In Violation Of Sanctions Pentagon Contractor Used Iran To Ship Goods For US Troops In Afghanistan

Pentagon Contractor Used Iran for Project -- Wall Street Journal

Supplier to U.S. Forces in Afghanistan Shipped Through Iran, in Possible Violation of Sanctions

The company that holds the multibillion-dollar Pentagon contract to supply U.S. forces in Afghanistan with food and water brought in supplies to build an Afghan warehouse through Iran, in a possible violation of U.S. sanctions.

Anham FZCO used Iran's Bandar Abbas seaport last year to land equipment and building materials that were then transported across Iran, according to business executives involved in the process and corporate emails reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. Completing the warehouse at Bagram military base near Kabul put Anham in position to win the Pentagon supply contract, which it did in June 2012.

Anham, which the Journal asked about the matter about two weeks ago, said in a statement on Sunday that it "has made a voluntary disclosure to the Treasury and Commerce Departments that some items were transshipped through Iran."

Read more ....

Update #1: Pentagon contractor shipped through Iran for project, in possible violation of sanctions -- FOX News
Update #2: Pentagon Contractor Suspected of Violating Iran Sanctions -- Newsmax

My Comment: The contractor in question is a critical player (if not the critical player) in the shipment of supplies to U.S. forces in Afghanistan .... involving billions of dollars in goods and infrastructure. And while this is a clear violation of U.S. law .... I suspect that the punishment for breaking these sanctions will be negligible .... but it does make a mockery of how sanctions are being applied by the U.S. on Iran.

Read More

The Main Reason Iran's President Is Warming Up To The West

Here's The Main Reason Iran's President Is Warming Up To The West -- Tim Fernholz, Quartz/Defense One

Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, has been making all the right noises about diplomatic rapprochement: sending his best wishes for the Jewish new year, freeing political prisoners, and sending friendly letters to US president Barack Obama. Now, it seems, the two leaders may have a tête-à-tête at next week’s meeting of the UN General Assembly.

This might go counter to the narrative that Western dithering over whether to attack Syria has emboldened Syria’s ally Iran and its nuclear ambitions. (It’s worth remembering on chemical weapons, at least, Iran sees eye-to-eye with Obama: it really, really doesn’t like them after its war with Iraq). Instead, remember that all politics is local—and politics is essentially economics by other means.

Read more ....

My Comment: Iran's new President knows that Iran's economic stagnation will have long term consequences to the continuing rule of the mullahs and the present political establishment. If sanctions can be lessened it will have a positive impact .... and I suspect that this policy goal is on the top of his agenda.

Update: If this commentary is accurate .... Iran's new President may find reaching a deal with the U.S. (in the present political climate) a very difficult process to achieve.

Read More

Sanctions Are Crippling Iran's Oil Industry

Iran has rejected reports that the country’s oil output is falling. (Reuters)

Iran's Oil Revenues Drop 58 Percent Since 2011 As Sanctions Bite: U.S. -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Iran's monthly revenues from oil sales have dropped 58 percent since just before the United States imposed harsher sanctions on the country in 2011 because of Tehran's disputed nuclear program, a senior U.S. official said.

The OPEC member's monthly crude oil revenues averaged an estimated $3.4 billion in the first half of this year, down from $6.3 billion in the year ago period, and $8 billion from the first half of 2011, said the source, who did not want to be named due to the sensitive nature of policy on sanctions.

Washington warned in late 2011 Iran's oil consumer countries that their banks would face being cut off from the U.S. financial system unless they significantly reduced purchases of Iranian oil. The EU has also cracked down on Iranian crude exports.

Read more ....

My Comment: What must also be galling for Tehran is that they have now been denied access to much of their oil income residing in foreign banks.

Update #1: US says Iran unable to access oil money -- Times of Israel
Update #2: Iran’s oil industry: Dreaming of a new golden age -- The Economist

Read More

Is Iran About To Embark On An Oil Price War?

Reuters

Iran Oil Minister Hints At Price War To Win Back Market Share -- Fuel Fix

Iran’s new oil minister, Bijan Namdar-Zanganeh, has released plans to raise oil production 70 percent to 4.2 million barrels a day to try to win back old customers, even if it means starting a price war.

Iran, historically the second-largest oil producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries after Saudi Arabia, has slipped to sixth place, producing 2.56 million barrels a day, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Sanctions imposed by the U.S. and its allies against Iran over the past year to curb its nuclear program have restricted the country’s oil exports.

Read more ....

My Comment: More proof that sanctions are impacting Iran .... and while Iran may not change it's nuclear policy .... it appears that they have decided to change their policies towards OPEC and a fixed price for oil.

Read More