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Politics : Rat's Nest - Chronicles of Collapse -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (4249)	6/4/2006 12:45:00 PM
From: Ron	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24225

Iran hints it may use oil weapon in nuclear disagreement By Alireza RonaghiSun Jun 4 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of the world's fourth largest oil exporter, said on Sunday that if the United States makes a "wrong move" toward Iran, energy flows in the region would be endangered. Iranian officials have in the past ruled out using oil as a weapon in Iran's nuclear standoff with the West, but Khamenei's comments suggested Iran could disrupt supplies if pushed. His remarks, which are likely to unsettle wary oil markets, come days before EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is due to deliver a package of incentives agreed by six world powers and designed to persuade Iran to abandon plans to make nuclear fuel. "If you (the United States) make a wrong move regarding Iran, definitely the energy flow in this region will be seriously endangered," Khamenei, who has the last word in all matters of state, said in a speech which discussed the dispute. Washington accuses Tehran of seeking to develop atomic weapons under cover of a civilian nuclear power program, a charge Tehran denies. The United States says it wants a diplomatic solution but has refused to rule out military action. Washington has offered to join European countries in talks with Iran about the nuclear program, but says Iran must first suspend uranium enrichment. Iran has so far rejected the demand, saying enrichment is a national right. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday Iran would consider the proposals from the United States, Russia, China, France, Germany and Britain but also insisted that the crux of the package was unacceptable. The incentives being offered have not been publicly announced, but diplomats have been working on themes ranging from offering nuclear reactors to giving security guarantees. A date for Solana's visit to Iran to deliver the package has yet to be announced. Iranian officials said the visit was expected in the next few days. "BRAVE MOVE" Khamenei did not explicitly refer to enrichment in his speech that marked the anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. But he said: "We are committed to our national interests and whoever threatens it will experience the sharpness of this nation's anger." He also praised the efforts of the country's nuclear scientists in developing home-grown nuclear technology as a "brave move" and dismissed what he said was the West's campaign against the country's atomic program. "Today our nation has taken a step forward and has bravely resisted," he said. "There is no international consensus against Iran's nuclear program except by some ... monopolist countries and this consensus has no value." Khamenei spoke from a podium emblazoned with Khomeini's words "America cannot do a damn thing." His speech listed what he said were U.S. failures in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Palestinian territories and elsewhere in the area. "You (the United States) are not capable of securing energy flows in this region," he said, addressing the crowd who were packed into Khomeini's mausoleum, south of Tehran. Those gathered chanted back "Death to America" and "Nuclear energy is our obvious right." International oil prices have stayed near record highs, above $70 a barrel, partly because of fears Iranian exports could be disrupted if the nuclear dispute escalates. Iran produces about 3.85 million barrels of oil a day. The Gulf Cooperation Council, a group of six Gulf Arab states including oil giant Saudi Arabia, said on Saturday they were "deeply worried about the developments in Iran's nuclear program," after a meeting in Riyadh. Two months ago, Iran staged naval wargames in the Gulf, a shipping route that accounts for roughly two-fifths of all globally traded oil. Analysts interpreted the military maneuvers, which included test firing missiles, as a message that Iran could disrupt vital oil supply lines if it came under international pressure. (With additional reporting by Parisa Hafezi) news.yahoo.com