Eric Zuesse
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
This morning was reported:
https://www.zerohedge.com/
Watch Live: Pompeo Announces Iran Sanctions ‘Waivers’
Monday 5 November 2018 8:29AM
Update (8:40 am ET): The following countries will receive ‘temporary’ waivers excusing them from US sanctions on Iranian oil exports.
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Turkey
• Greece
• Japan
• China
• India
• Italy
[… Visual shows there main importers of Iran’s oil: China, India (together 50% of total), EU (20%); they’re all now safe to restore to pre-Trump-sanctions levels, so that Iran will possibly exceed its current (which are based on fears they’d not get a waiver) oil-sales. Trump’s sanctions, in any case, look like a failure.]
If there will be increasing resistance in the EU, among the nations that Trump is discriminating against (by not granting waivers), then it is even possible that Iran’s oil-sales will mushroom. For example, China consumes 587.2 million tonnes of oil this year, and Iran has the world’s third-largest oil-reserves. That consumption is globally second-largest only to America’s 907.6 million tonnes of oil consumption. China now can easily replace some of its other suppliers. On October 3rd, NATO’s main PR agency, the Atlantic Council, bannered “China: Iran’s Lifeline to Overcome Oil Sanctions”. It’s not the only “lifeline” but it certainly is a key one, if not the key one. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia, whose rulers want to destroy Iran, are currently the largest supplier of oil to China. Consequently, the ally that is the most important one of all to the U.S. regime, the Saud family, who own Saudi Arabia, could end up suffering more from these U.S.-imposed sanctions than their target, Iran, will. Iran even might benefit, perhaps enormously, from Trump’s sanctions. Trump clearly is stupid. His current success with the U.S. economy is based upon his $404 billion sale of U.S.-made weaponry to the Sauds. But even that now is in jeopardy.
Ironically, Trump could end up benefiting Iran and hurting his key ally the Sauds. Trump is controlled not only by American billionaires but secondly by the Saud family and thirdly by the billionaires in Israel (and both of those foreign aristocracies — as well as most of America’s aristocrats — aim to destroy Iran, “regime-change” it and take control there like the CIA did under the Shah). Trump could end up hurting his main foreign patron, the Sauds, by pursuing the policies that he’s implementing in order to serve them and the Israeli and U.S. billionaires. Trump is playing a wild game like Hitler did. In order to succeed at such a game, luck is especially important, but intellectual brilliance — something that Trump has never exhibited — is even more important.
Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of They’re Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of CHRIST’S VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
I recall that Russia had overtaken KSA as China’s main supplier of crude oil, or am I mistaken?
I stand corrected, the situation did recently change. At the link to “the largest supplier of oil to China” is this: “Iran is the second-largest provider, after Saudi Arabia, of oil to China. … By 2002, Iran was responsible for more than 15 percent of the PRC’s annual oil imports.13” However, that “13” was dated 2005. At page 24 of https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/en/corporate/pdf/energy-economics/statistical-review/bp-stats-review-2018-full-report.pdf is indicated that Russia in 2017 sold the most crude oil to China 59.8 million tonnes, and #2 was Saudi Arabia at 52.2 million tonnes; so, you are correct. Russia increased, while Saudi Arabia went down. The Sauds, however,… Read more »
“Consequently, the ally that is the most important one of all to the U.S. regime, the Saud family, who own Saudi Arabia, could end up suffering more from these U.S.-imposed sanctions than their target, Iran, will.” So the EU lost 100 billion following the US in sanctioning Russia. How much will the Saudis lose following the US in sanctioning Iran? Trump is speeding the dissolution of the Empire faster than anyone could imagine. For this colossal stupidity we owe him great thanks.
Love it.
The “owners” of Sodomite Arabia! Well said.
They are the world’s biggest and, by extension, nastiest, oligarchs.
Or, in this case, Oilygarchs
Ever wondered why the anti-terror pro-democracy leadership of sovereign resource-rich well-connected Iran was outright laughing at the pervert-coward political-meddling war-criminal false-flagging terrorist-abetting global-traitor media-spinning Zio-liars SatanYahweh and Swamp-Chump the whole time, and rightfully sneering at the depraved Saudi sickos!!
Trump has to leave the door open a little bit with Iran just in case the House of Saud goes down the tubes due to internal collapse. If the Saudi petrodollar is kaput, Iran will either have to be negotiated with as a normal country or invaded to become America’s new oil bitch in the Middle East.
I can’t see USA invading Iran – they never attack countries that can fight back!.
Quarantine the USA.
All problems solved.
Silly boys…..dem Persians are light years ahead of you.
Absolutely right Wiggins. Iran has been a successful international trader, hence negotiator, for over 1500 years before the so called United States heard the starting gun! They are no fools!
I think the only person more stupid than Trump in US politics is Maxine Walters who is not only ignorant but truly stupid, I am surprised when I see she has the brain power to blink. Adam Schmidt is not entirely stupid but he is totally insane and comes in slightly before he other 2 these 3 make up the Troika of US political power… effing scary and that is the face the US chooses to show to the world!