Tuesday, Dec 2, 2008
WSJ: Price Of Oil "Puts New Pressure" & "Creates Openings" On Iran
In the Wall Street Journal, Gerald F. Seib wrote that President-elect Obama and his national security team have several promising opportunities and very little time to pressure Iran not to produce nuclear weapons. "The spectacular drop in the price of oil puts new economic pressure on Iran and creates openings to escalate that pressure. Second, Mr. Obama's shiny image in Europe may give him a honeymoon period where he can win more support there to ratchet up the international pressure. ... By one estimate, the Iranian government needs $90-a-barrel oil for its government accounts to break even. The question, then, is when economic pressure might become so great that a nuclear program becomes counterproductive." Read More
Bloomberg reported that "Iranian air force jet fighters test- fired a new air-to-air missile that the Persian Gulf country will begin producing in bulk, state-run Press TV reported, citing a military spokesman." Read More
Reuters quoted comments by the head of Iran's Air Force saying Iran had designed a radar-evading aircraft. "Shahsafi told state radio that Iranian aerospace experts had designed the aircraft and military researchers were now seeking to make a small prototype. 'I think we will finish its research part by the end of the year and then we will get on with the production phase,' he said, referring to the Iranian year that ends in March." Read More
The New York Times covered President-Elect Obama's newly announced national security team and the Brookings Institute and Counsel on Foreign Relations reports issued yesterday urging President-Elect Obama to "put all issues on the table with Iran, including its nuclear program. The proposal calls for 'swift early steps' to exploit a 'honeymoon' period between his inauguration and the internal political jockeying preceding Iran's presidential elections in June. The report breaks with experts on Iran who say Mr. Obama should wait until a clear winner emerges in Iran and calls instead for 'treating the Iranian state as a unitary actor rather than endeavoring to play its contending factions against one another.'" Read More
AP reported that "Iran's foreign ministry spokesman says his country will fully back the U.S.-Iraq security pact if it's approved by Iraqis in a referendum next summer." "Qashqavi's comments Monday were the first official reaction and endorsement of the deal from Tehran. Iran has long criticized the pact but recently softened its stance - particularly after the deal affirmed Iraq's territory cannot be used for attacks on neighboring states." (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/01/AR2008120100480.html)
Iranian press quoted Speaker Larijani's comments indicating that Iran is ready for talks with the U.S. "While attending the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in October, Iranian lawmakers reportedly received a letter from US officials in Washington, asking for a meeting. 'Majlis is currently studying the letter and we think that the time has come to hold talks between the two countries,' Larijani said on Monday." Read More
Reuters wrote that "Iran sees no sign of U.S. policy change with Obama" based on the remarks of Iran's foreign minister. "'One of Obama's conditions for the establishment of ties with Iran has been the cessation of Iran's uranium enrichment which in itself is indicative of lack of change in Washington's perspective toward Iran,' [Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi] said according to ISNA." Read More
Iranian press quoted former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed's assertion in Tehran that sanctions have actually benefited Iran. "'The West's sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran have been to the benefit of Tehran,' Mahathir told President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad." Read More
In Iranian press, Abdolreza Ghofrani wrote that Iran can move away, and should move away, from its dependence on oil. "The objective of an economy without oil is not a dream. The will is there to make the change and the present global economic tumult and the volatility on oil markets make it unavoidable. Steps must be taken now. The sooner the better." Read More
Reuters reported that "Iran said Monday that the country has registered more than 18,000 HIV-positive citizens and is worried that number could rise in a rare government disclosure about the AIDS causing virus." Read More
Reuters reported that "Iran's foreign exchange reserves amount to more than $80 billion, Iran's state Press TV station said on Tuesday, without giving further detail." Read More
Join us on