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Top Stories
Reuters:
"A little-noticed provision in U.S. sanctions against Iran
beginning in February is likely to trap payments abroad for its oil
exports running into billions of dollars, sapping Tehran of revenue
needed to fund the government. A provision of the law U.S. President
Barack Obama signed last summer, which goes into effect on Feb. 6,
states that funds being used to pay for oil must remain in a bank
account in the purchasing country and can be used only for
non-sanctioned, bilateral trade between that country and Iran. Any bank
that repatriates the money or transfers it to a third country faces a
sanction risk. This could halt most of the flow of petrodollars to
Iran, given that the value of its oil exports is far higher than what
it imports from its biggest customers - China, South Korea, India and
Japan. Sanctions on financial transactions with Iran have already made
it difficult for buyers to pay for oil from the OPEC producer. South
Korea is stuck with close to $5 billion as Iran is unable to pull the
money out, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said. Iranian
oil dues are also piling up in China, sources said, although it is
unclear how much. India has an elaborate mechanism involving Turkey's
central bank, through which it can transfer only half the money it owes
Tehran. The new provision will add Japan, which has so far been able to
settle its dues in yen, to the list of buyers saddled with funds owed
to Iran." http://t.uani.com/WoGvxX
AP:
"Iran's president said Tuesday that Western sanctions could at the
most cause a 'quick tap on the brakes' in Tehran's nuclear program but
will not slow it down substantially, state TV reported. Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad is quoted as saying that the 'West is not happy with Iran's
progress' in technological fields including uranium enrichment - a
possible pathway to nuclear arms. 'You think that by resorting to oil
and currency issues, you are able to press the Iranian nation and stop
it from its path? You are wrong. Maybe this works like a quick tap on
the brakes in driving, but the Iranian nation will find its way quickly
and will continue,' said Ahmadinejad... 'Do you really worry about a
nuclear bomb?' Ahmadinejad ask. 'No, this is mere pretext. These are
sheer lies. You are unhappy because you see Iran is progressing. You
want to take revenge on the Iranian nation but you cannot.' He said the
West should respect Iran's nuclear rights." http://t.uani.com/VNrIKJ
Motorship:
"UANI (United Against Nuclear Iran, a US-based organisation that
seeks to prevent Iran acquiring a nuclear weapons capability) has called
on Wärtsilä to end its, according to UANI, 'irresponsible' business
activities. UANI says that Wärtsilä, through its agents and licensees,
provides technology and marine diesel engines to Chinese shipbuilders
that are currently building oil tankers for the Iranian regime. It says
that: 'Wärtsilä's activities are of particular concern given that the
international community is attempting to isolate Iran via its shipping
industry, and new tankers greatly assist the regime in attempting to
overcome such efforts.' ... The letter mentions Wärtsilä's involvement
in 12 VLCCs being built in China for NITC. It says: 'Put simply,
Wärtsilä is assisting the Iranian regime's development of its most
lucrative economic sector, the revenues from which go directly to fund
the regime's nefarious activities, including its nuclear program. In
addition, Wärtsilä's business in Iran includes a partnership with the
Iran Heavy Diesel Engine Mfg Co... Wärtsilä's apparent partnership with
DESA is clearly unacceptable.'" http://t.uani.com/WoHEps
Nuclear Program & Sanctions
Reuters:
"India plans to cut oil imports from Iran by 10 to 15 percent in
the next fiscal year, and more if Tehran does not lower prices to help
cover higher costs resulting from Western sanctions, a government
source said. Iran's top Asian oil buyers - China, India, Japan and
South Korea - have all reduced imports after the United States and the
European Union imposed sanctions aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear
ambitions. The sanctions have more than halved Iran's oil exports this
year, costing Tehran up to $5 billion a month in lost revenue. 'Next
year our imports will be 10 percent to 15 percent less than this year,'
said a government official with direct knowledge of the matter, who
declined to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the
media. 'If they don't cut prices, the decline will be substantial.
Indian refiners have genuine problems with credit availability.'" http://t.uani.com/12p5Snw
Bloomberg:
"Japan will import fewer than 160,000 barrels a day of oil from
Iran next year to avoid sanctions aimed at the Middle Eastern country's
nuclear program, the head of Japan's oil industry group said. JX Nippon
Oil & Energy Corp., the country's biggest refiner, will cut its
imports from the current contract of about 80,000 barrels a day, Kimura
Yasushi, who serves as chairman for both JX and the Petroleum
Association of Japan, said at a press conference today. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton in March exempted Japan from sanctions on banks
doing business with Iran because of the Asian country's steps to reduce
imports from the Persian Gulf nation. The waiver was renewed in
September for a second six- month term for Japan, which was the world's
biggest importer of Iranian crude after in China in the first half of
2011, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Imports from Iran
averaged 190,000 barrels a day from January to October, 40 percent less
than the same period last year, and fell to 160,000 barrels a day in
October, Kimura said. 'Maintaining that 160,000 barrels a day as a
ceiling, refiners will look into reducing more, as JX cuts its own
imports,' said Kimura, who declined to comment on how much purchases
would be cut. 'We will tackle this while keeping a close eye on the
U.S.'s policy on Iran.'" http://t.uani.com/RDVtm2
AP:
"House and Senate negotiators reached agreement Tuesday on a $633
billion defense bill that would tighten sanctions on Iran, increase
security at diplomatic missions worldwide after the deadly Sept. 11
raid in Libya and presses the military on possible options to end the
bloodshed in Syria... The administration had raised concerns about the
new round of penalties on Iran and pressed negotiators for more
flexibility. In a compromise, lawmakers gave the White House more time
to implement the sanctions but balked at requests for additional
waivers. The sanctions would hit Iran's energy, shipping and
shipbuilding sectors as well as Iran's ports, blacklisting them as
'entities of proliferation concern.' It would impose penalties on
anyone supplying precious metals to Iran and sanctions on Iranian
broadcasting. 'We don't have any other choice at this time,' said Sen.
John McCain, of Arizona, the top Republican on the Armed Services
Committee. 'I hope with the administration we met most of their
objections. But so far sanctions already enacted have not dissuaded the
leaders and mullahs in Tehran on the path toward nuclear weapons that
would destabilize the entire Middle East.'" http://t.uani.com/XJz8QT
Foreign
Affairs
Greenville News:
"The State Department will use $1 million to address Iran's
growing presence in Latin America under legislation drafted by a South
Carolina freshman and on its way to the president for signing. The
House passed the measure - the Countering Iran in the Western
Hemisphere Act authored by Republican Rep. Jeff Duncan of Laurens - on
Tuesday 386-6. President Barack Obama is expected to sign it. It was
Duncan's first bill to pass Congress since he took office in January
2011. 'Iran's actions here in our neighborhood represent a real threat
to our safety and security,' Duncan said Tuesday... The law says
American policy is to work with allies in the region to deter threats
to U.S. interests by Iran, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps, the Quds Force and Hezbollah." http://t.uani.com/XJC7Zu
WashPost:
"Iran's state-run media outlet PressTV, which broadcasts in
English, on Tuesday carried a story blaming Israel for the school
shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. PressTV has a well-earned reputation
for incendiary anti-Israel stories and for wild conspiracy theories,
but even this seems a far stretch for the organization, which maintains
a bureau office in the District. PressTV portrays Adam Lanza as a
'patsy' - their word - who is taking the fall for an Israeli special
forces squad sent to punish President Obama for not better supporting
Israel. The ongoing investigation is in fact, they argue, a concerted
U.S. government "cover-up." It's not clear why the United
States would cover-up an attack against the U.S. government, but if you
think that's the most glaring inconsistency in this story then I have
bad news for you: it gets a lot worse... The PressTV story is sad and
upsetting, mostly for its incredible insensitivity but also, to a
lesser degree, for the obvious bankruptcy of Iranian propaganda." http://t.uani.com/UPjFys
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Eye on Iran is a periodic news summary from United Against
Nuclear Iran (UANI) a program of the American Coalition Against Nuclear
Iran, Inc., a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code. Eye on Iran is not intended as a comprehensive
media clips summary but rather a selection of media elements with
discreet analysis in a PDA friendly format. For more information please
email Press@UnitedAgainstNuclearIran.com
United Against
Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a non-partisan, broad-based coalition that is
united in a commitment to prevent Iran from fulfilling its ambition to
become a regional super-power possessing nuclear weapons. UANI is
an issue-based coalition in which each coalition member will have its
own interests as well as the collective goal of advancing an Iran free
of nuclear weapons. |
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