Iran News and Discussions

[VikramS]

West has always been and likely always will be,overtly critical of Iran,thanks to Israel.
Russia,India,China see the other side of the picture, the fallout of a war between Iran and USA will snowball into the worst catastrophe that the entire Middle East and its adjacent countries will ever see.

While everyone sees the Israeli angle, very few here focus on the KSA angle. Essentially the Shia-Sunni angle. According to Wikileaks, it was KSA which was encouraging military action by the US, not Israel.

It is a mess, the Israel-Arab conflict, the Shia-Sunni conflict, the Chinese angle, the Russian angle. So many different players with different agendas.

[Philip]

Yes,didn't the KSA not too,long ago urged on the US and Israel to attack the hated Shiite Iranians? Typical cowardice from the KSA sheikhs who love to shoot from someone else's shoulder.That is why they have Paki mercenaries flying their aircraft protecting their the delicate derrieres of their debauched despots.

This crisis exemplifies the typical US attitude.All that matters is US geo-political interests,Indian concerns about an oil supply crisis means nothing to Uncle Sam.The only silver lining is that we have no alternative.Saudi crude is supposedly "crude" not like light Iranian oil,more expensive to refine,and therefore India has to stand up and assert its own legitimate interests.But are we standing firm only because of the Bear and Dragon both voicing their displeasure at US sanctions?

[Austin]

Iran 'definitely' closing Strait of Hormuz over EU oil embargo

Tensions in the Gulf could reach a breaking point as a senior Iranian official said Iran would “definitely” close the Strait of Hormuz if an EU oil embargo disrupted the export of crude oil.

Mohammad Kossari, deputy head of parliament's foreign affairs and national security committee, issued the warning in respone to a decision by the European Union on Monday to impose an oil embargo on Iran over the country’s alleged nuclear weapons program.

“The pressure of sanctions is designed to try and make sure that Iran takes seriously our request to come to the table,” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said.

[shyamd]

They have 3 options. Improve the economy, get a nuclear weapon and test it. 3rd option is to have a limited conflict. Which one is the easiest?

[Austin]

You cant improve the economy under severe financial and oil sanctions from West.

Limited conflict .....its very difficult to predict how conflict goes once you start it.... may be if Iran wants to stop the west would not.

I would say test a Nuclear Device that would bring in more stability in the region , Israel already has one ...Iran could have it too......no harm

[Suppiah]

There appears to be very little intelligent discourse in media on what the average Abdul in Tehran's street thinks - is he sold on the idea that nukes are required because Israel has them so is willing to eat grass or is he blaming the mullas and Nutjob for creating the crisis?

That would decide perhaps the course of action.

It is simply crazy to say that no harm if the Mullas have nukes. India should simply join all efforts to stop that from happening. One day those nukes will point at us, matter of time does not matter what we do.

[Agnimitra]

There appears to be very little intelligent discourse in media on what the average Abdul in Tehran's street thinks - is he sold on the idea that nukes are required because Israel has them so is willing to eat grass or is he blaming the mullas and Nutjob for creating the crisis?

I am not aware of any Iranian faction - whether Islamist or Shahi, Basiji or Western expatriate - that does not think Iran has the right to pursue its own nuclear program. They're all pretty nationalistic in that sense, and see Iran as being the pre-eminent power in the Middle East region.

The average arzhang in Iran is split only over the mullacracy's other commitments, such as Palestinian cause, etc., because that takes an additional panga with powerful interests, and is a drain on Iran's domestic economic potential.

They have 3 options. Improve the economy, get a nuclear weapon and test it. 3rd option is to have a limited conflict. Which one is the easiest?

shyamd ji, perhaps these 3 options are not mutually exclusive. A limited conflict may even benefit Iran, as long as the system is not overthrown there they can declare victory over an overwhelming force that has to then retreat. The multiple currency-swap deals that Iran is signing with major regional powers is continuously sidelining the US dollar, which is one of their stated economic objectives anyway,in their grand scheme for remaking the world free of shaytaan. As for nukes, they will definitely pursue indigenous self-reliance in all matters; its a buzzword there. Although they may choose not to openly test a nuke, they will make sure they stop at the threshold.

[saadhak]

India to pay for Iran's oil in gold

India has decided to pay Iran in gold for the oil it purchases, according to a report carried by an Israeli news website DEBKAfile.
:
An Indian delegation visited Tehran last week to discuss payment options in view of the new sanctions.
The two sides were reported to have agreed that payment for the oil purchased would be partly in yen and partly in rupees. Plan to make the payment in gold was apparently kept a secret.
:
The embargo means any bank dealing with Iran would be banned from transacting with American and European financial institutions.

India has refused to join the sanctions, saying it will only support United Nations-backed embargo. The move by India, if true, will have other unintended consequences: it will bring down the value of dollar.
:
India buys around $12 billion a year's worth of Iranian crude, or about 12 per cent of its total requirements. It will manage the deal through UCO Bank, an Indian bank which has no financial links with the US, and Halk Bankasi, a Turkey-based bank, according to reports.

[shyamd]

Carl ji, A war is easier now that the US is economically weak. It will be a limited conflict. But surviving t like you said will be a political victory. Pursuing nuclear weapon will continue but they will slowdown Tehran. Israel is in a really tough position because Obama is sending advisors to say " don't give us surprises", but time is running out.

The likelihood is that it maybe a last minute thing. Obamas election is in november isn't it? But GCC say they don't believe Obama will agree with GCC and Israel on the Iran issue.

Any Iranian reprisals on US interests need to be factored in. timing needs to be right.
As the Israeli strategist says he doesn't want to be the PM who makes the call.

[Agnimitra]

Any Iranian reprisals on US interests need to be factored in. timing needs to be right.
As the Israeli strategist says he doesn't want to be the PM who makes the call.

Yes, so maybe a Pearl Harbor type incident in Straits of Hormuz can be expected. A false flag op against the old US warship going into the straits would not be surprising. A lurking Israeli sub or even a GCC shark can do it.

[shyamd]

5th fleet in Bahrain. Combat Patrol aircraft carrier deployed additionally intended to deter Iran from "recklessness" and raising oil price

[Samudragupta]

Why GCC is not attacking Iran..with Turkey at the helm...clearly US does not have the balls to strike Iran....The Sunni Arab states has to take the responsibility,,,or are they waiting for Assad to fall....that remains a remote possibility as the Russians have started to Arm Assad....

[Samudragupta]

Interesting take on the whole issue....

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/29/magaz ... ted=7&_r=1

Will Israel attack Iran.....the most stunning question that Barak- Netayanahu is asking is why the hell Iran needs a bomb?...What is the strategic objective of the IRI to have a bomb? The duo seems to be convinced and differ with Dagan that one of the objective is surely to wipe out the state of Israel from West Asia....
Can Iran seriously afford to wipe out Israel from WA?

[shyamd]

Russians will succumb and accept the will of the international community. Syria's fall is coming sooner than you think. A coup is in the making and generals are waiting for the right price. The value of the Syrian pound is now half. Israel has made preparations for Alawite refugees. US soldiers deployed in Israel to prevent diversion tactic by Assad & Iran to attack Israel. US Force Recon are deployed too.

As for Iran, it will probably be a Israel - GCC combo at the last minute. But the long term is to have the Iranian people take over with not too much change - i.e. not a huge revolution and collapse of the system as the refugees will be heading to the GCC and the GCC will have to pay for it.

[Suppiah]

The NYT article ^^^ is very interesting to read..

Wondering if Iran can prepare nuclear warhead and keep them ready for use without even testing the warheads, let alone the mated weapons system. If it tests, sure it is a one way ticket to destruction.

For us it is a matter of a few kb bandwidth consumed in posting messages in forum but for Israel, this is a matter of existence. TSP possessing nukes has already narrowed our options so much. Israel is no fool to let that happen to itself.

No doubt Iran is a great, proud civilisation. But as long as the fanatic Mullas are in control, and they are pursuing this course, it has to be destroyed for the sake of Israel, ME and even India. It has to be destroyed to a degree that makes post war Japan and Germany look like they got away lightly with a feather tap on their wrists. If they are so clever that they are hiding them deep in mountains, the only option is to destroy all those that can use them, benefit from them, and those they are supposedly serving - that essentially means complete abandonment of all notions of collateral damage.

That would chop of one wing of jehadi terrorism. The other wing, KSA & cabal should become that much easier to handle.

[Samudragupta]

Iran badly needs a security blanket from the murderous Wahabi/Salafi Sunni Arabs....The aggressive posture of Iran towards Shia Islam is to destroy the Arab Islamism as much as possible before the current Shia leadership in Iran changes its track to Persian Nationalism....Iran will continue its Shia posture as long as the Sunni/Wahabi doctrine does not find a match in Shia doctrine within the Arab heartland.....the continuous missionary activities of Shia preachers in the Arab lands only gives credence to this POV..its only a matter of time that some form of civial war will start in Gaza as the Islamic Jihad chaps are converting to Shia Islam.....since Iran has stopped funding of Hamas after the Syrian fiasco.....its only after severe faultline gets created within the Arabs that Iran will stop its posture...In this persuit...its unfortunate that Israel stands as a sacrificial lamb....

[sanjeevpunj]

Shia Sunni divide is being exploited by the west to divide and rule middle east.At the Punisher end is the countries aligned with USA,UK and France- KSA,UAE,Kuwait,Qatar etc, and at the receiving end-the Punished,will be Iran,Pakistan and Syria.Interesting to note that KSA is Sunni dominated, Iran is Shia dominated.Attacks in Iraq are exacerbated by Sunni supporters, and target Shias in Iraq. Iran, the leader of the Shias, retaliates with its covert actions whenever and wherever possible.Iran has been pushing Pakistan to change its alliances with USA, thats why we saw the recent shift towards China.KSA on the other hand plays host to the Americans and the British, keeps itself safe. It is as if two kingdoms are fighting proxy wars. Sectarianism is the bane of the Middle East world today.

[shyamd]

Britain to bolster Hormuz strait presence

Britain could send extra military assets to the Strait of Hormuz to deter any attempt by Iran to block Persian Gulf oil tanker traffic, the country's defense secretary said Tuesday, as Tehran insisted a European Union ban on the purchase of its oil would have little sting.

Two British and French warships and the U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln entered the gulf Sunday to warn Iran that any interference with global shipping won't be tolerated, British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond told reporters.

Iranian leaders have repeated long-standing threats to close off the strait, which handles a fifth of the world's oil, after the European Union imposed the embargo Monday as part of sanctions to pressure Tehran into resuming talks on the country's controversial nuclear program.

Britain's defense ministry declined to offer specific detail on what assets and personnel are currently in the Persian Gulf, but said it had about 1,500 navy personnel in the region east of Suez, which includes the Middle East and Indian Ocean.

Four antimine vessels are based out of Bahrain, while Britain also has two frigates - including HMS Argyll - three support ships, a survey vessel and one hunter-killer nuclear submarine in the region, the ministry said.

[shyamd]

India, US officials meet to discuss Iran

India and the US discussed the crisis in Iran on Wednesday as ambassador Nirpama Rao called on secretary Hillary Clinton for the first time after taking charge. The US laid out its stated position on Iran, essentially its sanctions that it wants other countries to endorse and follow. There are
also the EU sanctions now. In short, there is pressure on India to reduce its crude oil purchases from Iran, which, New Delhi insists, will happen anyway because of US sanctions on the Iranian central bank.


"They also talked about Iran and the EU sanctions and how we can work together - about the US sanctions," US state department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said Wednesday. India downplayed the discussion saying it was discussed among many other issues including Afghanistan and Myanmar. "Why single out Iran for special attention," an official asked.

[Samudragupta]

Israelis finally seems to have the Green light.....

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/27/world ... bluff.html

Israeli intelligence estimates, backed by academic studies, have cast doubt on the widespread assumption that a military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities would set off a catastrophic set of events like a regional conflagration, widespread acts of terrorism and sky-high oil prices.

The West is trying to reduce the 15 to 20 years(according to Bji) to reorient Iran....But fundamentally the Shia leadership also has this math in its mind...so basically its a race against time....but the point is Basij still has 1.5 Million cadres under its belt....I hope it does not end to Battle of Berlin....

Interestingly.....

General Eshel added that when a senior Indian officer was visiting recently, he was asked why the Indians had done so little in response to the 2008 attacks in Mumbai. “When the other side has a nuclear capability and is prepared to use it, you think twice,” the officer replied, referring to Pakistan.

Mr. Netanyahu has told visitors that he believes the Tehran government to be deeply unpopular, indeed despised, and that a careful attack on its nuclear facilities might even be welcomed by Iranian citizens. They might see it, he has said, as the equivalent of removing the crown jewels from a hated monarch

This is a stupid argument...Irans nuclear has a clear minifestation in the geopolitics of the land....Irrespective of who rules Iran...any native ruler will push for the Hegemony of Iran over ME....

[Christopher Sidor]

If Iran actually mines the strait and tries to choke the Oil supply, then how long will it be able to maintain the blockade, that too against US, France and UK arrayed against it? Also Iran has to think about the good will that it will loose in the rest of the world if it does carry out its action.

An attack on Iran's nuclear facilities will do two things
1) It will push back the day when Iran actually gets the nuke.
2) It will vindicate Iran's steps to hide its nuclear sites. Iran would be justified in saying, because of this attack we were hiding our nuclear sites.
What an attack will not do, is prevent Iran from acquiring the nuke. That was sealed when Iran came into possession of the nuclear warhead blueprint, thanks to certain elements in Pakistan.

[Suppiah]

^^^

While it may be true that Iran would still possess the capability to get back to square 1 soon (years, not decades) after an attack, the point is what will it be left with? Any western attack would probably completely decimate its Revolutionary Guards, the backbone of the mullacracy, bulk of its army, most if not all of its battle tanks, airforce, navy, defense installations including communication networks and possibly most of its electricity grids and generating stations, plus refineries as well. A good bit of its industrial infrastructure would also be gone as many may be mixed use. All this without a single boot on the ground and without much loss of western manpower, saving miracles or accidents. I think West knows destruction of infrastructure, be in Iraq, Serbia or elsewhere is a great way to ensure direct or indirect future business to its big corporations. Pure economics, nothing personal onlee....perhaps just for that reason, China and Russia may go along after some token protests..as they will pick up juicy bits of meat too.

As such war would bring on recession and reduce demand for oil, with no KSA or someone of that sort to bail it out, Iran would suffer a double wammy.

[Kati]

^^^^^^

Iran doesn't know its limitations???????
..........
it does, and in terms of deft handling of its resources, Iran is quite sophisticated.
One advantage that Iran has (and wasn't there for Iraq and Serbia) is its long
coastline, and its proximity to China and Russia which will allow it to do business
as usual (even though at a lower level). Shias have a long tradition of suffering
(in the hands of wahabis) and wait and wait...and wait for the right moment to
strike back. So far, all the terror acts against the west emanated from the Sunnis.
Now if shias join hands with them then one can imagine how the west's economy
will go into a tail-spin.........Since 9-11, the west has been spending a huge
amount of money for security measures....this is money taken away from other
areas which could have improved the living standard. And, admit it or not, this is
one of the factors which contributed to the recent western economic crisis......

[g.sarkar]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 07,00.html
01/26/2012
Revenge for EU Sanctions
Iran Set to Turn Off Oil Supply to Europe
"The European Union embargo on Iranian oil will only come into effect in six months, but the leadership in Tehran wants to act first: Exports to Europe are set to be halted immediately. It is a move which could mean added difficulties for struggling economies in southern Europe.
It's a move which has tit-for-tat written all over it, but one which could nonetheless have a serious impact: The Iranian government wants to present a bill to parliament this weekend calling for an immediate halt to oil deliveries to Europe. The move, with most reports citing the Iranian news agency Mehr, has come about in response to the EU agreement to impose sanctions against Iran, which were announced earlier this week.
The sanctions banned any new contracts for buying oil from Iran, but allowed existing deals to continue until July in order to give countries time to find other sources. But that process is now at risk after the latest move from Tehran, a step the Iranian government had already threatened.
"If this bill is passed, the government will be forced to stop selling oil to Europe before the actual implementation of their sanctions," said Emad Hosseini, spokesman for the Iranian parliament's energy commission, reportedly said. The bill is set to become law on Sunday.
The EU sanctions allow for oil deliveries from Iran until July 1. Any pre-empting of this timescale by Tehran could prove problematic for countries like Italy, Greece and Spain, who would need to urgently find new suppliers.
China, meanwhile, a major importer of Iranian oil, has also criticized the EU sanctions. The Xinhua news agency quoted the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday as saying: "To blindly pressure and impose sanctions on Iran are not constructive approaches."
Economic Consequences
Many members of the EU are now heavily dependent on Iranian oil. Some 500,000 barrels arrive in Europe every day from Iran, with southern European countries consuming most of it....."
Gautam

[ramana]

Could those be considered Iranian sanctions? Why call them revenge!

[shyamd]

Oman may offer a solution for India in routing payments per Reuters

[Philip]

Israel losing patience.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... warns.html

Iran moving closer to stage where it will be too late to destroy nuclear facilities, Israel warns

Iran is moving closer to the point when it will be too late to destroy its nuclear facilities with a precision air strike, Israel's defence minister has warned

By Adrian Blomfield, Jerusalem
27 Jan 2012

Reviving Western concerns that his government is still contemplating unilateral military action against Iran, Ehud Barak gave one of the clearest signs yet that Israel's support for new US and EU sanctions remains strictly limited.

"We are determined to prevent Iran from turning nuclear," he told the World Economic Forum in Davos. "And even the American president and opinion leaders have said that no option should be removed from the table.

"It seems to us to be urgent, because the Iranians are deliberately drifting into what we call an immunity zone where practically no surgical operation could block them."

Although Israeli intelligence and military officials have privately spoken of Iran's nuclear programme entering a "framework of immunity", it is the first time that a senior figure in Benjamin Netanyahu's government has done so in public.

[shyamd]

x Post

Anyone seriously thinking about the subject of strikes on Iran should read this interview with Barak and senior israeli intel figures.

The article that all of the strategic communities are talking about. An interview with Ehud Barak - delivering a message to the US

Will Israel Attack Iran?

Looks like this will be the year, before the end of the year. Looks like the psyops was hinting at it too.

Source says 2012 will be the year, before the end at some point. It will be a unilateral Israeli strike - US will give no light, i.e. nod to allow unilateral strike.

[Christopher Sidor]

^^^
Doubtful. At least not till the presidential elections in nov-2012 are over. Obama does not want to be a one term president. He does not want an oil supply shock so close to the elections.

[shyamd]

He'll have to pull something off to get re-elected. External victories are easier right now than improving the economy."Before the end of 2012" was the phrase that was used - So could be post elections, or if he is losing who knows maybe before elections.

[Samudragupta]

How feasable is it that India will sell its SS150 Prithvi misiles and transfers its Vijayanta Regiments to Syria....I am sure Maliki can foot the bill....Iran-Syria can not withstand the Turkish onslaught specially if Egypt joins in it....

[Prem]

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/01/30 ... l-imports/
India defies sanctions, won't cut Iran oil imports

India will not cut back on oil imports from Iran, its finance minister said, despite stiff new U.S. and European sanctions designed to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program.
"It is not possible for India to take any decision to reduce the import from Iran drastically because, after all, the countries which can provide the requirement of the emerging economy, Iran is an important country amongst them," India's finance minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters Sunday in Chicago.
Western sanctions could make it harder for India to pay for the oil it gets from Iran. Past sanctions have already delayed payments by Indian oil importers, who have had to scramble to find banks willing to handle transactions with Iran.India's central bank governor D. Subbarao said last week that the current payment mechanism was "working fine," though India was also "exploring other options," which he declined to discuss

[abhishek_sharma]

India, Iran in student expulsion war

[shyamd]

India, Iran in student expulsion war

India may be in tandem with Iran on oil, but the two countries are sparring over their students. In an apparent retaliation, Iran has expelled four Indian students after India had sent several Iranian students back over the past several months. The issue seems unrelated to the oil issue,
but indicates how the ties between the two countries are under pressure.

One of the them, KM Razeen from Kerala spent eight and half years studying medicine in Iran and was months from getting his MD. Razeen was deported on July 21 last year.

Like Razeen, the other three students on Iran government scholarships have spent four to 10 years there.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Images/HT ... 2_pg8a.jpg

The other students are Shoebur Rahman, from Kanpur, (medicine), Rajnish Vij, Benaras, (doctorate student, Persian language), Mirza Asif Ali Baig, Jammu& Kashmir (doctorate student, architecture). Baig was deported three months back.

Razeen's case has been taken up by the Indian ambassador to Tehran and was raised again by the joint secretary of the MEA division that deals with Iran when he was in Tehran from November 27-29.

Iran has given no convincing explanation for its decision. India said the Iranian students sent home were "propagating extreme religious views and were misusing the social networking sites".

Iranians are the second largest foreign student population in India. According to Indian security agencies, Iran has tried to influence local Muslims in India as part of a broader theological struggle with Saudi Arabia and, at least once, supported street protests in India over foreign policy.

Reponding on the issue, an Iran government source said, "In 2009 India had deported 32 Iranian students. The reasons given were not satisfactory to us. We have urged India to take them back. But we haven't heard anything from the Indian side. Regarding the four cases you mentioned, we have reports to this effect. But Iran embassy in New Delhi is awaiting more details from Tehran."

[shyamd]

Ahmadinejad felicitates India's Republic Day

Tehran, Feb 4, IRNA – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cabled separate messages on Saturday to Indian President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to felicitate them and their nation on the country’s Republic Day.
1390/11/15 - 08:57

In his messages, President Ahmadinejad called for expansion of all-out relations and cooperation between the two countries.

Ahamdinejad also urged expansion of political, economic and cultural relations between Iran and India as well as enhanced cooperation with regard to regional and global developments.

Speedy pace of developments in Asia and the entire globe requires exchange of views and cooperation among peace-loving nations which spare no efforts to help restore peace and security to the world, he said.

The Iranian presiden also wished prosperity and dignity for the Indian nation.

[Philip]

Israeli attack on Iran "certain".

http://dailycaller.com/2012/02/04/kraut ... n-certain/

Krauthammer: Leak indicates Israeli attack on Iran ‘certain’

Last week in his Washington Post column, David Ignatius wrote that Israel was preparing to attack Iran to prevent it from being able to build a nuclear bomb.

According to his Post opinion page colleague Charles Krauthammer, based on the source behind Ignatius’ claim it is likely an attack will occur.

On this weekend’s broadcast of “Inside Washington,” Krauthammer explained his thought process.

“I think it’s fairly certain the Israelis are going to attack or you would not have had this leak, deliberately coming this week from secretary of Defense through David Ignatius of The [Washington] Post saying that he thinks there is a high likelihood Israel is going to attack, and then he went ahead and specified when. He said three months, April, May or June. And you don’t say that unless there is obviously indications from the Israelis that they are going to do this even if they get and they are getting a signal from the United States not to do it.”

Krauthammer doubted Israel was factoring what impact a strike against Iran might have on upcoming U.S. presidential election.

“No, I think the calculation is what Ignatius reported as Panetta said: The Israelis think that the problem is that Iran is about to enter the zone of immunity. And that means the trigger is not the assumption that Iran now has the know-how to make a bomb. That is later down the road. What comes earlier is when Iran has put enough uranium in completely untouchable, protected sites, like the mountain outside of Qom where you cannot touch it, meaning that at that point, Iran has the wherewithal, the facilities, the material that it can build a bomb unmolested, and then it can never be attacked again. If Israel thinks it is approaching the point of immunity, it will attack.”

Krauthammer reminded viewers that the real threat of escalation would be if the rogue state attempted to block the Strait of Hormuz.

PS:Ck out this link (http://tehrantimes.com/politics/95133-i ... irst-batch)
of Iran's new snort range anti-ship "Zafar" missile,being mass produced.The pic shows the missile (appears to be about 4-6m in length) and its launch containers ,lightweight,probably meant use aboard its numerous Pasdaran patrol craft.The larger Qader missile has a range of 200km.

The Zafar missile is a short-range anti-vessel radar-guided cruise missile, which can target small and medium-sized targets with high precision, Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi told reporters.

The missile system can be installed on various types of vessels, he said, adding that the Zafar missile enjoys remarkable features like light weight, capability to repel electronic attacks, and high destructive power.

“The Zafar missile loses altitude after being launched, and then cruises at low altitude in order to be hidden from sight of the enemy, and in the final stage identifies the target at a low altitude and destroys the target,” he explained.

He also said that the Zafar missile system is a completely indigenized system, which was designed and manufactured by competent and skilled Iranian experts and engineers.

[A_Gupta]

Via turcopolier Iran's power structure

[member_20617]

USA, Israel & Saudi Arabia – All three hate Iran for their own reasons; Iran has threatened to obliterate Israel from the face of earth. With the help of USA, Israel may make a pre-emptive strike on Iran’s nuclear installations.

Russia & China – both support Iran for geo-political reasons; China needs Iranian oil, both Russia and China also sell arms to Iran and may have helped Iran acquire nuclear technology in the first place.

India – supports Iran for geo-political reasons; needs Iranian oil; there is a large Shia population in India; India /Iran have a common Sunni enemy in form of Pakistan/Taliban + India needs access to Afghanistan through Iran.

Blockade of Strait of Hormuz by Iran will inevitably result in a war as Western powers need Saudi/Iraqi/Iranian oil and their economies will come to a standstill if oil cannot be imported. India, Japan and China also depend on Saudi/Iraqi/Iranian oil.

Defeated Iran is good for USA, Israel, Pakistan & Saudi Arabia but it damages our strategic interests as mentioned above.

Although India and Israel are natural allies, there will be a conflict of interest as far as Iran is concerned. In my opinion, India should try to persuade Iran not to block Strait of Hormuz. However, it will be difficult for India and others to persuade Israel not to take some drastic measures against Iran.

Pre-emptive strike by Israel and/or blockade of Strait of Hormuz by Iran will result in a big war. Could it be the end of the world on 21 December 2012 as predicted by Mayan Indians?

[Samudragupta]

Iran is enjoying the show in Syria...More the West and the Arabs gets busy in sorting out the Syrian mess...more time the Iranians will get for their nuclear bomb....The Arabs are getting desparate...the desparate situation of the Arabs are being paid by the people of Homs....It is highly possible that Iran may actually be playing on both sides so that the situation in Syria gets more messy...they have already roped in Russia,China into this....West and the Arabs cannot hope to win in Syria as easily as in Libya...the Iranian masterstroke will be when Israel will hit the Iranian millitary facilities....the game over Islamism will be paermanantly won by the Iranians...Wahabis will have to eat the crow....

[Samudragupta]

Meanwhile Houthis in Yemen has actually grown stronger and may be marching towards Sanaa after some time....