U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting to “discuss fighting human trafficking on the southern border” in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, US on February 1, 2019. IMAGE: Jim Young, Reuters
President Donald Trump said on September 18 that he will increase the sanctions pressure on Iran, in what appears to be a respond to the Abqaiq–Khurais attack.
“I have just instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to substantially increase Sanctions on the country of Iran!” Trump wrote on Twitter.
The U.S. President didn’t provide details on persons or entities that would be targeted by the new round of sanctions.
The move could be a respond to the attack on Saudi oil facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais, which took place on September 14. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack. However, U.S. officials claim that Iran was behind it.
According to reports, dozens of cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were reportedly used in the attack. Aramco’s facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais suffered from severe damage as a result of the attack, which forced Saudi Arabia to lower it oil exports for several days.
Trump’s move indicates that the U.S. is determined to hold Iran accountable for the attack, despite the lack of any evidence confirming that the missiles and drones were launched from the Islamic Republic.
Will it make any difference, except to make Iran stronger? Considering they do not trade in $US?
The US, or any other agency have not shown any flight data from their satellites or radars as yet. Could it be that a Video Game company is currently creating those images:)
So essentially the attacks were Houthi retribution for the destruction of Yemen by the US and UK backed Saudi’s and their mercenaries. Including an Australian senior officer in command.
If the US resorts to nuclear missiles etc, the Chinese and Russians will be obliged to respond in kind, as they both realise that the US desperately needs to loot their countries , AGAIN in order to keep the Empire of chaos free wheeling down hill into the next century.
Reminds me of John Kerry, stating that the US had evidence that Russia was behind MH17. They never produced it, but, admitted their intelligence came from Social Media.
Not forgetting the lies that were told, by Bush and Blair, to take us into war with Iraq. Remember, Colin Powell, over in the UN?
‘We will invade 7 nations in 5 years, ending in Iran’ – General Wesley Clark, the darling of the Atlantic Council.
Russia saw the evidence dufus but as always cant admit to anything .
Which is why Russia held a press conference, showing their radar data, just a week or two after it happened. The US, stated they had substantiated evidence, it was Russia, just like they did, when they took us into a war with Iraq, together with Tony Blair, lying over in Parliament, about Sadam’s weapons of mass destruction. The US, State Department, then stated their irreputable evidence, was no more than social media gossip.
So once again darling, mirror transposition/reverse blame, appears to be your speciality.
This is an article in ‘Money Week’ dated 13 Sept 2019, and published a couple of days BEFORE the attack on the Saudi oil production.
Another article in the same edition talked about John Bolton’s dismissal and the fact that oil prices dropped $2 / barrel on that news.The fact that the most dangerous hot spot in the world today, with many US bases, and of course Israel with all the satellite and radar tracking from the US Coalition of Terror, had a Blind Spot on the night of the attack is fanciful, I think.
Whatever the US intelligence saw or did not see is in contention. Is the US waiting for some faked data to be produced? Does the US know it was not Iran or the Houthis? Is the US covering for the failure of its expensive weapons? Is the US complicit with the attack? Why were no air defences facing the ALLEGED direction of attack from Iran that is in direct line of sight? Why did the US jump to the conclusion within minutes or a few hours at most that ‘It woz Iran wot highly likely dun it’ ?
The following article appears was written by a Reuters reporter and now a Fortune Teller.
“Saudi Arabia tries to boost oil Could oil go to $25 per barrel? Reuters reported this week that Russia’s central bank is not ruling out a plunge in oil prices next year because of weakening global economic growth, which lowers energy demand. Brent crude is down by almost a quarter since hitting $84 a barrel in October 2018. However, this week brought talk of a renewed Saudi effort to raise prices. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman abruptly replaced energy minister Khalid al-Falih with roya I half-brother Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. “Falih has paid the price for an oil price that remains stubbornly beneath the $70-$80 range” and Riyadh needs to bolster its budget, Derek Bower of RS Energy told the Financial Times. The flood of US shale oil has seen Riyadh and Moscow join forces to curb production and support prices, notes The Wall Street Journal. Yet this “Opec+” arrangement was built on the good relationship between Falih and his Russian counterpart. His replacement means more uncertainty about the way ahead. The reality is that slumping global oil demand is largely outside the kingdom’s control, says Matt Egan for CNN Business. Falih’s replacement “reflects a sense of urgency about boosting prices”. Riyadh Iooks poised to double down on its strategy of limiting output by “considering even deeper production cuts”. As Michael Tran of RBC Capital Markets puts it, “The Saudis are in do-whatever-it-takes mode”.
“moneyweek.com 13 September 2019”
Cheers. Funnily enough, I was just reading some of the comments over on Moon of Alabama. There was one, pointing out that the four tanks, were all hit in the same place, happened to be empty and Saudi has gone, within hours, from such a tragedy, to virtually being back with 75% production. Funny that.
You always know when it is contrived, owing to the politicians and media being on top of the story, within the hour of it happening.
Over on the Daily Mail, they are saying that Trump has been talking to Boris and they are both on board for the Tony Blair/George Bush version of Iraq, but, over in Iran. Assumed Boris would wish to make Israel Great Again, just like Trump, and just sitting back, waiting to see. As memories of him being Foreign Secretary and in charge of Intelligence, back in 2016, when Steele Gate was up and running. Trump also knows, and no doubt it might come in handy, when favours are needed. Or am I being cynical?
another 9/11 same script.
It would be cynical I think , not to realise that Boris is yet another British MP who is willing to sacrifice the rewards of the British people of all colours and creeds for the hegemony of the pariah state of Israel.
With Trump over in the US, making Israel great again and Boris, once he delivers BREXIT, will then focus purely on making Israel great again, no doubt.
Hi, just seen this. Don’t think Japan (remember they did not buy the BS, when they tried to blame Iran hitting the Japanese tanker?), or France are buying it? Aren’t France heavily involved with Iran and Qatar and their joint oil field project?
Japan Says There Is No Evidence Iran Was Behind Attack on Saudi Aramco Facilities…
‘… French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also said on Tuesday that he is not aware of evidence demonstrating Iranian involvement.
“Up to now France doesn’t have proof permitting it to say that these drones came from such and such a place, and I don’t know if anyone has proof,” said Le Drian. “We need a strategy of de-escalation for the area, and any move that goes against this de-escalation would be a bad move for the situation in the region…’
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201909191076835540-japan–no-evidence-iran-behind-attack-saudi-aramco-facilities/
France’s Macron to meet Qatari emir in wake of Saudi oil attack Published18 SEPTEMBER, 2019UPDATED 18 SEPTEMBER, 2019 PARIS – President Emmanuel Macron will hold talks with Qatar’s ruling emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani on Thursday, the French presidency said. REUTERS Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/world/frances-macron-meet-qatari-emir-wake-saudi-oil-attack
We are in politics, not the evidence business. Japan wont get anywhere with its evidence bs.
Its a tangled mess indeed when the elite vie for each others wealth and power. This has always been of course throughout history, and is no different in mentality to rival ‘families’ in everyday gangland seeking to take each others territory, as with territory comes the ability to tax the civilians.
We are again witnessing the US terror gangs in Idlib fighting each other again for the spoils of occupation :) And the US doing the same on a global scale.
Greed is truly classless as the scumbags of all classes are prone to it.
I must admit, I am hoping the gangland way, will take out many of the actors.
It always has for thousands of years, AM :)
Fingers crossed, many more, before Ukraine provides them with Ukrainian citizenship and a free run into Europe, minus the NGO Cruises.
Yes, and there are a plethora of ways to remove these people in internecine turf wars.
Assassination, bribery, coercion, ‘jewdicial’ prosecutions , terminal illness, etc.
Off course it will. If Iran is denied the import of dates, the whole country will suffer from lack of food. All Irans accounts on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter will also be closed. Then they cannot communicate with the world and get modern future green technology.
Remind, me, but, for how many years has Iran been managing with the sanctions? Not forgetting that she does not trade in $US and has no problem trading with other nations, including Russia and China, when needed.
Most would think it bliss, not to have access to Facebook, You Tube, Google and Twitter.
Off the Wall comment: This is Trump playing the Best card that he has got. ‘Cause he knows even if the homicidal maniac whom he is trying to keep happy does not once the missiles start flying the consequences will be Global. IsraHell will be destroyed large sections of Iran too. And, we are all aware of the IsraHelli homicidal mind set, the Samson option demands that these Maniacs will attack London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow etc. Russia fortunately will be able to defend it’s airspace against this mindless attack but not from the nuclear fall-out. So imposing more useless sanctions on the country that did not carry out the attack seems like a win win in the Trump Camp. Time has come to lock up this dangerous nut job. Wonder if ISIS could give their Yanki allies bibis head on a stick…
sanctions – great, they’ve achieved so much already so I guess Iran will turn over and say enough enough and give up its treasures to the americans. nah don’t think so and China and Russia and pakistan and Turkey and India will continue to do business with Iran albeit in a rather oblique way.
the one thing to do to secure peace and prosperity to the middle east is to take out the sraelis – right off the map and if they can find a home somewhere in the unhinged states of A – fine and if not, tough luck since it will be the graveyard for the lot! and naturally the fifth columns embedded in different societies around the world must be included in the purge since they in every respect are part of the crimes against humanity the israelis have perpetrated.
How many decades have Iran dealt with various forms of sanctions? They are used to it, but, is the US used to being isolated?
GO TRUMP GO sanction the fuck out of those terrorists and while your at it add more to putin and pals .