Consequences Of Attacking Iran And Why Tehran Is Not Worried

[Mher]

Re: Consequences Of Attacking Iran And Why Tehran Is Not Worried

EU reaches no consensus on Iranian oil embargo
December 8, 2011 - 21:28 AMT


PanARMENIAN.Net - No consensus was reached on Iranian embargo issue, EU High representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton's spokesperson said.

"I am not aware of any reports on this respect," Maja Kocijancic said. According to Kocijancic, foreign ministers discussed further restrictive measures for Iran in the light of the new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last week on Dec. 1.

"They decided that further work will be done in restrictive measures including energy sector with the view of the adoption of this package by the next meeting of foreign affairs council which will take place in January," she said.

The work on this has been launched, but "there was never any specific agreement on what kind of measures these will be," Kocijancic underscored.

Some countries have put forward the idea of oil embargo, but there is no final decision in this respect, she added. "The new measures are being looked at right now. No consensus was reached on Iran oil embargo issue."

Energy Commissioner Gunter Oettinger's spokesperson Marlene Holzner also refuted press reports on imposing embargo on Iranian oil imports.

"There is no consensus on the Iranian oil embargo," Holzner said, according to Trend News.

This week the foreign media referring to the European Union Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger published the information about the consensus within Europe that has been reached for the ban oil imports from Iran. Acoording to the reports, Oettinger said that the consensus has been reached, not specifying when the EU would implement a ban.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) as of January 2011, Iran has an estimated 137 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, 9.3 percent of the world's total reserves and over 12 percent of OPEC reserves.

In 2010, Iran exported approximately 2.2 million bbl/d of crude oil. Last year Iran's net oil export revenues amounted to approximately $73 billion. In January-June of 2011 Iran exported 450,000 b/d to Europe Union, 341,000 to Japan, 328,000 to India, 244,000 to South Korea, 182,000 to Turkey and 543,000 to China.

According to the analysts at the U.S. bank JP Morgan, even if the sanctions against Iran could also have a significant impact on global oil prices, they coincidently come at a time when spare capacity is rising alongside the ramp-up of Libyan and Iraqi supplies.

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/86104/

[Mher]

Re: Consequences Of Attacking Iran And Why Tehran Is Not Worried

Japan approves new sanctions on Iran
December 9, 2011 - 09:16 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Japan said it will impose a fresh round of financial sanctions against Iran, after steps taken by the U.S., UK and the EU in recent weeks to intensify the global crackdown on Tehran's nuclear development program.

But energy-starved Tokyo rejected pressure to curb imports of Iranian oil.
According to the Wall Street Journal, with the new sanctions, approved by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's cabinet Friday, December 9 morning, Japan said it will freeze the assets of an additional 106 organizations, one individual and three banks, widening to more than 350 the circle of Iran-based entities believed to be linked to the country's nuclear development program and subject to these restrictions.

Masaru Sato, a spokesman for the foreign ministry, said that the latest action has been under review since the International Atomic Energy Agency reported in early November that Iran is building a nuclear bomb and was made "in close coordination with the international community."

But Japan did nothing to curb Iranian crude oil imports, a step that some Western nations have urged, and would apply more direct pressure on Tehran.
"We would like to be careful in dealing with sanctions against Iran, which produces large amounts of crude oil, taking into consideration possible impacts on crude oil prices and the global economy," Yukio Edano, the minister of economy, trade and industry said Friday morning.

Iranian crude oil commands a significant chunk of Japan's energy supply, making up roughly 10% of the country's intake. Government officials in both the economy and foreign ministries signaled a wariness to curb Iranian imports that may further shake Japan's ability to secure a stable energy supply in the wake of the March 11 disasters that idled many of the country's nuclear reactors.

Meanwhile, the EU is reviewing a possible Europe-wide ban on Iranian crude shipments.

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/86109/

[Mher]

Re: Consequences Of Attacking Iran And Why Tehran Is Not Worried

EU suspends implementation of Iran oil embargo

The European Union has suspended for 6 months the implementation of embargo on Iran’s oil, “MEHR” news agency reported.

According to the source EU feared the oil embargo could negatively influence on the economies of Greece, Spain and Italy, hence has suspended its implementation.

An EU official has stated that Iran provides 68% of oil to EU, until some alternative ways are marked, embargo will be suspended.

http://www.panorama.am/en/economy/2012/01/13/iran-oil/

[yerazhishda]

Re: Consequences Of Attacking Iran And Why Tehran Is Not Worried

What are the consequences for Armenia proper if a war between Iran and America begins? I.e. if Russian troops will be allowed access to Iran through Armenia, will Armenia itself be attacked possibly?

*******************************
Russia to strengthen military base in Armenia-expert



January 14, 2012 | 14:52

YEREVAN. – Armenia and Russia cannot stay aside if Israel attacks Iran, military expert Artsrun Hovhannisyan told journalists on Saturday.

source: news.am

[yerazhishda]

Re: Consequences Of Attacking Iran And Why Tehran Is Not Worried

All bark, no bite!

What you really have to worry about is when it becomes all bite and no bark.

[Mher]

Re: Consequences Of Attacking Iran And Why Tehran Is Not Worried

J3wish paper's column catches Secret Service eye
By Joe Sterling, CNN
updated 5:40 PM EST, Sat January 21, 2012


Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- The U.S. Secret Service is looking into a controversial column by an Atlanta xxxish newspaper publisher that mulled the assassination of an American president.

Andrew Adler, owner and publisher of the Atlanta xxxish Times, wrote a January 13 column about the threat of Iran to Israel. He posed three options for the xxxish state to counter the Iranian regime.

One of them called for a "hit on a president in order to preserve Israel's existence."

"Give the go-ahead for U.S. based Mossad agents to take out a president deemed unfriendly to Israel in order for the current vice president to take his place and forcefully dictate that the United States' policy includes its helping the xxxish state obliterate its enemies."

U.S. Secret Service spokesman George Ogilvie told CNN Saturday, "We are aware of it. We are taking the appropriate investigative steps."

Adler could not be reached for comment, but the xxxish Telegraphic Agency, a wire service for xxxish newspapers in North America, quoted Adler on Friday as saying "I very much regret it. I wish I hadn't made reference to it at all."

Adler -- who said he's gotten a lot of flak for the column -- said he would issue an apology in the next edition of the weekly newspaper, the JTA reported.

The column, entitled "What would you do?" doesn't mention President Barack Obama's name, but U.S. xxxish groups that strongly denounced the column read the words as a reference to Obama himself. The column also refers to the administration's "never ending 'Alice in Wonderland' belief that diplomacy is the answer," an apparent dig at the Obama White House's foreign policy efforts at dialogue with such countries as Iran.

"The suggestion by anyone, in this case a xxxish newspaper publisher, that Israel should consider assassinating President Obama is shocking beyond belief," said Dov Wilker, director of the American xxxish Committee in Atlanta.

"While we acknowledge Mr. Adler's apology, we are flabbergasted that he could ever say such a thing in the first place. How could he even conceive of such a twisted idea?" said Wilker. "Mr. Adler surely owes immediate apologies to President Obama, as well as to the State of Israel and his readership, the Atlanta xxxish community."

The White House declined to comment Saturday on the column.

Abraham H. Foxman, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League, said Adler's "lack of judgment as a publisher, editor and columnist raises serious questions as to whether he's fit to run a newspaper."

"There is absolutely no excuse, no justification, no rationalization for this kind of rhetoric. It doesn't even belong in fiction. These are irresponsible and extremist words. It is outrageous and beyond the pale. An apology cannot possibly repair the damage.

"Irresponsible rhetoric metastasizes into more dangerous rhetoric. The ideas expressed in Mr. Adler's column reflect some of the extremist rhetoric that unfortunately exists -- even in some segments of our community -- that maliciously labels President Obama as an 'enemy of the xxxish people,'" Foxman said.

Simon Wiesenthal Center associate dean Rabbi Abraham Cooper called the remarks "irresponsible and reprehensible" and said they "must be publicly condemned by xxxish leaders across the ideological and political spectrum."

"We take small comfort from the apology — what a shanda!" Cooper said, using the Yiddish word for something shameful or scandalous.

JTA also quoted Ophir Aviran, the Israeli consul-general in Atlanta as saying he was "appalled at this deranged and morally repugnant assertion."

The Atlanta xxxish Times, a weekly focused on the Atlanta xxxish community, was founded in 1925 as the Southern Israelite.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/21/us/xxxish-president-threat/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[KarotheGreat]

Re: Consequences Of Attacking Iran And Why Tehran Is Not Worried

It seems that Iran has also developed their own UAV like Armenia, I wonder how much both sides have helped each other?

Iran to unveil new home-made UAV

January 30, 2012 - 10:53 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran is set to unveil a new domestically-built unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which possesses high capabilities and versatile features to achieve its objectives.

Mehdi Iraji, the aeronautics engineer in charge of the project, said on Sunday, Jan 30, that the new remote-controlled aircraft, called A1, has a maximum flight ceiling of 10,000 feet (3,000 meters). It is capable of traveling for at least two hours, and can carry a 5-kilogram (11-pound) payload.

He added that the unmanned aircraft is also equipped with sound, chemicals and color recognition systems, as well as other sensors. Iraji noted that the drone runs on hi-octane gas, mixed with a percentage of oil.

The Iranian-made UAV is powered by a two-bladed pusher propeller, and can be launched from either a rail mounted on the back of a truck or by a rocket launcher system on a ship.

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting, Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said the Islamic Republic will soon unveil a new domestically-manufactured naval surveillance plane, Press TV reported.

Will we be seeing Iranian satellites in orbit soon? How long until Armenia follows and has their own satellite in orbit?

Iran to display home-made satellite carrier rockets

January 30, 2012 - 11:06 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran plans to display several home-made achievements in the different military and technological fields, Iranian Defense Minister announced.

Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said new home-made satellite carrier rockets, smart ammunition, aeronautic products, as well as new electronic and telecommunication devices will be unveiled.

He said that new products will be unveiled during the Ten-Day Dawn ceremonies from February 1 to 11, celebrating the victory of the Islamic Revolution back in 1979.

The minister further said that the country will unveil a new domestically-manufactured naval surveillance plane and a new cruise missile in the near future, Fars News Agency reported.

[Mher]

Re: Consequences Of Attacking Iran And Why Tehran Is Not Worried

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/02/panetta-believes-israel-could-strike-iran-this-spring/?hpt=hp_t2

Panetta believes Israel could strike Iran this spring

By Barbara Starr

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has come to the conclusion there is a growing likelihood Israel could attack Iran sometime this spring in an effort to destroy its suspected nuclear weapons program, according to a senior administration official.

The official declined to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the information.

Panetta's views were first reported by the Washington Post's David Ignatius, who wrote Panetta "believes there is strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June - before Iran enters what Israelis described as a 'zone of immunity' to commence building a nuclear bomb."

Asked by reporters in Brussels, where Panetta is attending NATO meetings, the defense secretary refused to comment. But Panetta told reporters the U.S. has "indicated our concerns" to Israel, according to the Agence France Presse news agency.

But the official also noted that Israel goes through cycles of making aggressive statements about its intentions toward Iran in an effort to pressure the United States and the West to take more action.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned Thursday that Iran may be close to the point "which may render any physical strike as impractical," according to Reuters.

But just a few weeks ago, Barak suggested things were not as urgent, saying an Israeli decision on whether to strike Iran's nuclear program was "very far off."

A "confluence' of intelligence has led Panetta to this conclusion, the official told CNN, but declined to offer any specifics except noting that the United States conducts intelligence operations aimed at Israel as it does with many other allies.

The senior administration official also noted that there is a general understanding in the administration that Israel may have come to the firm conclusion Iran is developing a nuclear weapon. Just last week, the recently retired chief of Israeli military intelligence told CNN's David McKenzie that the "Iranians have already decided that they want nuclear weapons," he said. But he added they haven't decided fully to go through with creating the weapons.

The official U.S. assessment is that Iran has not yet made that decision, the source said.

At a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Central Intelligence Agency Director David Petraeus, who said he has regular discussions with Israel's leadership and intelligence head, noted that "Israel does see this possibility as an existential threat to their country, and I think that it is very important to keep that perspective in mind."

At the same hearing, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper noted the United States works closely with the Israelis and said the notion that Israel could strike is "a very sensitive issue right now."

"This is an area that we are very, very concerned about," Clapper said.

Panetta's press secretary, George Little, declined to comment on the report. Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently said it would be premature for the United States to consider striking Iran.

[arakeretzig]

Re: Consequences Of Attacking Iran And Why Tehran Is Not Worried

How long until Armenia follows and has their own satellite in orbit?

is that practically possible, given Armenia's land size? I could probably see it being hovering above russia though, and Armenia could use russia's help in that.

[Mher]

Re: Consequences Of Attacking Iran And Why Tehran Is Not Worried

Iran’s defense minister reports progress on indigenous S-300 missile

April 17, 2012 - 20:49 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran’s Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi has announced progress in the development and manufacture of an indigenous version of the advanced Russian S-300 air defense missile system, RIA Novosti reported citing Fars news agency.

"The production of an alternative missile system is underway,” he said, adding that the work “has yielded good results.”

Iranian military officials earlier said the missile system, called Bavar (Belief) 373, is even more powerful and more advanced than the Russian S-300.

The $800-million contract to supply Iran with the missile system was signed in late 2007. Russia was to deliver five S-300PMU-1 battalions to Tehran.

However, on September 22, 2010, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree terminating the contract in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1929, which bans supply to Iran of conventional weapons including missiles and missile systems, tanks, attack helicopters, warplanes and ships.

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/103544/