Op-Ed: Economic sanctions weaken Iran, but its leaders remain defiant
By Eliot
Elwar
Oct 21, 2012
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Iran’s problems worsen
as it claims that ‘dozens’ of its drones reached Israel, Iranians are beginning
to panic amid rising costs, while Western officials assess that Iran’s economy
is imploding quickly. A Mideast war may occur before 2013.
From Ynet News:
Top Iranian military official says Iranian-made surveillance drones have been
entering Israeli airspace undetected since 2006, but Israeli official denies
claim. The Iranian official declined to give details on the drones’ missions
and capabilities, including whether they were similar to the unmanned aircraft
launched recently by Lebanon's Hezbollah and downed by Israeli combat aircraft.
A few defense analysts wonder if Iran’s new advanced drone technology
originated from the US drone that was taken by Iran in 2011.
From Gulf Times: While
Iran has been attempting to down play the negative effects of international
sanctions on its declining economy, the economic crisis engulfing the nation
can no longer be ignored. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s collapsing regime now
speaks of “economic warfare,” while Iranians continue to panic about their
deteriorating situation and are asking themselves what will happen when the war
begins. Analysts assess that Iran’s collapsing economy could force it into war
before 2013. An economic collapse will cripple Iran’s war making capabilities;
therefore, Iran could attack Israel first before it becomes financially
incapable of wiping the Jewish state of the Mideast map.
From the Los
Angeles Times: Western governments assess that Iran’s economy is
imploding rapidly. Iran could essentially collapse next spring because of the
combined pressure from international sanctions, an oil embargo, and internal
mismanagement by officials in Tehran. Western government analysts believe that
Iran will lack foreign exchange reserves within 6 or 12 months, making it
difficult for the Islamic Republic to sell products abroad and buy the imports
it needs to continue its manufacturing sector and run public services. The
faster Iran’s economy collapses the more likely it will attack Israel.
From Jerusalem Post: According
to Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, tough new European Union sanctions on
Iran will not force Tehran back into negotiations with world powers over its
nuclear program. "We think the error in calculation which these countries
are pursuing will distance them from a favorable result," said Ramin
Mehmanparast, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman. "We recommend that
instead of taking the wrong approach and being stubborn and using
pressure...with a logical approach they can return to discussions." These
comments confirm that Iran is on a course for war with Israel and nothing will
stop them, but military force rather than economic sanctions.
From the Times of Israel: “Iran
is considering the option of artificially producing an enormous environmental
disaster that would affect the entire region, in order to punish its enemies
and force the West to decrease the sanctions against the regime, Der Spiegel
reported on Sunday. According to Western intelligence agencies quoted by the
German news weekly, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have developed a secret plan to
intentionally cause an oil tanker to contaminate the strategically important
Strait of Hormuz.” When the bombs begin to fall, Iran may execute this
unconventional military operation. Iran’s military leaders do not plan on
fighting the West according to the rules of the Geneva Convention.
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