Iran threatens fuel disruptions

[Eugene]

(BBC News)

Last Updated: Sunday, 4 June 2006, 08:23 GMT 09:23 UK

Iran threatens fuel disruptions

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has warned the US
that Iran could disrupt energy shipments from the region if it makes
a "wrong move".

Ayatollah Khamenei was discussing the nuclear dispute on state television.

"If you make a wrong move regarding Iran, definitely the energy flow
in this region will be seriously endangered," he said.

He said Iran would not give up its right to produce nuclear fuel,
as demanded by the United States.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5045604.stm

[truthisfreedom]

1. such predictable moves on both sides. makes me think 6/6/06 is inevitable.

freaking anniversary of D-Day.

[Occulus]

5. And that officially dovetails too many eerie and uneasy facts for me

:scared:

I had forgotten that anniversary, perhaps intentionally, because it's ALSO 6/6/(0)6, AND there've been rumors re: iran and that date (or possibly the day after, but I just don't put anything past these remarkable piss-swilling assholes) flying around for months now.

Anniversary of D-Day. Any bets that * will use that because he's a "war president"?

[murielm99]

2. Can you blame them?

* wants to make Iran ground zero in WWIII.

I think I am more afraid of * than I am of the Ayatollah.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

3. Same thing?

Iran's Supreme Leader Stands by Nuclear Programme

TEHRAN 04/06/2006 16:40

Iran's supreme leader has rejected international demands that his country suspend sensitive nuclear work, vowing the Islamic republic would not buckle in the face of "threats and bribes".

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also gave the United States a staunch warning that any "mistake" in its dealings with oil-rich Iran would lead to consequences for global energy supplies.

"We have achieved a lot of scientific goals," Khamenei said in a speech Sunday marking the 17th anniversary of the death of Iran's Islamic revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

"This is an historic investment. It represents our political independence and national self confidence. We should not sell out this precious resource because of the enemies' threats and we should not be fooled by enemy bribes," he said.

more: http://www.bakutoday.net/view.php?d=21828

[bluedog]

4. Wheres Iran on this list?

Crude Oil Imports (Top 15 Countries)
(Thousand Barrels per Day)
Country Mar-06 Feb-06 YTD 2006 Mar-05 Jan - Mar 2005
CANADA 1,716 1,710 1,732 1,451 1,509
MEXICO 1,697 1,774 1,722 1,590 1,500
SAUDI ARABIA 1,322 1,418 1,356 1,553 1,561
VENEZUELA 1,183 1,178 1,197 1,315 1,340
NIGERIA 1,114 1,342 1,191 879 996
ANGOLA 510 464 465 675 493
IRAQ 476 450 487 548 516
ALGERIA 281 163 228 134 165
ECUADOR 242 222 281 305 322
COLOMBIA 170 126 156 108 110
UNITED KINGDOM 145 82 88 290 215
BRAZIL 123 164 114 32 38
NORWAY 121 71 87 165 128
KUWAIT 111 152 111 179 184
CHAD 84 77 79 46 73

Total Imports of Petroleum (Top 15 Countries)
(Thousand Barrels per Day)

http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html
Country Mar-06 Feb-06 YTD 2006 Mar-05 Jan - Mar 2005
CANADA 2,254 2,262 2,276 1,985 2,078
MEXICO 1,801 1,878 1,823 1,648 1,578
VENEZUELA 1,530 1,475 1,516 1,517 1,590
SAUDI ARABIA 1,364 1,451 1,393 1,623 1,615
NIGERIA 1,195 1,377 1,249 953 1,071
ANGOLA 522 478 477 675 505
IRAQ 476 450 487 548 516
ALGERIA 404 446 523 378 414
UNITED KINGDOM 299 205 231 447 356
VIRGIN ISLANDS 299 318 297 278 302
ECUADOR 242 234 287 305 324
RUSSIA 221 304 246 485 419
NORWAY 209 199 205 269 217
BRAZIL 193 203 166 55 109
COLOMBIA 170 168 178 126 129

Note: The data in the tables above exclude oil imports into the U.S. territories.

[Eugene]

6. How about #3, #7, #8, and #14?

Iran sits at The Strait of Hormuz, a choke point of the Persian Gulf.
It can disrupt oil supplies from other Gulf states by trying to close
the Strait or attacking neutral shipping, as it did in 1988.

Also, if Iran simply reduces its output, it will force its customers
to compete for oil from elsewhere. Oil producers can barely keep
up with demand as it is. Any disruption in supply will hurt.

[Igel]

9. Yes, and what nice,

peaceful, agreeable Iran is doing is saying that if Europe and the US impose sanctions or are hostile, that it will attack ships trading with its neighbors and disrupt their economy and the environment. But hey, it's their shari'a, presumably that's a valid provision in traditional Persian or Islamic warfare.

Whether this is only intended to threaten the West or is also intended threaten its neighbors, I can't say. Either way, it shows clearly why the Gulf States and Iran are not on good terms.

[Bushwick Bill]

7. How about this?

They are number four in the world in production.
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2173rank.html

[Psephos]

8. Whatever. Every two weeks they say something to bump up oil prices

These days, Iran is barely making ends meet with $70 oil. If it slumped to $50, they'd be in crisis. So would some other loudmouths I could name.

Peace.