Encircling Iran

Paul Craig Roberts: Obama’s Expanding Kill List

"If the Obama regime is on the side of the government, as in Algeria, it will kill the rebels opposing the government. If the Obama regime is on the side of the rebels, as in Libya, it will kill the government’s leaders. Whether Washington sends a drone to murder Putin and the president of China remains to be seen. The elasticity of the Kill List and its easy expansion makes it certain that Washington will be involved in extra-judicial executions of those 'associated with terrorism' over much of the world. Americans themselves should be alarmed, because the term 'association with terrorism' is very elastic." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPaul Craig Roberts: Obama’s Expanding Kill List

Western powers to offer easing gold sanctions at Iran nuclear talks

"Major powers plan to offer to ease sanctions barring trade in gold and other precious metals with Iran in return for Iranian steps to shut down the nation's newly expanded Fordow uranium enrichment plant, Western officials said on Friday." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWestern powers to offer easing gold sanctions at Iran nuclear talks

Western powers to offer easing gold sanctions at Iran nuclear talks

"Major powers plan to offer to ease sanctions barring trade in gold and other precious metals with Iran in return for Iranian steps to shut down the nation's newly expanded Fordow uranium enrichment plant, Western officials said on Friday." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWestern powers to offer easing gold sanctions at Iran nuclear talks

Egypt, Syria – it’s just the end of them

"Two years and 60,000 casualties into Syria's civil war, the foreign ministries of the West have nothing to show for their peacemaking efforts except a wad of airline and hotel receipts. Egypt is proceeding with grim inevitability towards financial exhaustion, and the government has just announced a three-pita-per-day bread ration. Most alarming is the emergence of a black market in Egyptian pounds, with a street rate February 10 of 6.95 pounds to the US dollar, against an official rate of 6.72. United States President Barack Obama has asked congress to renew Egypt's $1.8 billion in annual aid, but two-thirds of that is military assistance." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEgypt, Syria – it’s just the end of them

Iranians march in government-sponsored rally to mark revolution

"Hundreds of thousands of people marched on Sunday in Tehran and other cities chanting 'Death to America' as Iran marked the 34th anniversary of the Islamic revolution that ousted the US-backed shah. Tehran is currently under a series of international sanctions aimed at curbing its controversial nuclear programme of uranium enrichment. The sanctions have led to a severe economic crisis, choking Iran’s banking system and limiting its oil exports, the country’s main foreign revenue earner. According to a recent survey by the US polling firm Gallup, Iran’s nuclear programme is supported by a large majority of its population." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIranians march in government-sponsored rally to mark revolution

Turkey will not halt Iran gold exports despite sanctions pressure

"U.S. officials are concerned that Turkey’s gold sales, which allow Iran to export natural gas, provides a financial lifeline to Tehran, which is largely frozen out of the global banking system by Western sanctions imposed over its nuclear programme. Turkey, Iran's biggest natural gas customer, has been paying the Islamic Republic for oil and gas imports with Turkish liras, because sanctions prevent it from paying in dollars or euros. Iranians then buy gold in Turkey, and couriers carry bullion worth millions of dollars in hand luggage to Dubai, where it can be sold for foreign currency or shipped to Iran." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTurkey will not halt Iran gold exports despite sanctions pressure

Iranians shun own currency for Gold

"Iranians continued to purchase gold from every available centers on fears about it's economy, particularly the risk of soaring inflation and a wobbly currency. Worries about the declining buying power of the rial and doubts over the currency’s stability are the main drivers behind the flight to gold. Due to sanctions, Iranians have no choice but to invest in gold coins as they can't move their capital and invest in other countries. Treasured as a store of value, Iran’s gold coins, minted over centuries, are also culturally important. Produced by the Central Bank of Iran, a standard gold coin weighs 8.133 grams. It is also sold in smaller denominations." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIranians shun own currency for Gold

Eric Margolis: Just Back From The Mideast – And I’m Really Worried

"The Mideast is stumbling into one of its most dangerous crisis in decades. This region is always tense, but right now a series of separate conflicts are rapidly beginning to intersect. We see the Mideast, North Africa and the Sahara buffeted by revolutions and counter-revolutions. Old colonial powers France and Britain, and the US, are trying to reassert their domination in the region. The jihadist are back. In a brazen act of war, Israel launched airstrikes on Syria last Wednesday in a clear attempt to worsen the crisis in that war-torn nation and challenge Syria’s ally, Iran." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEric Margolis: Just Back From The Mideast – And I’m Really Worried

Obama gets power to wage pre-emptive cyber warfare

"A secret internal review has concluded that President Barack Obama can lawfully engage in pre-emptive cyber attacks in the event that the U.S. faces an imminent threat, according to The New York Times. The legal guidance was key to rules the administration hopes to adopt in the coming weeks to govern cyber warfare operations. The Times added that those rules will classified similarly to the policies governing the nation’s drone warfare program. The president is only known to have launched one cyberwar operation, against Iran." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama gets power to wage pre-emptive cyber warfare

LBMA, IGE urged to end Iran-Turkey Gold trade

"Turkey is facing more pressure from global communities to end it's gold-for-gas dealings with Iran. The latest to join the fray is United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which launched its Turkey gold campaign, and called on both the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) and Istanbul Gold Exchange (IGE) to enact new measures to combat illicit barter agreements, where Iranian crude oil is being exchanged for Turkish gold. Specifically, UANI is calling for the LBMA to require all of its members, particularly the IGE, to certify that the recipient of their gold products is not Iran. The LBMA should revoke the membership of any member that is unable to do so." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLBMA, IGE urged to end Iran-Turkey Gold trade