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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan | |
| Cut oil sales to Israel's backers-Iranian commander | |
| 2009-01-05 | |
- An Iranian military commander called on Islamic countries to cut oil exports to Israel's supporters in response to the Jewish state's offensive in Gaza, the official IRNA news agency reported on Sunday.
IRNA gave only the commander's last name but it may have been referring to Mirfeysal Bagherzadeh, a brigadier-general of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards. There was no immediate comment from other Iranian officials. Iran, which often rails against the United States and Israel, is the world's fourth-largest oil producer and a leading member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Top exporter Saudi Arabia is a U.S. ally. In 1973, Arab countries directed an oil embargo at Israel's supporters in the Arab-Israeli war, causing the first oil shock. Primarily the United States but also Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal and South Africa were affected. The price of oil quadrupled to almost $12 a barrel and inflation infected the economies of other industrialised countries. Crude is now trading at about $46 after plunging by some $100 since July on the global financial crisis and a weakening world economy. IRNA, which did not provide direct supporting quotes, said Bagherzadeh was speaking about the measures Islamic countries could take in response to Israel's attacks on Gaza. "Among the tactics the world of Islam can use to help the innocent Palestinian people, Bagherzadeh called oil one of the powerful elements of pressure on the Zionists' European and American supporters in the unequal war," IRNA said. Bagherzadeh is the director of Iran's Foundation for the Preservation of Works and Publications of Sacred Defence Values, IRNA said. | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #6 Why would Saudi Arabia do anything the Iranians want? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-01-05 22:27 |
| #5 Iran is asking KSA, etc to cut exports. They will fight to the last Palestinian, and they will sanction the US until Saudi Arabia has no more revenue. Brave, brave, Iranians. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2009-01-05 12:38 |
| #4 #3 Iran is desperately trying to figure out a way to inject themselves into this conflict. Posted by: bigjim-ky only if without consequences. If Iran's big bad mullahs and IRGC blowhards want, they could declare war on Israel and duke it out. They won't, because they know how that would turn out |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-01-05 10:08 |
| #3 Iran is desperately trying to figure out a way to inject themselves into this conflict. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2009-01-05 09:25 |
| #2 The Jesse Jackson technique. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-01-05 08:18 |
| #1 Iran and Bahrain officials call for oil as weapon The Iranian comments come days after members of Bahrain's lower house of parliament condemned Israeli attacks on Gaza and told the tiny kingdom's foreign minister that "all retaliation options" should remain open to Arab governments. Lawmakers said Arab states should use economic weapons such as oil and the region's vast investment funds to put pressure on the West to help bring an end to the fighting. Benchmark light, sweet crude for February delivery rose $1.36 to $47.70 a barrel early Monday, after earlier jumping to as high as $48.68, in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Can someone remind me where the 5th Fleet is headquartered and from whom we are protecting the natives? |
| Posted by: ed 2009-01-05 07:17 |