Iran Flashes Trump Card, Again

http://thetrumpet.com/index.php?page=article&id=3335

Iran has again threatened to use oil as a weapon against the United States. Specifically, in a statement published in an Iranian newspaper Tuesday, Iran’s opec governor, Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, said: “When the Americans say that military action in regard to the nuclear issue has not been put aside, Iran can also say that it will not put aside oil as a tool.”

By making these comments, Iran is using oil as a weapon even now: Prices always go up when Iran makes comments that erode confidence in the energy supply. If Iran does stop exports, Ardebili says, “Definitely the market will be faced with a new shock and oil prices will increase strongly.” He expects oil prices would inflate to over $100 per barrel.

The biggest problem for the U.S. is that it’s no idle threat. Iran really can cause the supply of oil to drop and the price to go up—although some feel the U.S. isn’t as helpless as Iran represents. Because Iran doesn’t have the capacity to refine enough oil, about 40 percent of its gasoline is imported. U.S. officials have described this as leverage, a stance Ardebili dismisses because “the main producers of gasoline are members of opec and we will never have difficulties in regards to gasoline.” In other words, Iran gets its gasoline from other Muslims, not from the United States. This stance is somewhat undercut by Iran’s implementation of a rationing program, already affecting government vehicles and planned for the entire nation. Iran does have difficulty in regards to gasoline—only the United States imports more gas than Iran.

Ardebili added, “We believe energy supplies should be de-politicized as much as possible.” This, when Iran is already using oil as a potent political weapon, and the U.S. has already shown that it will not take the sort of action necessary to stop Iran’s nuclear threat.

This back and forth between the two nations guarantees one thing: Oil prices will stay high, and everyone will feel it at the pump.

Looking at this another way, Iran likely has the capability to stop oil production in the region should it choose to do so. While this would certainly lead to full blown war, they would succeed in bringing the entire region to its knees rapidly. Just about all oil tankers ride past Iran on thier way out of the Gulf region. All they would have to do is blow up a few empty ones and none would dare pass.

That may be the leverage they are referring too.

quote:

Originally posted by thegunny:
Looking at this another way, Iran likely has the capability to stop oil production in the region should it choose to do so. While this would certainly lead to full blown war, they would succeed in bringing the entire region to its knees rapidly. Just about all oil tankers ride past Iran on thier way out of the Gulf region. All they would have to do is blow up a few empty ones and none would dare pass.

That may be the leverage they are referring too.

Iran is getting stronger & more aggressive each day. They are taking advantage that the U.S. is tie down in Iraq. Iran keep on sending weapons & money to Hamas & Hizbulah with impunity. U.N. negotiations is only giving Iran more time to develop nukes. In a few years time or a few months time they can get a nuke.Perhaps its about time America & Israel destroy Iran's military before it can do serious damage.