UN Imposes sanctions on Iran

[bigfootedfred]

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously voted to impose sanctions against Iran over its failure to halt uranium enrichment.
The sanctions ban the supply of nuclear-related technology and materials, freeze certain assets and limit travel for specific individuals.
The US representative warned that Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons would make it less, not more, secure.

acting US ambassador to the UN, Alejandro Wolff, said the resolution sent a strong warning that there would be serious repercussions to Iran's continued defiance of the international community.

"Today we are placing Iran in the small category of states under Security Council sanctions," Mr Wolff said.

"If necessary, we will not hesitate to return to this body if Iran does not take further steps to comply," he said.

Iran says its programme is for peaceful purposes and has vowed to continue.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6205295.stm

Now, we wait, and see what Iran's response will be.

Also of interest.
Iran will now trade Oil, in Euros.

Iran is to shift its foreign currency reserves from dollar to euro and use the euro
for oil deals in response to US-led pressure on its economy.
In a widely expected move, Tehran said it would use the euro for all future commercial transactions overseas.

An Iranian spokesman said all its foreign exchange transactions would be conducted
in euros and its national budget would also be calculated in euros as well as its own currency.

"There will be no reliance on dollars," said Gholam-Hussein Elham.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6190865.stm

[Your Lame Sister]

too little, too late. the only solution now is a military attack.

[The Walrus]

Too late. The US is tied down in Iraq. We have already proven we just slap on the wrist with North Korea. Iran will continue. They won't care what gets taken away. They will get by with the help of others. They will stay to their word.

[Bwaho]

*looks up into sky looking for israeli warplanes heading for teheran*

[VALIS]

i hope something kicks of in early 07'......its been getting pretty boring around the world lately.

nothing to talk about in the 'pit.

[Bwaho]

yeah... I want to wake up and read about some explosions damnit.

the only news we get now is that some hip-hop crackhead has been arrested for that and paris hilton has been having sex with this... EXPLOSIONS!

[MoROmeTe]

Well, there's a long way from sanctions to a military response. Israel is too tied to the US at the moment to risk a unilateral strike while the US cannot effectively strike at all the nuclear installations without some ground troops. I believe the response will be something along the lines of the response towards NK, more sanctions and more sanctions.

Iran seems to be somewhere like 5 years from a working nuclear device so no military options shall be used in 2007, in my opinion...

[removeduser_426582376423734]

This is looking more and more like the 1930s.

[MoROmeTe]

How's that? You buy into the drawing of parallels between Iran and Germany? The situations are very much different, as Iran has nowhere the power base necessary to become a threat anywhere near the level of Nazi Germany. And if in the '30's the general mindset in Europe and the world was one of confrontation, nowadays the mindset is a bit more peaceful...

[maxiumus_pooh]

The us currently has five carrier groups sailing about near Iran - this is the largest amount of carrier groups. Ever. You do not place that many implements of death and destruction without purpose. There will either be a false flag operation against one of those ships, ala Gulf of Tonkin, or they will be the spearhead as the result of another process of Hegalian Dialectic principals. Either way, those who are asking for it, you will see something in 07, or 08, god help us all.
Iran trading in Euros is no surprise and this was known to be coming several years ago. Be aware that China, Russia and Japan are also looking to offload their American currency, very quickly. China has made no secret that it will switch to Euros if (whoops, when) America/Israel attack Iran. Also be informed that America's current mack daddies, such as Cheney have gotten rid of nearly all their US currency investments. Unerstand this: America's own leaders know that the USD is heading for a crash. The value of the USD has dropped over 50% since 2004.
Also know that American sanctions against Iran will not be as effectual as against small fries like N.Korea. Iran's major oil purchaser is China and they also have a trade agreement/loose union with Cuba and Venuzuela, including the 'loaning' by Russia of their latest MiG fighters with payloads of the Sunfire anti ship missile system - for which the US arsenal currently has no countermeasures.
Yes, America is bogged down in Iraq, but notice that 30,000 more troops are sheduled to be dropped into that meat grinder, despite the election promises that we'll 'bring the boys home'. Also you will see the reintroduction of the draft - mandatory military service, slavery, in other words, though it will be under a new name, just as the second patriot act is called the 'military commissions act'. This is not heresay. This is not opinion. This is fact and its not in the future, it is now. We will also see an American Union similar to -and just as horrible as- the EU, with a superhigway going straigh through south america, up the us and into canada. This super highway, is owned by interests in Spain and is manageered by Mexican outsourcing based near Texas. The usd and Canadian and Mexican currency is going to be replaced by the 'Amero'.
Once again, this is not an opinion, and is not over the next hill, it is happening now.
www.infowars.com
www.illuminatinews.com
www.jonesreport.com

[MoROmeTe]

And then the lizard people shall climb out of the hollow shell of the Earth and rule us all... Come on, man!

Presence of power does not imply use of it. The first thing that a carrier group says is "We can act!" not "We shall act!" and there's no way that the US can act there without Iraq and Afghanistan at least a bit sorted out...

[maxiumus_pooh]

And then the lizard people shall climb out of the hollow shell of the Earth and rule us all... Come on, man!

Presence of power does not imply use of it. The first thing that a carrier group says is "We can act!" not "We shall act!" and there's no way that the US can act there without Iraq and Afghanistan at least a bit sorted out...

I never gave reference to lizard people, moromete, perhaps you gathered that from another source. You've been given facts, based on research as well as past and numerous examples of several principals of social engineering. You've responded with opinion, and a very mainstream one. I wish you were right and do not revel in where things are heading, for it is not good for any of us. Strenghthen your own knowledge by reading the military commisions act from front to back, then continue by researching what really happned after Katrina -not what the collagen injected whores and smiling pimps of cnn and fox tell you. Do this, and then come back and joke about lizardmen.

[John Wayne]

The UN sanctions will, undoubtadly, have no effect on the Iranian foreign economy thanks to the highly lucrative "Black Market" that exists within that area of the world.

Instead of war within the next year or so, I hope that the Iranian people get some sense and elect a more...non-confrontational human megaphone.

[Bwaho]

Instead of war within the next year or so, I hope that the Iranian people get some sense and elect a more...non-confrontational human megaphone.

I think in the end it's all up to the mullahs.

Besides, why would iranians want to cancel the nuclear programme now? seeing the west interfering with their business, telling them what to do and even threatening them will only convince more iranians that nuclear weapons is a must-have.

[maxiumus_pooh]

The UN sanctions will, undoubtadly, have no effect on the Iranian foreign economy thanks to the highly lucrative "Black Market" that exists within that area of the world.

Instead of war within the next year or so, I hope that the Iranian people get some sense and elect a more...non-confrontational human megaphone.

I agree to a point regarding the black market aspect, but to a more important degree, the open market of Iran does not depend on American interest. Iran is very cosy with both Russia and China. In the ninties, if I remember correctly -and I'll have to go back and find the research for both the event and accurate date- China had 300,000 'guest workers' in Iran. The situation there flared and Iran all of the sudden found its strenght bolstered by 300,000 Chinese PLA troops. The Panama canal was recently handed over to Chinese stewardship and the highest ranking general is on record as saying "America will never interfere should we decide to take Taiwan - They value California too much". Translation: China will nuke california. This is not sabre rattling. Both China and Russia have conducted tests and come to the conclusion that the concept of MAD is skewed and that in the event of a nuclear incident, China would come out on top by dint of sheer demographic weight, but we digress. The people of Iran, just like the people of north america, have no say in what or who rules them. Research thus far points to Ahmedinijad as a cia creature, and I realize how outrageous that sounds, but not only is it valid, but quite par for the course. At the recent cfr meeting in toronto, canada he was a priviledged guest, as a matter of fact. Using standard cia balkanization tactics the legitimate rule of Iran was deposed by violent overthrow and the current fashion of rule imposed. In this we see a constant recuring pattern, the same with Hussein, who we put there, al quaida, who we trained, and yes, mao tse tung, who we trained, sheltered and funded, and the list goes on.

[MoROmeTe]

The situation there flared and Iran all of the sudden found its strenght bolstered by 300,000 Chinese PLA troops. The Panama canal was recently handed over to Chinese stewardship and the highest ranking general is on record as saying "America will never interfere should we decide to take Taiwan - They value California too much". Translation: China will nuke california. This is not sabre rattling. Both China and Russia have conducted tests and come to the conclusion that the concept of MAD is skewed and that in the event of a nuclear incident, China would come out on top by dint of sheer demographic weight, but we digress. The people of Iran, just like the people of north america, have no say in what or who rules them.

I would really appreciate some proof for all this... and mainly for how China will win a nuclear exchange with the USA with demographics...

[maxiumus_pooh]

Of course you would, but would it really matter? I wish it would. I've done the research, now you do it. By all means do the research and see what you come up with, start by doing a search with russia china south america alliance as key words. Also try Iran, China, oil, alliance, etc. But you should know this already. Better yet, seek out reliable altenative media, which by the way has outnumbered pornography for the most internet 'hits'. This is not my opinion here, and I'm not posting to argue with you. My opinion, to be frank, is that the majority of us will not even recognize the hole we are in when we are buying xbox's with Ameros.

As stated above, it will take me time to go into my archives to find the troop involvment statistics in Iran. My opinion of what will happen if I do find it is you'll argue the facts, and if I can't find it, or am unable to at present you'll respond predictably. But you know what, I have faith in you, research what is going on yourself. Just briefly, as I'm working now and communicating when I have the moment, here is a result entering in a few of the above key words:

Associated Press
SHANGHAI, China - China and Iran are close to setting plans to develop Iran's Yadavaran oil field, according to published reports, in a multibillion-dollar deal that comes as Tehran faces the prospect of sanctions over its nuclear program.

The deal is thought potentially to be worth about $100 billion.

According to Caijing, a respected financial magazine, a Chinese government delegation is due to visit Iran as early as March to formally sign an agreement allowing China Petrochemical Corp., also known as Sinopec, to develop Yadavaran.

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The Wall Street Journal also reported in Friday's editions that the two sides are trying to conclude the deal in coming weeks before potential sanctions are imposed on Iran for its nuclear ambitions. The report cited unnamed Iranian oil ministry officials familiar with the talks.

The deal would complete a memorandum of understanding signed in 2004.

In exchange for developing Yadavaran, one of Iran's largest onshore oil fields, China would agree to buy 10 million tons of liquefied natural gas a year for 25 years beginning in 2009, the Caijing report said, citing Sinopec board member Mou Shuling.

Chinese and Iranian officials in Beijing said they could not confirm the report.

"I know nothing about this. I can't answer your questions," said Ma Li, a spokeswoman for the National Development and Reform Commission, the planning agency in charge of China's energy and resources industries that Caijing said would dispatch officials to Iran.

Staff at Iran's embassy in Beijing said they were aware of the report but had not heard Mou's remarks, which Caijing said were made at a recent embassy event.

A written statement from the Iranian Embassy noted that the two countries have been working together in various energy fields, "following the rule of mutual benefits and respect in all bilateral cooperation."

Calls to Sinopec's headquarters were not answered late Friday.

The Caijing report said Chinese and Iranian officials met in December for talks on the project. It cited Mou as saying the two governments and companies involved were moving ahead with the deal despite the controversy over Iran's nuclear program.

According to the Caijing report, Sinopec would hold a 51 percent stake in the Yadavaran project, with India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp., or ONGC, taking 29 percent. The remainder would go to Iranian companies and possibly to Royal Dutch Shell PLC, which has also expressed interest, it said.

The report said there was some disagreement over intended capacity, with Iran asking China to agree to daily output of 300,000 barrels of oil, while Sinopec preferred to set a target of 180,000 to avoid excess production.

Sinopec, Asia's largest refiner, has shares traded in New York, London, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

China, seeking oil and gas to fuel its booming economy amid stagnant production at home, has been snapping up energy resources in places as far flung as Venezuela, Kazakhstan, Nigeria and Australia. Its investments in Iran and Sudan have prompted complaints it is undermining diplomatic efforts to bring recalcitrant regimes in line.

Beijing has strongly urged that a diplomatic solution be found to the impasse over Iran's nuclear program.

Western nations fear that Iran plans to develop nuclear weapons, but Iran insists its intentions are purely for generating electricity. Growing international concern about its aims contributed to Tehran being reported to the U.N. Security Council by the 35-nation board of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog.

On Thursday, France's foreign minister, Philippe Douste-Blazy, accused Iran of secretly making nuclear weapons.

The Security Council is due to consider Iran's nuclear activities next month. The council has the power to impose economic and political sanctions on Iran, but members China and Russia could exercise their veto power against such measures.

Now, here is another mainstream news report, you must read between the lines here very carefully, as it is mainstream after all, but it parallels exactly what I was pointing out. Please take into account this is not from my archives, just another quick pull up from yahoo.
IPNR
''China and Iran Strengthen their Bilateral Relationship''
China's decision to send 1,000 soldiers to south Lebanon with the U.N.I.F.I.L. mission is the latest example of Beijing's increased involvement in the Middle East. The overall importance of the broader Middle East for China's geostrategy is growing. China is searching for new regional allies because it wants to pursue strategic aims such as gaining privileged access to crude oil reserves, finding new markets for its products and technology, and competing with the United States for supremacy in an area that is a fundamental part of the international system. Iran seems to be the best ally for such an approach; thus, the strategic relationship between the two countries has increased strongly during the past few years.

Why China is Eyeing Iran

China has much interest in enlarging its presence in the Middle East. The Middle East is a region with significant geostrategic importance for the entire global political balance. China will play an increasing role on the global scene, and therefore it needs to reinforce its presence in regions that are fundamental for the overall fate of the global political balance. [See: "China Becomes Increasingly Involved in the Middle East"]

On this chessboard, China could have an important role in terms of economic, strategic and ideological influence. Beijing, therefore, is trying to strengthen its ties with those regional powers that represent an opportunity for entering strongly into the regional political balance. Iran is the main target of such a strategy. Iran is a major supplier of oil and gas and it could represent a fundamental source of energy for the development and modernization of China, which is increasingly reliant upon oil imports.

Moreover, China wants to reinforce its relations with Iran and to deepen its presence in Central Asia with the goal of reaching Caspian energy; tapping Caspian energy would help China lessen its dependence on maritime oil imports coming from the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, thus better securing the uninterrupted flow of oil.

China has also been exploiting opportunities in countries where the presence of major powers is weak. Clear examples of this are the moves China has made in Sudan, Angola and Syria. As part of this strategy, Tehran is an ideal partner for Beijing, both for its natural resources and for its geopolitical influence. Iranian crude oil and gas reserves are largely untapped because the country has suffered the ostracism of Western countries, leaving a large part of its petroleum fields unexplored since Tehran does not have adequate technology to increase its refined oil-production. China proposes itself as the country that can help Iran in the way of modernizing its petroleum industry and the wider Iranian economy with industrial technology, capital, engineering services and nuclear technology.

The Sino-Iranian economic relationship extends beyond the oil and gas spheres. Beijing is not only interested in the exploitation of Iran's oil reserves. China, for example, wants to deepen the presence of its firms in the Iranian market, which could be a good outlet for Chinese exports. The development of a strong economy is fundamental for China's external projection of power. Economic concerns, however, are only part of China's strategy toward Iran.

Iran as a Geopolitical Instrument to Combat U.S. Influence

Beijing perceives Tehran as a geopolitical instrument to combat U.S. influence in the Middle East, even though this rivalry is not emerging as an overt competition. Beijing's calls to avoid U.N. sanctions against Tehran's nuclear program and the selling of Chinese weapons and military technology to Iran are two clear examples of the deeper relationship between the two countries.

Moreover, Iran joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as an observer; the organization is largely a Sino-Russian instrument for containing the U.S. presence in Central Asia. Additionally, Central Asia represents an important concern for Iran in its security calculations; thus, Tehran prefers the stronger role of China and Russia in the region rather than the United States.

Iran is emerging as a new, rising, regional power and it is playing a lead role in the Middle East's diplomatic balance. The recent crisis in Lebanon demonstrated that Iranian capabilities in influencing the regional dynamics are stronger than before. Moreover, in a period in which world energy markets highlight the increasing dependence of industrial powers on petroleum prices, Tehran has an important instrument of geopolitical pressure through its status as a major oil producer and for its control of the Strait of Hormuz.

In spite of the harsh internal struggle for power and the country's inner social and political heterogeneity, which displays the fragmentation of the Iranian leadership and the country as a whole, "nuclear nationalism" is an element that rallies the nation together, minimizing the political and social cleavages and reinforcing the Iranian projection of power overseas.

Conclusion

China needs new allies and privileged access to the oil reserves in the Middle East. Iran appears to be the best target for such an approach. The importance of energy reserves for China rests on the country's desire to develop its economy, which is the foundation of its attempts to play a stronger role in the international system. Also, Tehran's position in the Middle East is stronger than before; thus, it can help Beijing in the fight against unrivaled U.S. influence.

For Iran, it needs a powerful ally to help it develop its economy, especially its oil industry. Moreover, it wants to improve its diplomatic and military status in the Middle East. Its nuclear program is a clear example of this. Iran needs civil and military technology and Beijing could be a good partner in these fields.

Finally, both countries are struggling against the supremacy of the United States in the world system even though, publicly, Tehran is more aggressive toward this end than is Beijing. The improving relationship between Iran and China does not mean that their long term interests are the same, but it does mean that, in the medium term, the two states share common aims in the economic and geopolitical spheres.

Report Drafted By:
Dario Cristiani

[Caelius]

The us currently has five carrier groups sailing about near Iran - this is the largest amount of carrier groups.

Where your first post (and all the other crap since) lost it's validity. The US has one (just one) carrier strike group in the Persian Gulf currently. With preparations underway for another to be deployed to join it as a result of the UN's approval of sanctions against Iran. That's a far cry from the five carriers you claim are already on their way.

[Da Skinna]

Occupation is out of the question, unless we had the British handling the whole thing, they seem to be the best when it comes to these things. But full-scale invasion or any kind that is similar to Iraq is out of the question, and that is if a military intervention is even considered. If it were, it could not be as US led as Iraq, or Afghanistan.

Destruction of infrastructure, pressure from within its already volatile religious element, and strangulation of proverbial life from the outside, would be key in either forcing them into submission. Of course, playing the religious factions inside of Iran, although vastly Shiite, could work. It could have been done in Iraq, and should've, but didn't.

All this and the fact Iran is absolutely needed in calming down Iraq's problems...

[PacSubCom]

We still have not seen any evidence that Iran is working on a nuclear weapon. And neither has the UN. So the Americans are sending their carrier group there, and prepare for war (in case they really do so) without any evidence. Hardly they would do that because of nuclear weapons research, because they cannot know.