if the wrong candidate won. On June 7, New York Times writer Robert Worth reported "a surge of energy (for) Mir Hussein Mousavi, a reformist who is the leading contender to defeat Mr. Ahmadinejad (and) a new unofficial poll (has him well ahead) with 54 percent of respondents saying they would vote for him compared with 39 percent for Mr. Ahmadinejad." No mention of who conducted the poll, how it was done, what interests they represented, or if Mousavi winning might be the wrong result. More on that below.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Transcript of Ayatollah Khamenei's Friday Evil Britian Speech / Politics / Iran
By: Submissions
NiteOwl writes: Transcript of Ayatollah Khamenei's Friday Speech, Hi, this is NiteOwl again. I was listening to Press TV which is government-run and is based in Iran - their translation and various other TVs from minute to minute as well as translating what I could hear in Persian myself: Some parts were a bit cut off because broadcasting stopped. You'd notice in the time stamping.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Larger Context of the 2009 Iranian Elections / Politics / Iran
By: Submissions
Reza Fiyouzat writes: Much furor is being expressed by all sides, foreign and domestic, regarding the outcome of the 2009 Iranian presidential elections held on June 12. The rapid announcement of the total results in a mere few hours after the closing of the polls, came as a shock to the supporters of Mir-Hossein Mousavi, the main 'reformist' challenger to Ahmadinejad. Since then, there have been massive spontaneous demonstrations in Tehran as well as in other major cities, such as Shiraz, Tabriz and Rasht. At least one person has been killed in the clashes between the police and Mousavi supporters.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Iran Faces Greater Risks Than It Knows / Politics / Iran
By: Paul_Craig_Roberts
Stephen Kinzer’s book, All the Shah’s Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror, tells the story of the overthrow of Iran’s democratically elected leader, Mohammed Mosaddeq, by the CIA and the British MI6 in 1953. The CIA bribed Iranian government officials, businessmen, and reporters, and paid Iranians to demonstrate in the streets.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Iran Election Protests and Western Criticism Hypocrisy / ElectionOracle / Iran
By: Global_Research
Bill Van Auken writes: Over 100,000 people demonstrated Monday in the streets of Tehran against the results of last week’s presidential election as the US and the major Western European powers intensified their own demands for an investigation into the opposition’s charges of vote-rigging.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Iran Political Situation Ready to Explode / Politics / Iran
By: Pravda
Iran is standing on the verge of chaos after sitting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won the first stage of the presidential election in the country on June 12. His three rivals received less than a third of all votes, which triggered massive riots across the nation. Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who obtained 33 percent of the votes cast, stated that the election had been totally fabricated. Two other candidates - Mohsen Rezaee, former Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and Mehdi Karroubi, former Speaker of the Majlis, - said that they would support Moussavi in his endeavor to revise the election results.
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Monday, June 15, 2009
Iran Election Result and Western Misconceptions About the Iranian Reality / Politics / Iran
By: STRATFOR
In 1979, when we were still young and starry-eyed, a revolution took place in Iran. When I asked experts what would happen, they divided into two camps.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Fortress Iran is Virtually Impregnable to a Successful Invasion / Politics / Iran
By: John_Mauldin
For nearly 30 years, long before it was a charter member of the "Axis of Evil," Iran and the US have been locked in a hate-hate relationship. Walk down the street any Friday afternoon, and you're as likely to hear "Death to America!" as "Hi Ali, how are you?" Three decades of animosity, an externally opaque society, and no trade relations between the two countries mean that many of us have just the barest understanding of what's really going on over there. But whether it's a negotiated settlement with the US over Iraq, or a war-risk premium for crude oil, to threats and counter threats with Israel and the US, Iran's decisions have enormous impact on the global economic system. All of the sudden, the picture of the "mad mullahs" you get from the papers seems expensively inadequate. Read full article... Read full article...
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Ratcheting Up For US War On Iran / Politics / Iran
By: Stephen_Lendman
Led by Dick Cheney, Bush administration neocons want war on Iran. So does the Israeli Lobby, but it doesn't mean they'll get it. Powerful forces in Washington and the Pentagon are opposed and so far have prevailed. Nonetheless, worrisome recent events increase the possibility and must be closely watched.Recall George Bush's January 10, 2007 address to the nation. He announced the 20,000 troop "surge" and more. "Succeeding in Iraq," he said, "also requires defending its territorial integrity and stabilizing the region in the face of extremist challenges. This begins with addressing Iran and Syria. These two regimes are allowing 'terrorists' and 'insurgents' to use their territory to move in and out of Iraq. Iran is providing material support for attacks on American troops. We will disrupt (those) attacks....we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq."
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Sunday, February 03, 2008
Internet Undersea Cable Cut - Targeting of Iran? / Politics / Iran
By: Ian_Brockwell
There has been some concern that the undersea internet cables, that have been cut recently, are perhaps no accident? The first incident happened 8km from Alexandria in Egypt, which involved 2 cables apparently alongside each other. According to initial reports, the cables may have been "snapped" by a ship´s anchor.
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Saturday, December 15, 2007
Iran - Bombed if you do, Bombed if you Don't / Politics / Iran
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
The latest National Intelligence Estimate has been greeted by a mixture of relief and alarm. As I have been saying all along, Iran indeed poses no quantifiable imminent nuclear threat to us or her neighbors. It is with much alarm, however, that we see the administration continue to ratchet up the war rhetoric as if nothing has changed.Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Bush Lack of Intelligence over Nuclear Iran - Oil Deciding Factor / Politics / Iran
By: David_Vaughn
Are you ready to go to war in Iran ? That has been a popular topic for quite some time. It has been believed that Iran is building the capacity to produce nuclear weapons. Can't have that. They'll have to be knocked out with conventional weapons and bunker busters. This subject of possible war has brought on so great speculation both pro and con.Read full article... Read full article...
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Iran Nuclear Intelligence; Now Off the Hook or On the Hook? / Politics / Iran
By: Anwaar_Hussain
The bolt from the blue called the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran, which was released on Monday the 3rd of December, reported “with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program ‘because of international pressure'.”
The NIE, in reality, is a final acknowledgement, and a sort of culmination, of a long trail of track-2 diplomacy and intel gathering that the US State department and intelligence agencies have been conducting, and misconducting, with their Iranian counterparts for some time now.
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Thursday, November 01, 2007
United States Plans For War With Iran - Analysis of Geopolitical Risks / Politics / Iran
By: John_Mauldin
This week in our Special Outside the Box, George Friedman of Stratfor addresses what many believe to be the looming war with Iran, the potential wars' strategic futility, the underlying geopolitical implications, and the inherent threats that abound on account of Iran's defensive measures and offensive capabilities; the latter consisting of terrorist organizations that can harm US interests, be they domestic or foreign. Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Iranian President's Visit Uncovers Western Hypocrisy, Prejudice and Hysteria! / Politics / Iran
By: Ian_Brockwell
The visit of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Columbia University on Monday, where he will give a lecture, has created protests from a wide variety of directions.Read full article... Read full article...
Friday, September 14, 2007
USAF Stand Down on September 14 and a “Broken Arrow” Missing Nuclear Warhead? / Politics / Iran
By: Ian_Brockwell
Although there is very little news available from the mainstream media concerning the stand down by the USAF this Friday, some areas of the internet are positively buzzing about the decision and the possibility of a “Broken Arrow”
For those of you who saw the 1996 film (or are not familiar with the term already), a “Broken Arrow” refers to a missing nuclear device.
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Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Iraq Troop Surge and US-Iran Policy Dynamics / Politics / Iran
By: Noam_Chomskey
In crude and brutal societies, the Party Line is publicly proclaimed, and it must be obeyed, or else. What you believe is your own business, of lesser concern. In societies where the state has lost the capacity to control by force, the Party Line is not proclaimed. Rather, it is presupposed, and then vigorous debate is encouraged within the limits imposed by unstated doctrinal orthodoxy.Read full article... Read full article...
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Iran Runs Out of Gas and Self Destructing, Stand Aside Also $250 Billion in Subprime Mortgage Losses / Stock-Markets / Iran
By: John_Mauldin
In this issue:
Iran Out of Gas
When an Enemy Is Self-Destructing, Stand Aside
Bear (or Rather Canary?) Stearns
Mark to Model or Mark to Market?
$250 Billion in Subprime Losses?
July 4, Lewis and Clarke, and Fishing
Is the subprime mortgage market collapsing before our eyes, or did we avoid a disaster as Bear Stearns stepped up to the plate with $3.2 billion to help its ailing funds? As we will see from the data, the problems in the subprime world are not over. The Fat Lady has not sung. But will the problems in this market contaminate the rest of the liquidity-driven markets? Is the party over? Not according to the high-yield markets. In this week's letter, we look at what could be the real problem in the next half of the year.
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Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Vote Now - Should the US Attack Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure? / Politics / Iran
By: Nadeem_Walayat
As the US military build up continues to gain momentum in the Persian Gulf, which includes some 50 warships comprising of 2 aircraft carrier battle groups. These military assets are reinforced by well established military bases in neighbouring countries, with hundreds of war planes to enable around the clock bombing capability.
Any attack against Iran would firstly be targeted at Iranian air bases and command and control structures as well as naval ports so as to limit the immediate retaliatory response, before around the clock bombing of the well dug in Iranian Nuclear facilities would take place.
We ask the question should the US attack Iran's nuclear & military infrastructure ?
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Monday, April 09, 2007
British Soldiers Banned from Selling their Stories - Poll result says NO to Selling / Politics / Iran
By: John_York
In a swift turn of events, the Ministry of Defence has reversed its decision to allow the released British soldiers / personnel from selling further stories, after mounting negative response to the TV and press stories sold for six figure sums. Des Browne (Defence Secretary) announced - "No further service personnel will be allowed to talk to the media about their experiences in return for payment." and stated that a 'review of regulations' would now take place following outrage from all sections of the public.
This follows the Market Oracle Opinion Poll conducted between 7th and 9h April 2007, which resulted in 62% of respondents voting that the released Navy Military personnel should NOT be allowed to sell their stories to the media. Click here for the background to the capture and opinion poll
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Saturday, April 07, 2007
Vote Now - Are the British Personnel Right to Sell their Iranian Capture Stories / Politics / Iran
By: John_York
The 15 British Navy personnel that were released by Iran on Thursday have been given the green light to sell their stories to the media. It is likely that some stories could sell for more than ten times their annual salaries. Especially from the only woman captive, Faye Turney, who is expected to earn the most.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Shock and Awe II - The Consequences of an US attack on Iran / Politics / Iran
By: Nadeem_Walayat
The British and American public appear to being hyped up towards a possible attack against Iran . Despite recent rhetoric. the actual consequences of an attack need to be fully investigated before another ‘Mission Accomplished' photo opportunity turns into something far worse than the quagmire in Iraq, which so far is on target to cost over $1 trillion, with estimates being revised higher every quarter.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Iran - Iran - Iran - Despite release of British hostages, US Attack still Imminent / Politics / Iran
By: Christopher_Laird
The ongoing situation with Iran is hugely gold and oil bullish right now, and will be for the coming months. The recent statement by Iran that they will free the British naval hostages is just one detail. It solves nothing fundamental.
First of all, before I discuss why, I want to comment on several emails I got about my views that Iran is going to be attacked. The comments went along the line: ‘the US is too tied down in Iraq, won't even think of another war..' etc.
I disagree. So let's get into the reasons why there is likely an attack on Iran….
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Monday, March 26, 2007
Iran Crisis and the War of Blackmail - Crude Oil could go to New High / Politics / Iran
By: Money_and_Markets
Martin Weiss here with an urgent update on the breaking Iran crisis and its potential impact on your money.
On Friday, precisely when the United Nations was preparing to slap new, tougher sanctions on Iran, President Ahmadinejad's gunships captured 15 British sailors and marines on a routine patrol off the waters of southern Iraq.
And just in the past 24 hours, Iran's leaders have unleashed the most venomous diatribes against the West since their capture of U.S. embassy hostages nearly 28 years ago:
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Thursday, March 22, 2007
War with Iran, Crude Oil, Banks and the US Dollar / Currencies / Iran
By: Jim_Willie_CB
On the eve of the next war front to explode in the Persian Gulf region, some thoughts on the energy sector seem appropriate which attempt to tie some factors together. In the last two to three years, the biggest challenge to analysts is not so much identification of certain relevant effects, as it is integration of analysis on a several simultaneous patently clear crucial factors for correlation. To friends an assessment has been often used by me, “This is five dimensional chess, and at any one time, three dimensions are dominant. All are linked increasingly and with more complexity. The challenge is to finger the most important pairs of factors.” That covers it in my opinion.
The tight relationship between the crude oil price and the USDollar valuation is historically well known, firmly in place for over three decades. While the United States owns control of the world reserve currency, a delicate PetroDollar linkage factor remains in force. Since large oil purchases are conducted in US$-based transactions, entire banking systems are designed accordingly so as to handle those transactions.
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Tuesday, March 13, 2007
The Case of the Meddling Iranians in Iraq / Politics / Iran
By: Anwaar_Hussain
For more than 18 months now, the George W. Bush administration has periodically raised the charge that Iran is meddling in Iraq . US defense officials recently displayed “Explosively Formed Projectiles” and heat sensitive detectors allegedly required for their remote detonation. To further buttress the ‘meddling' charge, the Americans also claimed to have arrested some ‘Iranian provocateurs', including two diplomats.
That, sirs, is not meddling.
Iranians share close to a thousand miles long border with Iraq , have fought a 9- year long bloody war with that country and with whom they share not just a problematic past but the chief religion of their citizenry too.
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Thursday, March 08, 2007
Another Potential Crisis for Investors - Israel Plans to Attack Iran’s Nuclear Facilities / Stock-Markets / Iran
By: Money_and_Markets
There's a heck of a lot happening right now! The markets have been volatile, so I want to give you a quick update on where I see things heading next. And I also want to tell you about a looming threat that many investors are still ignoring. Let me get right to it ...
First, with rare exceptions, my indicators on the U.S. markets are turning south. It appears that my warnings are coming to pass — investors are finally starting to notice weak real estate markets, too much debt in the country, peaking corporate earnings, and the weak dollar. So don't be surprised one iota if U.S. stock markets start to yo-yo like crazy, or even fall sharply.
Second, in direct contrast to the U.S., and despite all the scary things you're hearing, Asia is booming . There's been no change in the spectacular fundamentals underlying China, India, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, or Indonesia. All of these countries are exploding with economic growth. Their stock markets, while a bit more volatile right now, are in strong long-term bull markets .
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Sunday, February 25, 2007
Iran launches rocket into Space - As risks of a US attack against Iran increase / Politics / Iran
By: John_York
Iran flexed its muscles following Iran's objections to the UN Security Councils declaration of 21st Feb concerning Iran's nuclear programme, by launching a rocket into sub-orbital altitude. Iranian State television reported that the rocket had achieved an altitude of 94 miles before falling back to earth. The internationally recognised boundary between the atmosphere and space is some 65 miles.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Military Surge in Iraq could push US into War with Iran / Politics / Iran
By: Mike_Whitney
“If the United States continues to be bogged down in a protracted, bloody involvement in Iraq, the final destination on this downhill track is likely to be a head-on conflict with Iran and with much of the world of Islam at large.” Zbigniew Brzezinski, former national security advisor to President Jimmy Carter
No one has done more to expand Iran’s power in the region than George Bush. He routed the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001 and then toppled Saddam and the Ba’athist Party in 2003. Both of these were the traditional enemies of the Islamic Republic. Now Bush has installed Iranian-backed warlords in the Green Zone and delivered the country to the Shiites.
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Friday, December 22, 2006
Iran's nuclear program prompts UN sanctions, as Israel threatens military strikes / Politics / Iran
By: Nadeem_Walayat
Iran, seemingly on course to become the next state to acquire nuclear weapons, due to perceived security risks from the USA and Israel, just as before India went nuclear because of China, and Pakistan because of India. Israel is believed to have gone nuclear during the late 1970's as a result of a joint nuclear programme with the South African Apartheid regime, as a deterrence against the Arab states. And the last state to go nuclear, North Korea as a consequence of threats from the USA and UN sanctions.