The clock is ticking closer to the midnight hour regarding a strike in Iran. Israel might do it alone, but will likely have the backing of the US.
Is a war imminent, or are these moves just meant to scare Iran? Here are 5 signs that have piled up very recently.
SWIFT Cuts Iran Off: The international institution responsible for around 80% of the world’s financial transactions announced that it will cut off Iranian financial institutions from its system from Saturday. This unprecedented move is a big blow to Iran, and follows up on EU sanctions.
Majority in Israeli cabinet for strike: Israeli newspaper Maariv (Hebrew link, quote in English) by Ben Caspit saying that 8 out of 14 Israeli cabinet members now support a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The cabinet can give Prime Minister Netanyahu the green light for a strike, at the time he sees fit.
Netanyahu preparing Israeli public: The Israeli Prime Minister continues the tough rhetoric against Iran also after coming back from his long visit in the US. Analysts see this as a preparation of the Israeli public for a war.
Using Oil Reserves: There was a report, later denied, that the US and the UK decided on releasing oil from the emergency reserves in order to lower prices. This could be another preparation.
“Last Chance” Warning: According to Russian sources, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked the Russians to send a message to Iran that the upcoming talks 6 nation talks with Iran are the last chance before military action.
Needless to say, oil prices certainly play a role in the considerations of all sides. Iran is the world’s 5th largest producer of oil, and sits on the Straights of Hormuz, where 40% of the world’s shipments pass through.
All these moves could mount to a preparation for a US backed Israeli strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities. It could also just add to pressure against Iran, trying to force it to comply without really engaging in military action.
Source: ForexCrunch.com
Further reading:
Is a war imminent, or are these moves just meant to scare Iran? Here are 5 signs that have piled up very recently.
SWIFT Cuts Iran Off: The international institution responsible for around 80% of the world’s financial transactions announced that it will cut off Iranian financial institutions from its system from Saturday. This unprecedented move is a big blow to Iran, and follows up on EU sanctions.
Majority in Israeli cabinet for strike: Israeli newspaper Maariv (Hebrew link, quote in English) by Ben Caspit saying that 8 out of 14 Israeli cabinet members now support a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The cabinet can give Prime Minister Netanyahu the green light for a strike, at the time he sees fit.
Netanyahu preparing Israeli public: The Israeli Prime Minister continues the tough rhetoric against Iran also after coming back from his long visit in the US. Analysts see this as a preparation of the Israeli public for a war.
Using Oil Reserves: There was a report, later denied, that the US and the UK decided on releasing oil from the emergency reserves in order to lower prices. This could be another preparation.
“Last Chance” Warning: According to Russian sources, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked the Russians to send a message to Iran that the upcoming talks 6 nation talks with Iran are the last chance before military action.
Needless to say, oil prices certainly play a role in the considerations of all sides. Iran is the world’s 5th largest producer of oil, and sits on the Straights of Hormuz, where 40% of the world’s shipments pass through.
All these moves could mount to a preparation for a US backed Israeli strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities. It could also just add to pressure against Iran, trying to force it to comply without really engaging in military action.
Source: ForexCrunch.com
Further reading:
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