As Iran prepares to meet again with the U.S. and other countries to negotiate its nuclear program, the country's economic minister insisted in an interview Sunday with CNN's Fareed Zakaria that the crippling sanctions imposed on Iran were not having as much of an impact as believed.
Minister Shamseddin Hosseini argued that his country has a much broader economy than just oil.
"Last year, the total non-oil exports increased by 30 percent and according to the latest reports that the International Monetary Fund has published, Iran's GDP – Iran's per capita income has also increased," Hosseini said in the interview on CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS."
Zakaria pressed Hosseini on the argument, asking how it could be that the country is not affected when 80% of its foreign revenues come from foreign sales of oil.
Watch the exchange in the video above (or check out the transcript below):
ZAKARIA: You're telling me that these restrictions on oil, particularly if the European Union goes through with them, the Indians say they're buying less from you, the Japanese say they are buying less form you, these are not going to affect you, 80 percent of your external revenues come from oil.
HOSSEINI: We must pay close to attention when we speak of oil revenues and sanctions against oil sales. Who are the winners and the losers of such sanctions?
Indeed, it is difficult, but not just for Iran. And we can all rest assured that there will be a considerable increase in international oil market prices. Now, is this the best approach?
ZAKARIA: Just to be clear because this is very important, you think that if the European Union goes through with the oil embargo, which is slated to go into effect in July, oil prices will go up very substantially?
HOSSEINI: Certain, certainly. Even the IMF says that as a result of these sanctions, oil prices will perhaps reach and hover around $160 per barrel. And the decrease in financial and economic output in Europe will truly be felt.
ZAKARIA: How long can you endure these kind of sanctions because they are affecting your banks, they're affecting, now, the Senate is passing ones relating to the oil – the tanker business.
How long can you continue to withstand these sanctions?
HOSSEINI: We have been the subject, the target of sanctions for the last 33 years. We never went looking for these sanctions, but during the last few years, of course, the volume of these sanctions have increased tremendously.
And we believe that those who impose the sanctions have exerted the maximum level of pressure they have been capable of, but the reality that is showing itself today is that the capacities and the economic specialties and strengths of Iran are such that can cause a backlash – an economic backlash for the imposers of these sanctions and their countries.
This really shows that the economy – economic strength of Iran is in such a way that can withstand these sanctions and will not be the only economy to suffer.
ZAKARIA: So if – but if these sanctions do cost you a lot, cost the average Iranian a lot, why not allow the IAEA inspectors in, say to them you can go to every facility including the ones that we have previously not allowed you to.
We have nothing to hide. You can see all our nuclear programs and certify that it's peaceful and once you get that certification, these sanctions will get lifted.
HOSSEINI: We have said time and time again that we will not give up this unalienable right. We are a member – full signatory and abiding member of the IAEA.
There are conversations and dialogues taking place currently, but there cannot be a hegemony and a double-standard in the treatment of member countries such as Iran.
If these principles can be understood and applied with mutual respect, I think we will be in a much better place.
ZAKARIA: Final question, what will the price of oil be in August of this year?
HOSSEINI: I believe that we must, at least, in order to have sustainable growth for the producers maintain prices at $100 per barrel. But keep in mind the following, can the industrial powers get out of the current situation they're in with these prices?
Therefore, the answer being obvious, the prices will go considerably higher than $100 per barrel. If we see reforms – tangible reforms in this behavior, we will be in a much better place. If we don't, we will witness an increase in international oil markets.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Wheeeew glad he doesn't work for us*
good then we can apply some more.. no biggie.
It looks as if the war of words between Iran and the West refuses to die down! Let sanctions work and mute the drums of war, Or else we will be seeing another crisis that drives the world to the verge of fear.
Of course Minister Shamseddin Hosseini didn't want to admit that sanctions bite and wanted to defy the West with his "we'll be alright" rhetoric. He wanted to make the point that Iran had been discriminated and denied the rights to nuclear programme for peaceful purposes while others could do what they want and got away with murder.
See i feel there is only one solution of Iran problem ( which is not a problem but alleged to be by axis of evil US, EU)
20 Kiloton Fusion Device on New york can solve many problems of world which UNO not able to.
How Mass killer Jews and Atom bomb dropper is projecting itself custodian of global peace and true Iranians are facing sanctions. This is time calls for unified muslim army which can give real threat to Jews, US and UK. Unified muslim army of Pakistan, Iran, Turky, Saudi, Syria, Lebonon, UAE, Egypt etc can give reply to NATO or even vanish NATO.
If we are not able to do this then after Iran enemy will attack Saudi, and one by one all muslim countries why they are not attacking North Korea. Any person with small intelligence can understand. Each situation is having its positive and negative if this opportunity is exploited correctly by us to make unified muslim army nobody can mess with us and enemy will die with fear.
You're lovely, and just my type. Let's date. If I ever cheat on you can chop off my nose, or peni$, you're choice.
Good thinking. Except the part where Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Jordan, Yemen, and even the Palestinian territories, are all Sunni, and they all hate Shi'ite Iran. This is why they are working with Israel to bring you to heel, like the rambunctious dogs that you are.
See? The Muslim army does exist, it's working already, to bring down your little puppet, al-Assad. Everyone is on one side, and you are on the other. The losing side.
Almost 80% of the world Muslim population is Sunni. And Sunni Islam is joining the western alliance.
Oh, and Azerbaijan hates you, too, and wants their land and population back.
Have fun.
I love how people want to drop a device in NY or put sanctions on the people of Iran. The issue with any of these is that they dont hurt the goverment... they hurt the people. My few encounters with Iranians have been nothing but pleasant. Maybe these terror people (regardless of how you define that) should be focused on the idiots making policy instead of the poor people that just want to live their life. Just insane to hear all this war talk when its the worst option in the world to take.
You are a perfect example of why the entire world has come to see Islam as a vile, barbarous religion of hate.
I am extremely surprised you have enough intellect to even write. Views like yours are a further cause why Islam is so despised. You can rest assured, Meine ferfluchte schwein, you shall not see paradise, nor any virgins. My Allah have your armpits infested with the fleas of 40 thousand camels in heat.
Dear mr Qasier Inman you are the result of a stupid religion run by morons. Please go out
And kill some women tot prove just how stupid Mohammed has made you. It would be an insult
To pigs to call you a filthy pig.
There are untrue Iranians?
hahahaha unified muslim army? good joke mr. imam
LOL Thats one of the most hilarious this I've ever heard of. Unified Muslim army. Everyone in the middle east hates each
other. You guys cant even act civil to you own countrymen let alone you neighbor. I'm about as worried about a unified Muslim army as I am of alien invasion.
Yea right Iran, that’s why you have more than 20 oil tankers in the ocean with their GPS turned off. yep, they are literally baiting countries into buying cheap oil from them because they have no where to sell it. No one will sell them insurance to haul their oil around. But they’re not hurting in any way! Sure you’re not!
Nothing to hide eh? These guys somehow seem to think that somebody actually believes them? I will state what I often hear: "why don't we waltz on in and step on these liers, these threats to the modern world and simply take the oil?" A coalition of oil dependent countries could do this and dismantle Iran's nuclear capabilities at the same time. Sure they might fight back – it would seem that would be good and make everybody feel much better as we dance on top of their heads. They openly advocate annihilating Israel and anybody else that does not agree with them and the longer it is allowed to go on, the more likely it is that they will do it.
No, no, no. Invading Iran would cost the US about 2 trillion dollars. And it would throw a wrench in the world economy because oil and gas would spike... costing us more. There is a better way. (1) Take 1 trillion dollars and give a 30K tax credit to every American family that purchases an American made plug in hybrid (that is about 37 million new vehicles). (2) Invest in modern nuclear power and open up 50% of the oil fields we are not using. (3) Give Israel a couple modern nuclear subs. (4) Tell the enire middle east they can eat and drink sand because we don't need them.
You do have a sense of humour that would amuse George F. Kennan, father of the Containment Policy. Some of your ideas do make sense!
You cannot stop technology from advancing. Eventually everybody in the world will have the technology. Look how scared we were of the Soviets using their weapons. Did it ever happen? I agree with the 30K tax credit idea. Funny how people think thats the crazy idea too. War is the worst possible outcome... don't buy into the fear people.
Hello King George. It's NOT 1776 anymore. Invasion and conquering doesn't work.
But I'll tell you what. Take your money and resources and go invade them. Call me when your done.
Someone has wit?
Someone is a nit wit.
Actually, that was Zakaria saying the *US* has nothing to hide. Come into our nuclear facilities, inspect, and see that we have peaceful operations. He was asking the Iranian economic advisor why his country cannot do the same; then the sanctions would be lifted if they comply.
Also, how do you think invading another country, with whom we have only verbal confrontations with, would look to the world? If we lost all respect from invading Iraq, how would we be greeted internationally when we bomb Iran? I am guessing diplomacy is not your strongsuit.
I agree with what you said about our worldwide image being tainted if we're to invade Iran like we did in Iraq! But does that really matter to Americans? For example, President Obama ended the illegitimate Iraqi war as he promised and got rid of OBL as he promised and he has successfully restored our image abroad! But despite all this, the political pundits say Mitt Romney is either tied or ahead of the President! Makes me believe if President Obama was to bring about world peace, find a cure for AIDS and cancer, end world hunger and poverty and reduce our unemployment to 0.00% or even walk on water, he'd still be trailing or be tied with Mitt Romney! But there's a solution, together we can vote all teapublicans out of office and progress at home and abroad will continue to materialized.
Iran with a nuclear bomb would be like a chimpanzee in a train station holding a submachine gun with a hair trigger.
Sometimes diplomacy is not the answer.
first – you are naive if you think sanctions are going to be lifted if they allow access to xyz. just because a cnn reporter makes the offer doesnt mean the un security council will.
second – iran DOES allow access to it's NUCLEAR sites. the current site in question is NOT a nuclear site, we dont even claim it's a nuclear site, it's the site where they are allegedly testing specialized CONVENTIONAL high explosives. in other words, we want iran to go above and beyond it's commitments per the npt AND per the npt's secondary protocals. MAYBE they would be inclined to do so if their weapons designers didnt mysteriously die in car bombings all the time.
Third- EVERYTHING about the case for a nuclear iran is like iraq part 2. remeber the aluminum tubes found en route to iraq? the us doe, the scientists that make and maintain all of the nuclear weapons for the united states examined these tubes and said 1) they werent of suitable specification for nuclear weapon related work and 2) they match exactly the specs used in a small french missile system that iraq has been known to ahve imported in large numbers and likely has an ongoing effort of duplicating. the us adminstration ignroed this report and cited the tubes as proof of iraq's plans to produce nuclear weapons. Not too long ago the us adminstration said iran had been found building 'nuclear triggers'. There are two devices that can be used to trigger a nuclear bomb, one called a Zetatron, one called an URCHIN. A zetatron is a complex little device that uses high voltages to produce a pulse of nuetrons. With respect to their use in nuclear weapons only a nation that had signifigant experience in building nuclear weapons, can use a zetatron because if one is off just a billionth of a second in the timing of the initiation of the nuetron pulse, the bomb will fail. URCHINS on the other hand are the type of nuclear trigger first used by the usa. They are located in the core of a nuclear weapon and require no outside timing to work. they are fool proof. URCHINS have ZERO civilian use. If iran was found quilding URCHINS it would be a smoking gun. certain versions of Zetatrons however are used in large number in the oil exploration industry. needless to say iran has a bit of an oil industry to support. Care to guess what sort of nuclear 'trigger' we found them making? you guessed it. the kind used for oil exploration. and not just any old zetatron, but the specific type used for oil exploration that are NOT themselves suitable for use in a bomb.
Well, Bob, if you say so that is good enough for me. Laughable.
You're an idiot Blah Blah wheels off your trailer! Obama promised to end the war immediately when he got into office, not when Bush set forth a scheduled timeline for the Iraq war to end! ...you're another revisionist clown for our "spend thrift and chief!" ...LOL
you probably think we need to cut spending and have massive tax breaks as well
Let them have a bomb, we have 20,000 of them. If they use it on Israel, or the US I guarantee either of us will survive, but it will the end Iran and they know it. But no more stupid wars over WOMD.
Although you call yourself Israel, it is obvious you are islamic.
I hope that you understand that even though we have a lot of oil in the US, we don't own it. The Oil Companies lease the land and extract the oil. THey then sell to the highest bidder. If you are advocating that we oipen more drilling in the US, then to keep the oil we would have to nationalize the oil industy in the US. Good luck getting that past the GOP.
Gee Bruce, go ahead and explain capitalism to me.
Which Israeli agency do you work for? The statements that they have threatened to annihilate Isreal is nothing more than an intententional mis-intrepration of what was really said, and that is that Israel will be annihilated by time, not by Iran. But it's so easy to continue with the lies and half-truths, after all , we must somehow continue to make Iran our enemy. When the U.S. puts sanctions on Israel for having nuclear weapons then we'll know that we aren't being hypocritical. Until that happens, and it won't, we're nothing more than two-faced. We speak so to speak with forked-tongues.
Iran committed to ‘full annihilation of Israel,’ says top Iranian military commander
By Reza Kahlili – The Daily Caller | The Daily Caller – Sun, May 20, 2012
Iran is dedicated to annihilating Israel, the Islamic regime’s military chief of staff declared Sunday.
“The Iranian nation is standing for its cause and that is the full annihilation of Israel,” Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi said in a speech to a defense gathering Sunday in Tehran.
His remarks came on the day International Atomic Energy Agency director Yukiya Amano flew to Tehran to negotiate for inspections of Iran’s nuclear program. They were reported by the Fars News Agency, the media outlet of the Revolutionary Guards Corps.
http://news.yahoo.com/iran-committed-full-annihilation-israel-says-top-iranian-033409439.html
This rogue country is playing the free world for fools. Someone needs to explain the facts of life to them without any PC ...keep messing with oil and someone will silence you militarily and that will end your prattle and endless extortion for oil and Hormuz. It's ridiculous to tolerate this blustering and threats from this place when the wellbeing of the rest of the world hinges on Iran and their delinquent agendas!
You and you're leader are still morons.
And so is anyone who doesn't understand the difference between "your" and "you're."
He really meant 'yer"
What are ewe talking 'bout Larry? There just re-righting English, and they'res nothing wrong about there writing skills. two bad your just to smart two understand there incredible righting skilz. (that was painful.)
What he means is sanctions don't hurt him and others in the top echelons of power.
By "not hurting "US", you mean "us", the elite in gov't roles that aren't part of the general public. Ask your own people in neighborhoods if they are getting enough food clean water, etc.
BTW, your countrymen hate you and your government. they are just too scared to launch a revolt right now. But it's coming. Enjoy your role while you still have it.
Ame to that.
Unemployment in Iran is 15% and inflation rate is 22%. Don't tell me that sanctions have little affect on Iran. It is putting the pinch on the average citizen but the ones in power don't feel anything because they get their needs met first. Iran is like all other oppressive regimes. The people suffer and those in control live in luxury. Nice way to treat your people.
Just a futher note about those sanctions that are not having an affect: Inflation rate in 2010 was 12.4% in 2010. Now it's over 22%. Hmmm....wonder how that happened?
Hahaha. That was hilarious. AMERICA sanctions Iran, and you CLAIM look how THEY treat them. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
I just can't stop.
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahano schitt funny stuff there, sanctions? talk about a slap on the hand
Yea, songs like the republicans in congress! They created the economic crisis and yet they criticize President Obama for trying to stabilize the economy and help struggling Americans get back on their feet! They stress fiscal responsibility and a need for less government while accusing the President of wasteful spending! Then they turn around and say look, the unemployment rate is still high because Obama aint doing anything to help struggling Americans! That is hypocrisy! The wealthy republicans in this country are like the leaders of Iran, they will go to any extent to harm their own people so that their interests are met!
Obama defenders are the biggest hypocrites of all. Every time Obama fails you claim it is someone else's fault.
I agree! The rich will destroy U.S. The U.S Federal Bank Reserve is not even American own it's privately own by the rich elite. We don't even know their names. They lend money to the U.S with interest. Meanwhile another Federal reserve lends money to the enemy for war. They get rich we all die. That is the future if no one stops them.
Blah Blah ;everyone knows that Clinton created the haousing bubble at Fanni & Freddi back in 1994 with Frank Raines! Maybe you can enlighten to the rest of us as to why senator Chriss Dodd (D) from Delaware resigned over this issue when the story broke that Bush tried to stop the Fanni & Freddi disaster as reported by your own liberal news agencies like CBS and the N.Y.Times? ....more revisionist history that nobody seems to know about!
Iran: Rising unemployment hits Kermanshah
Source: Radio Zamaneh
Five thousand workers at the brick-making burners in Kermanshah province have been laid off over the past two years, the Kermanshah Post website reports.
The report indicates that the closure of traditional brick burners during that period has left thousands of workers unemployed in the northwestern region of Iran. The workers and management say cuts to government subsidies were to blame for a sudden rise in production costs and the eventual shutdowns.
The governor and relevant officials have been repeatedly urged to tackle workers' problems, but the authorities have been basically ignoring the situation, which has caused an exodus as workers seek jobs in other provinces.
When the government implemented its plan to restructure subsidies, it led to a sharp rise in the price of energy and food staples. Coupled with the economic impact of international sanctions on Iran, the result has been a sharp rise in unemployment due to the closure of numerous factories and manufacturing centres in various regions of the country.
The Iranian government denies that unemployment is on the rise, and the Ahmadinejad administration claims that it created 1.6 million jobs in the past year and promises that a similar number will be created this year.
... Payvand News – 05/22/12 ... -
http://www.payvand.com/news/12/may/1228.html
Well this isn't good. The whole point of preventing hostilities aganist Iran was to give time for the sanctions to work. Now that they say this, that the sanctions aren't working, the hawks now have a freer hand to act militarily.
Too bad this won't get translated and rebroadcast in Iran. Can you imagine, for the average Iranian, to hear their ECONOMIC MINISTER say that a loss of 80% of their economy from oil revenue has no effect on the country?
If the Economics Minister of Iran is right, it sounds too good to be true. I'm sick and tired of the worthless politicians in Washington using the politics of hunger to get their way! The politics of hunger itself needs to be outlawed at the U.N. but won't, unfortunately!
By labelling the sanctions imposed as "the politics of hunger", you seem to think we will feel bad for the people of Iran. You would be wrong. Every Western Civilized nation has had their revolution where a great many people were killed, but in the end, the people won and democracy was successful. If the people of Iran want to survive, they will have to take over and demand a respectful, peaceful government. If the current leaders of Iran cared about its people, they would advocate for peace. All over the world, if you cannot play well with others, you are put against the wall.
What is so "humaine" about the politics of hunger anyway, Patrick? There is nothing decent about trying to create hunger in order to force one's will upon others. In fact, back in the early 1800's Napoleon tried the same thing on the British during the Napoleonic Wars however unsuccessfully! Then again, we tried that on China between 1949 and 1971 with an equal lack of success!
As swipe, the politics of hunger is your label.
Why should we care about the people if their leadership is willing to let them starve.
Get a revolution going and get rid of these so-called leaders.
Stop putting all your oil money into weapons and buy food for your people.
Booooooooooooohhoooooooooooooooooooooooo!
The US should just create its own Cartel, a Food Cartel. Trade a bushel of wheat for a barrel of oil. Let all of these OPEC countries choose between Oil and Food. How's that for your 'Politics of Hunger'?
The only problem with that resolve is that the people making decisions are not hungry.
Evidently, they do not care that the populace is hungry.
Bottom line is that Russia is controlling Iran. Russia needs the price of oil to be over $90.00 a barrell or their economy will collapse again. They need turmoil in the world to keep the price of oil high. I have lived in Ukraine when Russia shut off the gas and know first hand how they will deal with the world BEWARE
Is that you Darrell Vanyo? You are the most incompetent person that ever worked in IT. Or anywhere!!!!!!! You hired suck ups like Mason Mehring just to make you look good. Moron.
You seem to think that your as sinine attempt at denigrating this fellow will put a damper on his message.
You are wrong.
Is that you is that you?
Patrick. Did Darrell hire you too? Hahahahahahahahaha
What, you also?
China is buying Iranian oil at a HUGE discount.... win win china in all these conflicts.... MADE IN CHINA!
Suuuuure they don't!
Do as America tells you, or you will suffer. It's God's will.
Yea right, we're nothing but a modern day Rome.
All the world should take note of the danger of this doctrine and fight against it with all their strength, for we cannot accept that any man on the face of the earth should force us to believe in his god.
When your "enemy" and I say that loosely, though they like to label us that way emphatically, is seemingly trying to bolster its offensive war weapons, would you not try to sanction them? There is little else to be done. An act of war would be a grave mistake, at this point. On the other hand, would letting a country that swears you as its enemy have the absolute freedom to create weapons in which to annihilate you, be any better? The only middle ground is to force them to comply, yes. Force them. Letting Iran and its allies have an autonomous nuclear program, with no oversight, is frankly irresponsible.
except Rome was surrounded by Enemies where we are surrounded by mexico and canada ahhhhhh they will invade us! better spend a trillion more on military and get control of that oil supply
Maybe you should look around. The illegal immigration into the United States across our Southern border is nothing more than an invasion, albeit piecemeal.
While I do not want to pay $ 17.99 / lb for tomatoes, neither do I want to pay trillions to feed, treat or incarcerate an illegal alien population!
You are correct about Canada, but any school in the nation will give you an ‘F’ for 50%!
This is the funniest headline I have read today. Okay, if the sanctions aren't hurting, then you won't mind if we make them even harsher, including cutting you out of the world economy entirely.
Just for a week…don’t listen to anyone about Islam except for Mohammed himself. This is key to peace in the middle east. Fair request.
- – - – – - – - pants on fire.
Bukhari:V4B52N72 "The Prophet said, 'Nobody who enters Paradise likes to go back to the world even if he got everything on the earth, except a Mujahid [Islamic fighter] who wishes to return so that he may be martyred ten times because of the dignity he receives.' Our Prophet told us about the message of Allah: 'Whoever among us is killed will go to Paradise.' Umar asked the Prophet, 'Is it not true that our men who are killed will go to Paradise and those of the Pagan's will go to Hell?' The Prophet said, 'Yes.'"
Your prophet was a war mongering lying paedophile.
Agreed!, my point is made.
'Is it not true that our men who are killed will go to Paradise and those of the Pagan's will go to Hell?' The Prophet (Pork be upon him) said, 'Yes.'"
Ummm.... 'Is it FALSE (not true) that our men....' with an answer of 'Yes' means that it IS FALSE. In other words the Prophet said that 'you are NOT going to Paradise and the Pagans won't go to Hell.' Now that's one quote that I can agree with.
???????????? You need help.
So alah reward killers, female abusers.? So alah is a lying about him been peaceful. Not sens ancient times muslims have shown pace. Now they are nothing but killers and freedom haters. Alah is a two face so called god. He says if we are not islam we will be killed. Were is the freedom in that?
"It will not affect us very much" is Farsi diplomatic-speak for "those of us in power will still continue to dine on caviar while the common people starve".
Iran is practically in an economic depression right now. This guy is turning into the new Baghdad Bob.
which is why we need to green light israel to drop some bombs on them. Maybe that'll hurt.
Go ahead, make their day...................
Buhari:V8B75N417 "Akllah's Messenger said, 'Allah has some angels who look for those who think about Allah while they're out [fighting] and they encircle them with their wings. Allah [who hears all] asks these angels, 'What do my slaves say?' The angels reply, 'Allahu Akbar!' Allah [who sees all] asks, 'Can they see Me?' The angels answer, 'No. They can't see you.' Allah [who knows all] says, 'How would it have been if they had seen Me?' 'If they had seen You [one spirit said to another] they would have worshiped you more.' Allah [who created a brothel] asks, 'What do they desire?' 'They ask for your Paradise.' 'Have they seen it?' 'No. But if they had they would covet it all the more.' 'What do they fear?' 'Hell Fire.' 'Have they seen it?' 'No. If they had seen it they would flee it with extreme fear.' Allah said, 'I will not reduce every Companion to misery.'"
Economic global sanctions hurt more people than than governing body. If Economic Minister says that he is not hurt, it is clear that Iran top & governing body is not sensitive to the suffering of Iranian people & are brute.
What a bunch of double speak.
The way these high priest Islamic parasites operate makes for nothing short of international religious terrorism. They consider it their prerogative to pronounce death sentences on anyone, of any nationality, anywhere in the world, who offends their sensibilities. With their tentacles reaching every corner of the globe, these Islamic Godfathers unleash their lieutenants and soldiers on anyone who dares to in any way challenge their code of murder and mayhem billed as Allah's sole valid religion for all of humanity.
No, but bombs do. Oh wait.... We have a pushover president who won't do anything. Iran has given Obama the proverbial middle finger and Obama has just tucked his tail between his legs and said, "okay."
Oh, it's THAT easy huh? Why didn't you say so? You mean he doesn't have to include our allies or worry about the aftermath and consequences of such an act? Pretend we're the only other ones in the world? Spend the trillions we don't have a penny of? Just push a button, start a war, no big deal?
Moron.
So why does Iran want sanctions lifted so badly?
Exactly!
blnkyte blank blank to cnn
iran and saudi arabia the well has run dry for the both of you.
rag heads
What a natural born liar- even when Fareed asked him, why don't you allow inspectors in, he couldn't give a straight answer. The Gulf states hate Iran and will pump as much oil as they can, and profit from keeping Iran's oil out of the market. So it's not entirely clear if prices will rise and this Iranian doesn't know if they will or not. All this shows is that Iran's leaders are still unrealistic about the rest of the world's resolve and refuse to admit that the Sanctions are killing them. Their currency lost half it's value...but Iran's leadership won't admit anything....
Don't love much about Iran, but gotta give them credit on their fashion sense. Love the shirt. Wish we gave up on ties and flip-down collars.
Surprise – Surprise the sanctions aren't working –Oh my, now what will we do ?
Sanctions ARE working.
However, we should tighten the noose. Maybe, just maybe, the people will rise up against these thugs hiding under "Islam, the religion of peace". What a joke!
Maybe we could give Obama another undeserved Nobel Peace prize for just showing up.
obama and the eu are going to make a deal, any deal, as long as obama gets to SAY he got a deal and he gets re-elected and as long as the euros get their oil, then who cares if iran gets nukes and destabilizes the whole world....
what a shame barack obama is.
How much does your imam/mullah pay you to spout this cr ap?
What a strange comment.
It's unbelievable how many here want to march off to war again. Oh wait, they want 'others' to do it for them. They are probably the same ones who whine about our country's debt. None of these wars since WW2 have accomplished a thing, but leave many Americans dead or wounded. How about trying something new?
This is the European Union with or without france? France cheated on the last one with Iraq if memory serves......
Okay, I am listening. Explain yourself–if your memory serves you right.
OMG... when does not telling anything near the truth come into play.... we are bits of sand in a big ocean.. Hopefully before the Sun explodes we'll learn to live together.
Half empty or half full. The people of Iran will suffer. They hate us anyway, who cares! If these sanctions don't work, well just DUCK!!
We all hoped religion was the answer... is it ?
"religion the answer"?????????????
I jest .. we all know what religion has done for the world... we want to believe in something, but it's all f'd up...
Boneheads all the way around...political and religious.
Sure Mr Iranian dude, we believe you.
Think about it (even us Hawks).... imagine all the money going into killing our brothers/sisters was aimed at something else. I am not nieve.. the world sucks.. but just imagine.
Tell your islamic friends the same story and see what they say.
ahmmmm....that would be NAIVE!!!
OBAMANOS!!!
Sanctions not hurting...that's is a foolish statement that reflects its lack of believability in all arena's of politics. Since the Internet era came to life, politicians are still learning that people can see the damage sanctions have made in Iran's economy. Oil is their economies heartbeat, and to claim that oil is a small part of the countries economy wreaks of BS.
USA must support the revolution in Syria. If the syrian regime falls, the iranian regime will follow. The cost to get rid of the ranian regime will be minimum by not having to go to war with iran and waste another american soldier's life.
The problem with sanctions are the they are only effective on countries who care about their people ... such countries would likely not do anything that would have resulted in sanctions in the first place. So sanction a country, anger the people, have their government tell them that it's your fault, then then the people get upset enough to overthrow their government, then they finally will install a new ruling body no better than the former ... and you will be their mortal enemy.
A vicious cycle indeed. Well done.
Boycott their oil.
We don't get our oil from Iran or the middle for that matter! Most of our imported oil comes from Canada and Mexico. China is the single largest buyer of Iranian oil. If you're wondering why oil prices keep going up it's, because our "spend thrift president" Obama who added about 6 trillion to our national deficit in less than 3.5 years. Canadian dollars are now worth more than U.S. dollars are for the first time in about 70 years! ....you can look these facts up at "federalbudget" dot com.
Leave it to the US to tell others they have a headache. The US should concentrate on solving its own problems and not keep sticking its nose in others. It keeps giving the impression that it has no issues at home when we know that's not true. Until it gives up its hypocritical position of making its foes give up nuclear weapons while tolerating the same by its friends, it can't be seen as a serious intermediary. This so-called "honest broker" is just trying to punish its enemies and reward its friends who do exactly the same thing – build nuclear weapons.
Remember your drivel the next time you ask the U.S. to step in and solve one of your problems.
Might want to ask the people that. The government is dining on caviar while people are trying to eat the bark off trees.
If Iran says, We are not hurting,, they are hurting. Well maybe not the upper elite, but the Iranian on the street is hurting. However, to leaders the hurting people are martyrs for the Islamic cause to destroy the evil west.
If it meant the end of Iran, as it is today, with none of our troops or bombs involved, I would gladly pay $5.00 a gallon for fuel.
Why do countries like Iran and North Korea continue to make news??
because they thrive on threatening the free, civilized world.
Notorious representation . If sanction hurt it does not mean the USA will win . We Iranian are ready to accept it . When the usa can topple Iranian regime then the USA will win . all results make no sense . Leaving nuclear programme will not stop western hostility .
US does not want to control a new government. The US wants a sane, civilized, non-threatening trading partner who does not murder its own people.
it will be at a time of our chooseing.
They crucify those they cannot forget...and hate you when you are independently owned and operated. It is Time.
Humanity is sick of the WHINING about nuclear war when USA has a KODAK moment with a box of uranium 93% grade!
And since there are more people then politicians, it is pretty much over before it starts, BIG changes in 2012...we the people globally will be a new slogan....Thousand Foot Crutch – Move – show me what you can do....it has begun...
By using rhetoric like "crucify" you try and bring division and hatred. Stop being a fool.
yeah let's have Assad kill 11,000 more people...like I said they crucify those they cannot forget...that is a fact Jack!
Minister Shamseddin Hosseini refuses to accept reality.
LOL..now there's someone that is telling a lie. He's not very good at it.
They must be smokin Persian Poppies
hmmm, my crystal ball tells me this is not going to be the "Summer of Love" for these numbnuts.
Cool. Then countries can tighten down the sanctions even more!
The leaders of Islamic Republic of Iran have read every conceivable propaganda book on planet Earth and exponentially made the art of duplicity better. These men and some women really know how to lie. Meanwhile, my 88 years old mother along with millions more who live on pension suffer. Who is he fooling?
Must be a relative of Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf.
you have the 3rd largest oil reserves in the world.
yet you RATION oil for Iranians. sanctions dont hurt my a-s$
Despite a threat by Russia about a missile shield directed at them and their willingness to attack. We have gone ahead anyway. June is just around the corner.
So many people on the right complain that words and diplomacy do not accomplish anything. We have been talking to North Korea since 1953 and they have yet to invade South Korea. Hmmmm. I guess talk helps.
"Talk" makes no difference when a threat is no more than bluster all along.
Oh, how I would LOVE to see a "mushroom" planted in Tehran, Iran, and I sure as heck am not talking about the vegetable. My brother's name is Henry Balm. Both of our names ROCK (A-Balm and H-Balm)!!! We could do wonders for Tehran, Iran!!! LOL
You can CaptCrunch all you want,but I call BS.
History demonstartes that if you pour milk over ceral and let it stand it eneviitably becomes sogy and is discarded soon after.
Could you explain your analogy?
soggy cereal........ really........ you would throw away sorry cereal....... what a waste. Anyway, please explain.
Yes Rosie, in the mean time the puppet of China, N. Korea, continues w/ their nuke and ballistic missille programs just waiting for the time when big brother China needs them to secure the peninsula. Common sense isn't as common as it used to be Rosie. Iran must be dealt w/ by force if they won't do anything meaningful to show they only want this power for electricity production. Question, why would one of the top producers of fossil fuels in the world need atomic energy? Think on that libbys/commies!!!~ I guess Israel will once again be forced to do the dirty work!!!
OBAMANOS!!!
Islamic countries are still in the 7th century. Maybe these countries should be turned over to chimpanzees who can put the in-humans in zoos. At least the chimps would have a chance to become civilized.
Interesting how much face time CNN gave to Hillary Mann Leverett, an Iranian apologist in comparison to those of opposite persuasion. Also, note the softball Q&A with the Iranian official. It was nothing more than a platform for his/Iran propagandist banter.
The name of the game is – who is hurting more you or us? That's what drives the negotiations. But even if they come to some agreement, is Iran's word mean anything? For years they said one thing and did the other.
Iran may not be intimidated by sanctions, but I bet a nuclear warhead would get their attention!
They're scared spitless of Israel. The Israelis don't put up with Iranian claptrap the way we do. They took them down once and they'll do it again.
To t:
Israel already has at least two nuclear subs, and just last week took delivery from Germany of at least two more–with more on the way. Some of those funds for purchasing the subs was likely in the form of US aid, but I'm not preaching here.
The President has difficulties with nuclear power and fossil fuels, so the 2 trillion for hybrids may be forthcoming, assuming he wins in November
"but I'm not preaching here". Your rhetoric is laughable.
fudging sand n1gg3rs............. ever since jesus freed the black man, its been give me this, give me that......... what about mexico?
You are obviously an islamist trying to create some other sh iet so that we do not pay so much attention to your bretheren.
Fool!
BUSTED!! Please go away!
pew pew pew, we're in you're base!
"80% of the economy based on oil" Those 80% will not disappear on July 1st, as only part of the industrial world has signed them. The biggest signature missing is... China... that is looking for cheap energy.
Be sure that China will wait for the sanctions to start to buy all that oil at discounted price, boosting their economy while ours sink even more from oil price going up.
I am now just waiting to see Russia buy a portion of that discounted oil and resell it to Europe, with a profit
As a reminder, last March, Pakistan announced it would finish the gaz pipeline to Iran... so one more way around sanctions.
War is good for business, in a world of opportunities and limited ressources.
"we are not hiding anything but we wont show you. we'd rather die than show you" real convincing argument, if you're an idiot
This guy reminds me of Baghdad Bob... "We are winning. Pay no attention to that American tank group moving across your tv screen in the background!"
Hillary has got them by the baxxs, she just doesn't know what to do with them. That's way Bill strayed.
dear fareed
do you really think this guy knows anythink about sanctions,,him and the other big boys dont feel the sanction,only people have to live with it,,,i start to laugh when he talked about the growth of almost 30percen,
why the world gouverment does not give him a job to solve world economical problem,,
best rigards
I don't know! He is right! doing the math if Iran loses 28% of the oil sales (what Europe buys) and the price goes up to 160 a barrel, they will have a 10% increase in the oil revenue. So they will be in gain and we will have to buy more expensive oil.Way to go, Hillary! with friends like you who needs....
Sanction Iran while Afghanistan is doing trade deals with them while NATO troops' blood runs in Afghan soil?
nearly all the comments I read are about war and nuking Iran! and you people in the US deem yourselves as the saviors of democracy and freedom? people read some history and facts rather than repeating what the politicians feed you everyday! I'll give you some facts to think about: 1. In modern times that have not invaded or attacked any country. You would have to go back to biblical times and that is more than 2000 years ago. Wish I could say the same for the US. 2. Iran does allow inspections actually it has had over 3000 surprise inspections that resulted in discovery of no nuclear weapons program. 3. Yes sanctions may have effected the economy but if you study Iran's history you will see that Iranians would rather die than bow down to double standards and pressure from outside.
You have to have lived in the country to understand the mindset of this proud nation. Just one fact will give you a perspective: The Arabs invaded Iran during the 7th century to export Islam to a Zoroastrian nation. The Iranians accepted Islam but never lost their language or their customs. While every region that was invaded in the Muslim conquest assimilated into their culture and lost their language altogether.
"Surprise inspectons" LOL. Iran allowed inspectors to see only what they wanted them to see. That's not an inspection. It's a guided tour. Now about that denial of yours...
Perhaps Iranians were not intelligent enough to learn Arab properly, which means they don`t know what they are saying while they pray.
nice try but your rantings will not change the facts and what has been inked in history! Your responses clearly display your intelligence level!
We need to know who is behind all this? Who is promoting the war with Iran? And why? Obviously Israel is the only country in middle east that is against Iran’s nuclear power. Don’t get me wrong I am not against Israel or any other country/religion, etc. but we need to be intelligent and ask these questions.
Not true. Its well known that most other countries in the region are VERY concerned about the Iraninan N-program.
Yea! and why do you think that is? Is it because they fear that Iran will use it or is it due to the fact that Iran’s relations with Arabs have been traditionally determined by a triangle whose three sides included Iran, Arabs and the United States. The Arab side of the triangle has been historically and strategically dependent on the United States and has never spared any effort to meet the interests of the US?
think about it!
The Iranians can keep telling themselves the sanctions don't hurt, but you know they lie.
I see so much hatered agonst people who read and respond. We are all forgetting that we are just people and the leaders are running the game. We are the actors on stage who are being directed by directors, and producers.
THE DRAMA!
Hey buddy, you have seen too much Iranian soaps.
hehehe...
Sanctions really never help. They only help to motivate the other country to hate us even more. We need to stop trying to control the planet.
STOP everything, I cannot bear it the fact that Iranians might hate me.
STOP the sanctions, I cannot live with myself if Iranians hate me.
hehehehehe....
"These sanctions are not hurting us." LOL.
That didn't hurt [wipes bloody nose]. That didn't hurt either [wipes bloody nose]... ad infinitum.
You are good, very good!
All Muslim clerics like the Ayatollah (the top Iranian authority) don't care about sanctions and the harm they are inflicting to their people. These rats act the same way all the time, they send suicide bombers or incite the masses consisting of millions of brainless Muslims to commit all kinds of atrocities as long as they are immune to pain, suffering and anxiety. They manipulate the "Satanic Verses" ... of the Koran to impose their will on the people.
Even though there are, no doubt, many cracks and loopholes in the embargo on Iran, I'm sure that the sanctions are having and adverse effect.
And for those who say they're not, then I trust you won't mind if we keep them in place, until you get your act together.
With friends like India who needs enemies. India has been double crossing Americans in Iran and elsewhere for ages. Enough is enough. First, they were doing underhand deals in oil against the wishes of Obama and Hillary and now in wheat. All aid to India should be suspended forthwith. No more jobs, call centers, money, tech support.
As swipe the focus is IRAN.
You moron...don't you have anything intelligent to say?
heheheheheh...
1973. ride ur bikes and ur priests
Why would the Minister admit to any damage done by the sanctions. Typical of the regime in place is to boast about everything, in order to impress. Usually this kind of statement means the Iranian people are suffering, while the ruling class is not. So much potential wasted by a Junta of well versed Koranic experts, who unfortunately are ignorant in pretty much everything else.
This regime has been making this claim for a long time. In fact, they claim that as a result of the sanctions they are more self-sufficient. Yet, every time they sit down to negotiate with anybody, be it IAEA, 5+1, etc., the first thing out of their mouths is to lift the sanctions.
the day will come when moslims will drown the zionest eviil with only pipi and spit.
Coma KK, cabron
OhShama: You unnnerrrstan spelin good?
HAHAHAHAHAHAH...
Thanks Albert I needed that!
I have somethin better that you need.
Hey chicken, you have nothing intelligent to say so, in typical form, you resort to threats.
heheheheheheheheh...
Don't you want to see what I have for you...it is not a threat but an invitation...you Indian turkey ....Mwah ha ha ha !!!
Oh Oh , well wait for me I will be right there!
More lies from the Iranian regime, actual economic data says otherwise. Things are about to get very bad for Iran, if they government doesn't crash after the new and much worse round of sanctions, Israel will strike before the fall, and Obama has no choice but to support him or risk losing the election.
The fact is that the Obama administration, and the whole of the U.S. intelligence community, knows full well that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons, has not demonstrated any intention to do so, and stopped all weaponization activities a decade ago.
Even the top brass of the Obama administration and military leadership, from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey have publicly declared that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons.
http://news.antiwar.com/2012/05/22/us-officials-iaea-iran-deal-wont-interrupt-sanctions/
Jew are you? Hitler was one too
Yeah? well your mother wears army boots.
The sanctions aren't going to work and everyone knows it -fact! LMAO
What colour is the sky in your world?
As colored as the thick glasses you are wearing which distorts your reality!
hehehehe...
Did that guy speak even one sentence that wasn't laced with b. s ?
The only sanction that will work is the total destruction of Iran. every single nuclear and military/goverment installation must be destroyed. This is THE ONLY SOLUTION. Islam must be destroy at all cost and the destruction of Iran is a good start.
Exerting pressure has not and will not yield any fruit. Iran will not simply be dissuaded. Military strike is the only option and once again, Israel must make that unilateral decision.
Kurdistan Independece Movement
K.I.M.
You are a lying s cu m muslim trying to create more sh iet than already is.
Asking for Israel to "make that unilateral decision" is a dead give away.
Lies, more lies, more B.S. more lies, more trying to create more sh iet, more lies, even more lies.
We know you are lying because your mouth is open.
You seem to be a hindu zealot giving a bad name to manny the snout
You so smart.
hehehehe...
peace on earth. Nuke Israel first. Send them to jew heaven,the bank
See that drone?
Sounds like they need more sanctions.
It wasn't Iran that massacred millions of Jews in WW2 or committed atrocities against Muslims in Kosovo or caused millions to die in the Soviet Union or killed hundreds of thousands in wars in Korea/Vietnam/Iraq/Afghanistan....this whole issue is just about politics of the West trying to control the Middle East. Their proxies-the Saudis-are far more brutal dictators and terrorist funders than Iran. Why doesn't Zakaria investigate that instead of preddling anti-Iran sentiment?
At last! thank you bro for reasoning instead of ranting!
Irrelevant – stick to current events.
Just shut up....keep your head down and read the comments. no one is interested in your immature uncooth diatribes. get a life..it does not seem you have one. Now scoot and have beef masala.
Hey chicken, the word is "uncouth".
hehehehe.....
You still don't get it do you? Dumb f turkey ....uncooth for hindus like you uncouth for indian hindus at large !!! mwah ha ha ha !!!
Sure thing buddy!
In other news, a four year old said, "I like timeouts"
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!
Of course the sanctions are probably not hurting enough....Why? because with friends like India who needs enemies. India has been double crossing Americans in Iranand stabbing them in the back. India has been transferring American technology to Iran dealing in oil and now wheat...to name just a few. It is time for Americans to stop all aid and transfer to American technology to India.
New, More Dangerous Hindu Extremist Groups Emerge in India
Christians concerned as rightwing factions splinter to form militant outfits.
PUNE, India, October 29 (CDN) — After more than a decade of severe persecution, India’s Christian minority is growing increasingly concerned over the mushrooming of newer and deadlier Hindu extremist groups.
Gone are the days when Christians had to watch out only for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) and its youth wing, Bajrang Dal, which are closely linked with the most influential Hindu extremist umbrella organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). With voter support faltering for the RSS’s political wing, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), moderate and extremist sections within the Hindu nationalist movement are blaming each other, and militant splinter groups have emerged.
Claiming to be breakaway factions of the RSS, new groups with even more extreme ideology are surfacing. The Abhinav Bharat (Pride of India), the Rashtriya Jagran Manch (National Revival Forum), the Sri Ram Sene (Army of god Rama), the Hindu Dharam Sena (Army for Hindu Religion) and the Sanatan Sanstha (Eternal Organization) have launched numerous violent attacks on Christian and Muslim minorities.
The Sri Ram Sene was one of the most active groups that launched a series of attacks on Christians and their property in and around Mangalore city in the southern state of Karnataka in August-September 2008, according to a report, “The Ugly Face of Sangh Parivar,” published by the People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), in March 2009. In Jabalpur city in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, suspected extremists from the Abhinav Bharat attacked the Rhema Gospel Church on Sept. 28, according to the Global Council of Indian Christians. They had earlier attacked Pastor Sam Oommen and his family in the same city on Aug. 3.
The Hindu Dharam Sena has become especially terrifying for Christians in Jabalpur. Between 2006 and 2008, Jabalpur was plagued by at least three anti-Christian attacks every month, according to The Caravan magazine. In the western state of Gujarat and other parts of the country, the Rashtriya Jagran Manch has also violently attacked Christians, according to news website Counter Currents.
At a meeting held in New Delhi (Oct. 24), the secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes, said the rise of fundamentalism was “seriously worrying” the church in India. The meeting was held to discuss prospects for immediate enactment of federal legislation to counter religious extremism with the proposed Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill.
You seem to think that if you repeat it enough, we will switch our focus to India and stop talking about Iran.
You would be very very very wrong.
Rote learning went out with the middle ages.
You dumb f....can't you read english more than one sentence? Perhaps you have ADD? Read it again or have someone read it to you and you will learn something.
As soon as I started to read:
"HOSSEINI: We must pay close to attention when we speak of oil revenues and sanctions against oil sales. Who are the winners and the losers of such sanctions"
I realized Hosseini was using the typical Iranian Dictatorship rhetoric using language to avoid discussing reality.
I feel great sorrow for the Iranian people, who are very bright and capable, but condemned to a life cut off from the real world by a bunch of idiotic morons who don't hold the Iranian people in their best interest.
Hopefully someday, soon, they will be free of these idiots.
isnt it funny , every time america trys to punish , or put sanctions on others
americans end up paying double for there gas and fuel....................you would thank they would learn
"BY WAYS OF DECEPTION' read this book . Written by a former Mosad agent. See how the Zionest nation fools the US in making all the wrong moves. You will be lucky to find that book. The f jews try to buy all the copies off the market. Read it and weep
THESE IRANIANS ARE SO CRAZY. Nothing but lies out of their mouths,
Once the moslim brothers tumble the kingdom of suadi arabia the americans better get ur bicycles ready . 1973. Live and learn. Alternative fuel VASILINE
He said it himself, the sanctions aren't working. ... Can we bomb them now please?
Dig ur own oil like dogs digging for bones
I bet Mr. Shamseddin's first job was wrestling.
He is uneducated just like khomeini and Ahmadinejhad dig be dig goft rut sia
First it was supremacy in military power and now its supremacy in technology. The cold war is still blowing all over the world and is affecting the freedom of people. Why should not an Arab country invest a bit of its oil income in some technology which is not owned, patented and sold by a western power group. This focile resource thing is not endless as the whale oil was not. Whale oil was drained off the world in almost 100 years together with the whales. It is a two way crunch played on some Arab countries which chose not to comply with the wishes and whims of some powers.
This remind me of an experiance I had in my short visit to Paris for Pret a Porte. A street seller approached me while I was sitting in a Cafe at Montmartre. I aa a Fine Arts Painting graduate of a university and was curious of the art life of France. This street seller offered to cut out my profile out of a piece of paper for 50 or so Franks. I refused because I did not want to be disturbed. He was so furious that he started to curse me saying I have no knowledge or respect for arts. It was as if by being a tourist visiting Montmarte, I was obliged to buy something from him, whether I want it or not.
This infringed on my freedom and personal rights as much as I feel for this case.
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