US severs Iran’s oil export lifeline. A hawkish new Revolutionary Guards chief prepares payback
The US placed its Middle East forces on high alert on Monday, April 22, before announcing the cancellation of waivers that allowed 8 countries to buy embargoed Iranian oil. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an unprecedentedly tough statement. “We are going to zero across the board. We’ll continue to enforce sanctions and monitor compliance and any nation or entity interacting with Iran should do its diligence and err on the side of caution; the risks are simply not going to be worth the benefits.” He went on to say: “How long we’ll remain there at zero depends solely on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s senior leaders.”
The countries who will no longer benefit from the waivers are China, India, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Italy, Greece and Turkey. They collectively imported a million barrels a day of Iranian oil. Prior to sanctions, Iran was exporting 2.1 million barrels per day. That figure had already dropped to 700,000 barrels. Since oil is Iran’s single export commodity, its cutoff to zero is a virtual death blow to its economy.
Before the latest tightening of US sanctions, the first round had been devastatingly effective. The official inflation rate had soared past 50 pc to stand at an annual rate of 30.6pc. Basic foods, water and tobacco were priced 85.3p higher than the corresponding period the year before. Whereas in 2018, the US dollar went for 40,000 rial, today the rate has sunk further to 140,000 rial. Therefore, the zero-oil sales level projected by the US is tantamount to zero revenue for the Iranian revolutionary treasury.
“The goal remains simple,” as defined by Pompeo: “To deprive the outlaw regime of the funds it has used to destabilize the Middle East for four decades and incentivize Iran to behave like a normal country.” He calculated that the sanctions will divert “well north of $10 billion” away from the Iranian regime.
This monumental and unprecedented US pressure on Tehran is compounded by the cruel effects on the population of the most severe weather disasters the Islamic republic has known for many years. Weeks of incessant rainfall have caused widespread flooding in 25 of the country’s 31 provinces, forcing more than 2 million people to flee their homes. More than 150 homes were destroyed, crops amounting to 14pc of Iran’s annual national product were destroyed, roads, bridges, and installations worth $2.5m for drinking and irrigation water were washed away.
The Trump administration is also turning the screw on Tehran’s allies in the violent propagation of its influence, including Syria and proxies such as the Lebanese Hizballah and Iraqi Shiite militias. Hizballah, whose fund-raising methods have long been targeted by Western law enforcement, was this week treated by Washington in the style of a wanted miscreant with the offer of a $10bn reward for information leading to the disruption of its finances. The State Department said the money would be paid to anyone who provides intelligence in such areas as Hizballah’s donors, financial institutions that assist its transactions and businesses controlled by the movement. Hizballah is already feeling the pinch from the slowdown of its regular subsidy from sanctions-bound Iran and is appealing for donors.
US financial pressure on Iran is so deep that even if China, Russia, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia and some West European countries try to bypass or defy the Trump administration by buying Iranian oil, regardless of sanctions, the quantities will be too negligible to affect the overall calamity.
It has placed the Islamic Republic of Iran face to face with two options: to knuckle under to US demands, or resort to military measures to force Washington to ease the grip on its windpipe. Tehran has often warned that if its oil exports are choked off, the Arab oil nations of the Gulf will be equally prevented from sending their product to market, either by a partial or total blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s daily consumption of fuel passes, or disruption of the oil tanker routes through the Red Sea.
DEBKAfile’s military sources report that Iran lacks sufficient military strength to totally blockade Hormuz or the Red Sea oil routes. However, a single attack on tanker traffic would send oil prices shooting skyward past $100 the barrel, creating market pressure on Washington. Other offensive options for Tehran would be attacks on US military bases in the Middle East, including Syria and Iraq, the Gulf and the Red Sea. Local Shiite militias or Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) special units would be activated to strike targets belonging to US allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
With his mind focused on belligerency, Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday, April 21, replaced the veteran IRGC chief, Gen. Ali Jafari, with a younger, more radical and dynamic figure, deputy Guards chief Brig. Gen, Hossein Salami. According to our sources, Salami, who stands out even among the radical IRGC officers as a hawk, was selected by the supreme leader to prepare a military campaign against the United States and its allies in the region for the purpose of breaking the back of American sanctions. He is being closely watched not just in Washington, but also in Riyadh and Jerusalem.
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zalimlerinde sonu yakındır hiç mrek etmeyin allah büyüktür kime ne yapacağını allah çok iyi bilir
This fossil ayatollah is broken and out of guarantee.
Ok, he was wrong to take this path, but why struggle to suffer the punishment?
Say you are sorry and end the circus.
Even if the Straits of Hormuz were closed, it will benefit American Oil now since Texas alone is now producing more than Iraq with Fracking in its Permian Basin and that will just Open more Oil Wells Offshore and Alaskan under Presidential Emergency Decree. As well as, increase Oil Prices for America, Norway-UK North Seas, Mexico, Russia, and Gulf States have enough Income to survive but Iran does not with its own current Economic Crisis.
Allah harika değil (allah is not great).
Amen to that.
GOOD MOVE OOHHHH GREAT PRESIDENT TRUMP . NOW WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A PRESIDENT IN USA . DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN …… OBAMA AND DOWN EU!!!!!
Interesting that the iranians would use a piece of salami as a weapon. Salami belongs on a sandwich or hogie the last time I checked.
hoagie’s are made with non-foods, unless you are void of understanding. salami = swine = abomination to ingest.
Great, more salami for me
andy prigge—You must be from Philly or South Jersey to say “hoagie.” Here in NJ we call them subs.
In NY they’re heros .
The Trump Administration is playing the Trump Traps and Trump Cards quite well and has placed this Regime of its own mistaken Leadership much as President Reagan that followed a seemingly less Prolific Jimmy Carter but Undeserved Challenges to the USSR in the 1980 Right after the Iranian Revolution. The USSR broke up and the Persian Provinces will be doing the same thing as the Robe Regime loses it ability to govern.
Remember? Alaskan and North Sea oil flowed as the USSR folded….
Undocumented Iranians on the loose in North America are watched, but not 100%. Enough are under the radar to wreak havoc on critical infrastructure, as shown by the San Jose substation sabotage. North Korean collaboration with Iran will be put to the test, and this test may include attempts to bring EMP events aimed at disrupting communications, utilities and solid state controls now essential for transportation modes. Expect “False Flag” nuclear detonations in Troposphere before this is finished.
Food distribution is America’s Achilles heel. With less than 1/3 route mile line rail matrix of mid-20th Century, almost no Canadian, Mexican or lower 48 agricultural district has rail link. This is going to hit home and we will have famine in North America. William Forstchen tells the story in “ONE SECOND AFTER” Instead of repairing EU churches destined to be mosques, philanthropy should aim to infrastructure protecting North American transport into bread basket regions…This is basic STRATEGICS
No matter how you are worried about the Facts are America, Israel, and Gulf States will Survive any Attacks just look what happen after 911, there are more Nations Over-There in Chaos, Changes, and Unfortunately caused far Critical Disruptions. America has no Achilles Heel except the Boots on the Necks of those that Attacks America and it Allies. The Nazi SS, Japanese Kamikazes, and Italian Fascists, USSR Communists all were far more Formidable Opponents so what does Iran???? A General Pointing a Finger in the Air itself is a Sign of Bragging Bravado not Battlefield Bravery? Iran is collapsing and the only ones that will Commit Suicide will be the Robe Rogue Shiia Regime!
Very well said.Philanthropy starts at home first.
Even if one approves of the move and if it proves successful, this will not be painless for the USA and its allies.
Iran’s mullahs know that they do not have as much support among their population as they would wish, but they have iron control over their military. And their military is not inconsequential. That military will likely be used to attack USA and allied targets before the regime falls.
Also, there is little question that the mullahs have been sending infiltration teams into the USA for years. I’ve heard estimates of around 6,000 Iranians trained to conduct what would effectively be terror attacks. I have doubts about there being 6,000 of them but it is possible. If the teams have remained intact and if they are equipped and have maintained training even a few small teams could cause a huge loss of life and be very disruptive. However, I also have doubt that the teams would have been able to maintain a trained and effective status without detection. Also, being in the USA might have caused decreased loyalty to the mullahs. . .
Trump may be doing what must be done, but I’d not count on this being a purely pleasant process.
That’ll be a nice try, but it won’t work. We’re armed here in AMERICA; HEAVILY ARMED.
Your point should be a good one, but it isn’t as good as it should be.
Remember the “Beltway” snipers? Caused havoc for quite a while before they were stopped. Partly it was because of incompetent/biased policing at the top but also because it can be difficult to find such folk. Teams which are better trained and perhaps better equipped might be more problematic – especially if there are multiple teams in a big city to cause more confusion and if there are multiple cities.
And infrastructure targets are far more vulnerable than they might like.
But sure, if the terror teams decided to invade my neighborhood? They just might be out-gunned and their training might not be superior either. But my neighborhood is not their likely target.
Iran has been in the terror business for decades and they’ve developed a lot of expertise. They really have to be dealt with one way or another and it should be expected to be painful.
Te Iranian Regime is very comfortable with its Riches more so and their exposed Fiction of being Powerful is just more Huffing, Puffing and Bluffing much like the Wolf in the the Pigs Nursery Story. The Fact is after 40 Years, this is not a Popular Regime anymore. Unlike the Iraq-Iran War of the 1980s that exhausted both People and left Millions in Casualties and Injured. It will be difficult for the Iranian People being willing to Die or be Maimed for this Iranian Robe of Riches Regime anymore. Once any Conflict starts by them attacking they are easy Targets from their own Informers that no longer wishing to be part of them. They are good Marchers in Parades but Lousy Fighters. What they did against Lousy Iraq’s was not a victory either. This time they would be facing Real Men wit better Arms and they will collapse over a Short Period of Time, and the Persian People won’t sacrifice for them again!
But it does not necessarily translate that they can wreak havoc here.That is not a fiction.
Wasn’t it a year or so ago that the conspiracy theorists at Press TV blamed Israel for stealing the rain from Iran? Evidently, Israel reversed the trick and now must be causing flooding in Iran. It cannot just be weather, Israel must be responsible. Gen. Salami may succeed with a few attacks if he is foolish enough to do so, but the US Navy will devastate the IRGC, although of course Israel will be blamed. Regarding the comment about 6,000 Iranian infiltrators to the US – that sounds like something from Press TV, or delusional Trump.
Reminds me of that Folk Song from the 1960s
“There was a crooked “Iran Man” and he had a Crooked smile”
Had a Crooked Sixpence and he walked a Crooked Mile
Had a crooked Cat and he had a crooked Mouse
They all lived Together in a Crooked little house
Oh, no, don’t let the rain come down
Iran’s Roof’s got a hole in it and they might drown
Bought some Crooked nails and a Crooked Little Bat
Tried to fix his roof with a rat-tat-tat-tat-tat
Now this crooked little Iran and his Crooked Cat and Mouse
Has a Crooked Door with a Crooked Little latch
Has a crooked roof with a crooked little patch
Tehran’s Roof’s got a hole in it, my Roof’s got a hole in it
Iran’s Roof’s got a hole in it and Iran Man might Drown.
Oh, no, don’t let the Pain Rain come down!
Get rid of The Rogue Robes and Live Under a Great Mideast Roof!
There have been Iranian Jews for thousands of years. Every Iranian community in the USA has Jewish spies working for Israel or the US.
US patriot is acutely paranoid…
No that’s a good thing in my book and a warning to the haughty Iranians…
Thoughtful comment.
Target rich environment for armed American’s which will DRT those terrorist. This isn’t the land of sheep and subjects like the EU. We have first and second amendment rights to protect our citizens from those invaders here.
His name is actually Salami? 😉
How can they not giggle when he is around. Mr Salami. 😉 😉 😉
sort of the arab or farsi equivalent of “Shalomi”, I would guess. Would it seem funny if you met a “shalomi” in Jerusalem?
sort of the arab or farsi equivalent of “Shalomi” I would guess…
He sounds like a Lot of Baloney when he makes Boisterous Bragging like a Bully. He will be removed and blamed for anything that goes wrong, and the Regime is good at finding Scapegoats for their own Failed Caliphate Fate they created.
Now is general Salami, will the next one be general Bologni?
Anyways, Israel will turn him into a Kosher Salami.
Israel must perform a “Bris” on Mr. Salami to make him kosher!
Mr. Salami, meet Mr. Baloney.
Time will tell.Everything is posiblle. We could have a war in the gulf or even have talks about a new deal? Or maybe nothing will happen at all.
Salami can’t do the US she is too fat for him.
it would be like throwing a salami in the corridor !
If dso, he’s to do your mommy, but only him and maximum 10-20 guards, one should not try to fulfill all her sick dreams.
Time to play Hide The Salami, he should keep head down, visor on, listen for drones…..
If they remove those barrels from the World market, price will skyrocket, will hurt the economy, the one thing Trump has some positives on, could backfire before the regime changes, which I had predicted by next yr, need to re examine.
Well, isn’t it nice to have a REAL leader for a change? The iran “can has been kicked down the road”. Its better to confront this threat now before it gains anymore strength.
I absolutely agree. It’s now or we all become hostage.
Normal Person…..If Salami is Smart he will turn on the Regime and take over for the benefit of the Remarkable Persian People that always worked with all Cultures in the Middle East and that included Judaism Followers. If Iran was to make Amen Amends to misleading its People, the Prosperity in Iran and the Middle East would grow beyond Beliefs and Dreams just as it did in Days of King Cyrus, King Solomon, and other Leaders of Civilizations from many Prophets that came out of Desert for Mankind Salvation from Revelations and not turn Nations into Atomic Ashes as this Regime is threatening to do the Entire World. There Judgement Day is Nearer than they ever imagined?
And its simple. We tell Iran if they touch one piece of dust on one of our ships, we level the homes of Iranian leaders. Period. That will keep them from acting irrationally.
Hopefully the Iranian people will vote for more peaceful leaders.
First, Iran does not need any navy or air force to close the Strait of Hormuz. A single RPG into a single freighter or tanker will cause the maritime insurance companies to cancel the insurance on all ships operating in the Persian Gulf, and the ship owners will remove the ships from the region.
Second, Iran’s mini-submarines, about 19, are ideally suited for operations in the Gulf, and they would be able to damage many ships (all freighter and tankers) before they are hunted down and destroyed, which would take a few weeks.
Third, military facilities of America and its allies in the region are vulnerable to missile attack, and that includes US bases in Afghanistan. Iran could also intervene in Afghanistan.
Fourth, the oil terminals of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, et al., are vulnerable to missile attack.
And finally, what if China, India, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Italy, Greece and Turkey do not go along with the oil embargo? Especially India.
The Trump administration has finally joined its predecessors and committed and act of war. We will see how a war with Iran turns out. Probably very badly for the US and the World.
To Sykes: You should move to Iran and stay there permanently.
Bob Sykes……Wishful Iranian Thinking but the last time the Iranian started to Mine the Arabia Gulf America wiped out their Air Force in One Day, stopped and captured their Ships Crews that surrendered, sank those Ships in front of the Crew, took them all to Bahrain and notify the Iranians that is where they can pick them up and bring them Home, and told not to do it again. it was not widely Reported but it is in Secretary Schultz Memoirs.
President Trump Acts very much like President Andrew Jackson, President Roosevelt and President Ronald Reagan with just as Rough Talk with Back Up Actions, much like in the Traditions of General Grant, Patton, MacArthur well known when they wanted to Accomplish something with their Military they did so talking it Straight With No Reservations, so they would get the job done, and regardless of Political Correctness even at those times as well. Finally, your Fear of China, India, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Italy, Greece and Turkey not going along is as unfounded as your overestimation of Iran threatening the Straits of Hormuz. They are already reducing there dependence as Debka pointed out and America is #1 in Oil, Natural Gas, and Coal Reserves for Conversion to Natural Gas and Canada’s Tar Sand Oil as well is even bigger? This will Benefit America more so than Iran and Iran knows it! A Short Term Spike in Oil Prices is now America Strength too. Texas Oil Sales Alone Produce 40% of Texas State Budget Right Now versus only 7% under Presient Obama that chose to Placate Iran. The reality has changed and will continue as well.
President Trump is NO fey soy boy Obama or self crucifying Dhimmi Carter waiting for a drone to drop an LED Halo on his “pious” cracker head.
All the US has to do is take over the oil fields of Iraq and Syria and drop the price of oil back to $10 per barrel and Fascist Iran’s economy collapses, the Persian people rise up and overthrow the Ayatoolas.
The Ayatools are now hated by the Persian people more than they ever hated the Shah.
last time was 1988, tody thwey have much more better equipped
many thing changef from that time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz-kjq0E79E
This is not so much about Iran as about China. US is trying to close one of the very few Chinese continental oil sources.
Last time I checked, Chinese didn’t consider themselves a US colony. Chinese response to these developments can be asymmetric.
Or, it could be that Chinese finally agreed to give up Iran in exchange for Taiwan. Time will tell.
us war ships in small persian golf very vulnerable to iran anti ships missiles and śwarm of speed boats with toepedos and missiles
the stupid iranians are now encornered .if they try to provoque US MILITARY THE TRAP WILL BE CLOSED ON THEM AND THAT WILL THE END OF MOLLAH REGIME. BECAUSE TRUMP WIL CRUSH THEM AS THEY WILL NEVER BE. IF THEY DONT NOTHING IRANIANS PEOPLE WILL STAND UP ORVERTHROW THE MOLLAH REGIME.IN ALL ANY SCENARIO THEY GO TO ITS END
Americans should understand next time when the world decides to shoot back. Nah, Americans are clueless as usual. They will be told that others are envious of their way of living and freedom. ?
Vladimir……Nope, Americans will shoot back and America & Russian Oil Prices will Soar and once Iran Regime Falls, Russia is right there to Invest Again, unlike Russian Troops that hard time against Finland? Putin sees the Benefits of Iran increasing Russian Oil Values as well.
To Debka: Hope none of you do accounting work on the side. The United States is offering
10 million NOT 10 billion for Hezbollah financial information.
The Department of Treasury Agents took down many Mobsters using Informers that explain how their Illegal Financial Networks Worked and confiscated much of Money in the same Process, just like when Investigators and took down the UN Corruption of Saddam Hussein Food for Oil. Those working for these Thugs won’t be able to Resist and will Inform on anyone at anytime. Once that Network is discovered it ends them just like Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, and Mexico Cheapo all discovered?
When a child doesn’t behave you can try to redirect like Obama giving billions of dollars or you can smack their but like Trump is doing. I am guessing this will have an effect, a rebellious child will fight back. A simple disobedient child will improve behavior. We shall see which they are.
Time has come to slice the salami
“The official inflation rate had soared past 50 pc to stand at an annual rate of 30.6pc”? – ummm since where is 30.6 is more than 50?
“2 million people to flee their homes. More than 150 homes were destroyed”? – 2,000,000 people lived in 150 homes?
“roads, bridges, and installations worth $2.5m for drinking and irrigation water were washed away” – Iranians drink ‘roads, bridges, and installations’? $2.5m?? Do you have any idea what a bridge costs to build? The Iranians must have microbridges!!
“Hizballah… was this week treated by Washington in the style of a wanted miscreant with the offer of a $10bn reward for information leading to the disruption of its finances.” – $10bn? or $10m?! maybe check facts before publishing?
nonsense
the floodis a gerat gift für iran
end of 30 years lang drought , the flood bring 10x more benefit than damages
all dry rivers and lake are now filled with water
dasmages only in rular areas , not in key areas and large cities
The Dotard thinks he’s the dictator of the world. I wonder if China will pay attention to what the squatter colony’s drunk uncle says…
Bunker busters will soon fall on the Iranian nuclear facilities in the desert. Sometimes this kind of thing has to happen before the moronic leaders are stopped. We bombed Japan and now there are one of our best allies. Shalom!
US patriot is acutely paranoid…
Islamic totalitarian regimes never work out well for their people nor for their neighbors. Islam is the problem.
The iranians are very good in talk show. They have nothing to do other than bla bla bla. Relax israel the enemy you are making big out of nothing.
jewish wishful thinking
1) flood brings 10x more benefit, then the damages, it is enf of 30 yars drought
all dried irnian rivers and lakes are filled with water and life
flood was a great gift for iran , water is life , thia year a revorf harvest
2) Trump can never stop iran oil export, it maybe reduced , but also enoug money because of high oil prices
at the end the iran economy will become Independent from oil export , oil export is like the drugs of middle east countries
3) iran wird neither knuckle under us pressure , not will do a crazy action like close the hormuz
iran will take the tension up, that is good for oil price
4) September 2020 are the arm Sanktion against Iran over, if irn hold an nuke agreement,if iran keep the nuklear Agreement for 1 yesr, can buy Offizial arm from china or russia