USS Abraham Lincoln Steams Though The Straits Of Hormuz |
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier traveled through the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday without incident, as Iran backed down from a previous threat against U.S. ships entering into the Persian Gulf.
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command released a statement that said the USS Abraham Lincoln “completed a regular and routine transit of the Strait of Hormuz."
The Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping lane, had been the source of high tensions between the United States and Iran in recent weeks, with Iran making several threats. But after the United States essentially called Iran’s bluff, the country moved away from its threats this weekend.
The Strait of Hormuz |
The Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping lane, had been the source of high tensions between the United States and Iran in recent weeks, with Iran making several threats. But after the United States essentially called Iran’s bluff, the country moved away from its threats this weekend.
Iran’s threat last month that it would close the Strait of Hormuz altogether and disrupt oil shipping if Western countries followed through on their economic sanctions.
Europe banned the import of Iranian oil today and froze Europe-based assets of the Central Bank of Iran, intensifying an international campaign to choke Iran’s economy and force the radical Islamic government to dispel fears that it is working to develop nuclear weapons.
UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague |
The ban, decided by foreign ministers of the 27-nation European Union, is a dramatic escalation of sanctions against Iran, joining with the United States to squeeze the oil earnings and financial transactions that the Tehran government depends on to sustain its citizens and finance its military. The British foreign secretary, William Hague, called the E.U. effort “unprecedented” and said it shows the resolve of European governments to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.
Countries such as Greece and Italy, suffering under crippling debt burdens, are likely to get more time before they have to break their financial ties with Iran, European diplomats said on condition of anonymity. Greece has been buying oil from Iran on credit and earns desperately needed money by refining crude for Balkan neighbors. Italy has arranged for Iranian oil in payment for loans granted by Rome in the past.
Countries such as Greece and Italy, suffering under crippling debt burdens, are likely to get more time before they have to break their financial ties with Iran, European diplomats said on condition of anonymity. Greece has been buying oil from Iran on credit and earns desperately needed money by refining crude for Balkan neighbors. Italy has arranged for Iranian oil in payment for loans granted by Rome in the past.
The United States implementation of sanctions against Iran’s central bank was designed to target its oil industry, and the European Union is following US on oil embargo against Iran. The idea behind the sanctions is to cripple Iran’s economy in order to convince the country to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
Chineese Built Iranian Oil Tanker |
But Iran does have the benefit of its contracts with Asian nations; in particular, about 60 percent of Iran’s 2.2 million barrels a day of exports have been locked into contracts with China, Japan and South Korea. Turkey accounts for an additional 7 percent. Traditionally, European customers have accounted for less than 20 percent of Iranian exports.
Nevertheless, powerful figures in Iran immediately threatened retaliation, according to news agency reports from Tehran. Their defiance, including calls to close the Strait of Hormuz, underlined the high stakes in the West’s confrontation with the Islamic government.
Washington is prepared to engage in war over the Strait of Hormuz at any moment, the Pentagon says. Some observers say the dangerous move is being viewed as a far from worst-case scenario in America, especially by its hawks.
American troops in the Persian Gulf region do not require any build-up for a possible military conflict with Iran, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said "We are not making any special steps at this point in order to deal with the situation. Why? Because, frankly, we are fully prepared to deal with that situation now," Panetta explained. Whenever you're ready Iran |
The bank has introduced a dual rate of 11,300 rials for state business and imports, and 14,000 for Iranian travelers.
But many exchange bureaux have refused to buy or sell dollars at the imposed rates, prompting the operation of a blackmarket despite police efforts to enforce the ban.
In late October, it cost about 12,500 rials to buy a dollar in Tehran.
A rush for gold and other non-currency assets has since taken hold, with the price of gold coins in Iran rising by 25 percent since January 18.
The currency crisis comes at a time when the United States and European countries are ratcheting up punitive measures against Iran to curb its controversial nuclear programme.
Although the Iranian government has insisted there is no connection between the rial's slide and new sanctions, some officials have admitted a "psychological" impact as international sanctions spook ordinary Iranians.
Economy Minister Shamseddin Hosseini and central bank Chief Mahmoud Bahmani have vowed before the Iranian parliament to bring the exchange rate under control.
A sudden acceleration in the slide was seen after US President Barack Obama at the end of December signed into law more sanctions hitting Iran's central bank and targeting foreign firms which do business with the Islamic republic.
A compromise agreement, due to be formally announced later the same day, provides for an immediate ban on importing Iranian crude and a gradual phase-out of existing contracts between now and July 1, diplomats in Brussels said. EU ministers were set to also target the country's central bank, petrochemicals and gold.
The sanctions would make it even more difficult for Iran, OPEC's second largest producer, to be paid in foreign currency for its oil exports, worth more than 100 billion dollars in 2011. Previous rounds of EU and US sanctions targeting Iran's financial system have already caused a shortage of foreign currency.
No comments:
Post a Comment