The two stories below could be seen as political posturing by Iran. Or they could be seen as showing the United States and Europe that sanctions will have no impact on Iran’s nuclear program. I believe the latter case to be true since Obama does not have any credibility for leading any effort to deter Iran’s caliphate plans. In fact, his support for the Arab Spring is more likely to be seen as making the next caliphate a reality.
David DeGerolamo
Oil Ban Will Not Halt Nuclear Drive
Brent crude prices rose to near three-month peaks on Friday, partly thanks to oil investors covering short positions ahead of the weekend due to the standoff between the West and Tehran over its nuclear program.
The United States wants buyers in Asia, Iran’s biggest oil market, to cut imports to put further pressure on Tehran, which is after finding new buyers and persuading existing customers to keep doing business with it.
But Iran remains a key supplier for many countries, and some of its major customers are seeking waivers from Washington from the sanctions while they look for alternative sources of oil. Iranian officials have said sanctions have had no impact on it, while Tehran threatened to retaliate against the West for sanctions. Qassemi also downplayed the importance of Europe as a market for its exports. “We have no problem to find other crude buyers to replace the European countries,” he was quoted as saying.
The United States and its allies claim Iran is trying to develop weapons under cover of a civilian nuclear program. But energy-rich Iran denies the claims, saying it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity. Washington and Israel have not ruled out use of force if diplomacy fails to resolve the standoff. Iran has warned of firm retaliation if attacked, including targeting Israel and US bases in the Persian Gulf and closing off the vital oil shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz.
But Qassemi played down the possibility of Iran blocking the crucial waterway. “Iran is not after tension, and closure of the Strait is a politically motivated issue,” he said.
Qassemi also rejected Ankara’s complaint that the price of Iranian gas exports to Turkey was too high. “Iran surely cannot decrease its natural gas price (for Turkey) without legal authorization,” he said.
Iran exports 10 billion cubic meters of gas each year to Turkey, making it Ankara’s second-biggest supplier after Russia. Turkey said on January 31 that it was taking Tehran to international arbitration over the matter.
Mass Production of Cruise Missiles Underway
Iran has launched the mass-production of the Zafar (Triumph) marine cruise missile for delivery to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) naval forces.
“Zafar is a radar-controlled, short range torpedo with the capability to destroy small and medium targets with high precession,” Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said at the inaugural ceremony Saturday, the fourth day of the 10-Day Dawn celebrations marking the 33th anniversary of the victory of Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979, Presstv reported.
The product, designed and manufactured by Iranian experts, can be mounted on various kinds of light vessels and speed boats, Vahidi said, adding its capability in anti-electronic warfare is high. In April 2011, Vahidi announced that the country had successfully test-fired the home-made Zafar missile, adding they are ‘the fastest cruise missiles in the world’.
“These missiles can, together with other systems, substantially boost the country’s defense capabilities,” the general noted.
Meanwhile, head of Satellite Technical Support Department at Tehran’s University of Science and Technology, Hussein Bolandi, said in October that Zafar would have a lifespan of one year and six months and would capture images with a resolution of 80 meters and then transmit them to earth stations.
On Friday, Iran successfully launched its domestically-built Navid-e Elm-o Sanat satellite into orbit. Navid-e Elm-o Sanat is a telecom, measurement and scientific satellite whose records could be used in a wide range of fields. In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in the defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in the production of essential military equipment and systems.
A top Army commander said new air defense systems will be launched soon to boost Iran’s aerial defense capabilities. Dozens of radar and missile systems with various ranges have until now been manufactured and deployed in Iran’s defense sector and new systems are set to join the defense network during the 10-Day Dawn celebrations, Brigadier General Farzad Esmaieli, the commander of the Army’s Khatam ul-Anbiya Air Defense Base, announced on Wednesday. He said Iran’s scientific and technological progress, which has irked the arrogant powers, come in the face of US-led sanctions. They are imposing tighter sanctions against Iran to impede the country’s development, the general noted.
However, the Iranian nation will turn the tougher sanctions into opportunities, he added.
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