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Iran 'definitely' closing Strait of Hormuz over EU oil embargo

Published: 23 January, 2012, 16:07
Edited: 23 January, 2012, 22:25

Tensions in the Gulf could reach a breaking point as a senior Iranian official said Iran would “definitely” close the Strait of Hormuz if an EU oil embargo disrupted the export of crude oil.

Mohammad Kossari, deputy head of parliament's foreign affairs and national security committee, issued the warning in respone to a decision by the European Union on Monday to impose an oil embargo on Iran over the country’s alleged nuclear weapons program.
“The pressure of sanctions is designed to try and make sure that Iran takes seriously our request to come to the table,” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said.

However, with Washington’s decision to deploy a second carrier strike group in the Gulf, the EU’s attempt to pressure Iran economically could greatly increase the likelihood of all-out war in the region.

The Strait of Hormuz is the vital link between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
It is also one of the most strategic chokepoints in the world when it comes to oil transit.
With world oil output estimated at some 88 million barrels per day in 2011, the US Energy Information Administration estimated that some 17 million of those barrels passed through the Strait.

If economic sanctions sufficiently pressure Iran to retaliate by closing down the Strait, nearly 20 per cent of worldwide oil trade would be impacted, resulting in a massive spike in global energy costs.

With over half a million regular forces and an additional 120,000 personnel in the country’s elite Revolutionary Guard, analysts believe the consequences of a US-led war against Iran would dwarf recent Western-backed military incursions the Middle East.
Thus far, the US decision to maintain two carrier strike groups in the region has been described as “a routine activity” by Iran.

But the vast US military buildup in the region, which was bolstered when the Pentagon dispatched an additional 15,000 troops to the neighboring nation of Kuwait, was only the latest step in an obvious attempt by Washington to strengthen its military capabilities in the region.

However since 1988, when the United States managed to destroy some 25 per cent of Iran’s larger naval capability during Operation Praying Mantis, Iran has spent the last two decades preparing its Revolutionary Guard naval forces to exploit the vulnerabilities of the United States’ larger conventional forces.

According to Revolutionary Guard commander Brigadier General Jafaari, "The enemy is far more advanced technologically than we are, we have been using what is called asymmetric warfare methods… our forces are now well prepared for it," he said, as cited by Global Bearings.

Ultimately, the latest round of brinkmanship between Iran and the West may force Iran to the negotiating table over its uranium enrichment program.

However, the EU strategy of averting "chaos in the Middle East" by tightening the economic noose around Iran could spark the very conflagration it was ostensibly trying to avert.


rt.com . . .


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They tried the same thing under Reagan and got their asses kicked.

Under 0bama they will succeed in closing the strait and gain even more prestige in the muslim world.

Reagan sank half the Iranian navy in one afternoon.

Unfortunately if you look at the long track record of Mullah sucking by ObOzO you would probably conclude - if your a raghead - that Buckwheat not only doesn't want to fight, but won't fight even if provoked.

I think people are confused by his drone attacks and such. The only reason he prosecutes this course of action is because it furthers the police state at home. Global strat wise AQ doesn't bring alot of to the table - it's a distraction at best.

Iran - that's another story entirely.

The only question here is will the Mullahs be able to resist temptation to close the Straits to utterly humilitate Bozo and will they lay back since they are getting everything they want right now (the bomb).

And please spare me the sanctions bullshit - they have never altered the course of a true belligerent.

SevenSeventeen wrote:

And please spare me the sanctions bullshit - they have never altered the course of a true belligerent.

I agree, go strait for a sea blockade, sink anything trying to come in or go out.

jukinj3 wrote:

Under 0bama they will succeed in closing the strait and gain even more prestige in the muslim world.

Assuming our Naval commanders don't take it upon themselves to force Obama's hand.

Let's say Obama tells them to stand down, and the "radio goes all static like" and the US Navy starts sinking Iranian ships - what the fuck will Obama do? Prosecute the Navy commanders for doing what the American people know to be the right thing?

This could turn out to be interesting.

Pisser; Japan also relies heaviliy on Iranian Oil.



Could turn cold and nasty here. Snow everywhere.


All the old people of Japan could freeze to death to suit the war mongers (heaviliy reliant in heating oil).


Way to go. Cut health care costs; is that the side effects plan?

HArm your aallies to spite your enemy....


And, everyone should be in full Olympic spirit with the airlines grounded through side effects.

This may be a good season for Islamic martyrs to rest at the bottom of the Persian Gulf. The carrion eaters in the sea will be fat and happy.

War against Iran is as easy as cutting the outlow of oil to the european market...

That means that european commercial navies did not take orders
from Washingtown since a couple of years...naturally NATO is not working any more ( Germany is the origin of the iran nuke ambition ).

That means overall that the only guarantee of survival for Israel is its own nuclear military capacity.

That show that remorse about the shoah in Europe is a bare illusion... disappearance of Israel do not bother the european.
Spreading radical islam to other country ( turkey )seems also
secundary for european nations . Traditional western allies are closer to german anti jewish politics than american democracy.

This is a political lesson for all those who still believes in peace
and democracy in Europe , we should trust israeli and americans leaders more than ours.

If the shit hits the fan in the strait, I might have to consider selling a few oz of shiny with buying it back at a lower price in mind when lots of others get the same idea.




Iran's air force is a fucking joke. They fly with one hand on the stick and the other on the eject handle. The entire Iran AF could easily end up stuck nose down in the desert like a truck load of lawn darts. I would NOT want to be in the Persian navy right about now.

Tex, you may want to take what rt.com (Russia Today) writes with a grain of salt, as they have a tendency to be more tabloid-like- but focus on politics rather than celebrities.

While I'm sure Iran would just love to start minelaying operations in the Gulf again, there is a reason why it is doubtful that they will. There is a lot of U.S. firepower in the region, and the mullahs most likely know that they would be in for a real ass-kicking if they try to fuck with the flow of oil.

ReBourne wrote:



Iran's air force is a fucking joke. They fly with one hand on the stick and the other on the eject handle. The entire Iran AF could easily end up stuck nose down in the desert like a truck load of lawn darts. I would NOT want to be in the Persian navy right about now.

true. They are all hairy chested on parade, but doing business is different. I suspect they won't even engage

I have heard their ground forces are now trained for guerilla and insurgency fighting

They have a lot of diferent directions in which to fire if pushed to turining into and Iraq..

Obama cancelled the military exersizes with Israel so as to not provoke Iran.

The truly sad thing is, Obama won't learn from the mistake.