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Saturday, January 14, 2012

UK: US pressures Iran

The Guardian

US intensifies pressure on Iran over Strait of Hormuz threat

White House warns Iran against blockading crucial sea lanes in retaliation for sanctions over Tehran's nuclear ambitions

By Chris McGreal


The US has opened secret diplomatic communications with Tehran to warn the Iranian leadership that Washington will use force to prevent it carrying through a threat to close the Strait of Hormuz.

The New York Times reported that the White House has made indirect contact with the Iranian leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to warn him against blockading the sea lanes in retaliation for increased sanctions against Tehran's suspected attempts to develop nuclear weapons.

Earlier this week, the defense secretary, Leon Panetta, said that closing the strait through which a large part of the world's oil is shipped is a "red line" for the US.

On Friday, the British prime minister, David Cameron, said that the UK and other countries would join the US in ensuring the strait remains open.

But some US officials say that Tehran's threats may indicate that recently imposed financial sanctions against Iran's central bank, and an EU embargo on Iranian oil expected to be put in place in the coming months, are beginning to bite, and that Tehran is reassessing its determination to press ahead with its nuclear programme.

The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, supported that view, saying he believes pressure on Tehran is working and that Iran's economy is "showing clear signs of stress".

"For the first time, I see Iran wobble under the sanctions that have been adopted and especially under the threat of strong sanctions on their central bank," he said in an interview with The Australian.

"If these sanctions are coupled with a clear statement by the international community, led by the US, to act militarily to stop Iran if sanctions fail, Iran may consider not going through the pain," he continued. "There's no point gritting your teeth if you're going to be stopped anyway."

Tehran's threats come amid new tensions after an Iranian scientist working at a uranium enrichment facility, identified as Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, was assassinated in a bomb attack on Wednesday. Thousands of mourners chanted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" at his funeral on Friday. Washington has denied any role in the killing and condemned the attack.

Relations have been further strained after Iran sentenced a former US marine to death after convicting him of being a CIA spy.

The New York Times said that officials did not disclose how the US made contact with the Iranian leadership nor whether Tehran has replied. But officials said it was not through the Swiss who represent US interests in Tehran.

While the US military says it is making plans to confront an Iranian blockade if necessary, some officials in Washington suspect that Tehran's warnings may be bluster because closing the strait would cut off Iran's own oil exports.

US military officials have said publicly that they believe Iran has the capability to block the strait. Its forces are well equipped with well armed speed boats, sea mines and anti-ship cruise missiles deployed along its coast.

The US senator Joe Lieberman, who has just returned from a visit to the Middle East, said on Friday that he believes Barack Obama is prepared to order a military strike against Iran to prevent it developing a nuclear weapon.

"[Obama] is definitely capable of ordering a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities," he told Foreign Policy. "Do I know that he will? No. But the Iranians and others will be foolishly mistaken if they assume that he will not in any circumstance order a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities if the sanctions don't work."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/13/us-intensifies-pressure-iran-strait-hormuz

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