IRAN: we don't mix OIL with POLITICS

"We are not mixing oil with politics," [Iran's Oil Minister] told reporters at the start of an OPEC meeting in Vienna.

Remember that one (among others), when they blame Iran for the spike in oil prices after Thursday's IAEA meeting.

In a joint statement after their talks in London, the foreign ministers [of the Security Council's big five, plus Germany and the European Union] said they had agreed that an emergency meeting of the IAEA board on Thursday "should report to the Security Council its decision on the steps required of Iran".

However, with Russia and China opposed to hasty action, the agreement delayed any decision on formal referral of Iran to the council, where it could face sanctions, until after a scheduled International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting on March 6.

Where have I heard that date before?

"We consider any referral or report of Iran to the Security Council as the end of diplomacy," Larijani . . . secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council

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"In case of any referral or report to the council, we are obliged to lift all the suspensions and stop implementation of the Additional Protocol based on a law passed by parliament," [said] chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani...

The Additional Protocol of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [is] signed but not ratified by Iran...

Iran . . . said this month it was resuming nuclear research which had been suspended for 2-1/2 years.

"If these countries use all their means ... to put pressure on Iran, Iran will use its capacity in the region," [said Larjani]

Analysts and diplomats say Iran . . . means to create trouble for the West in Iraq, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories and elsewhere.

Sounds like a fairly good indication that we're looking at WWIII.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said an extensive period of "confidence-building" was required from Iran.

2 and 1/2 years is not long enough. A century or more would be reasonable.

A senior British official, who asked not to be named, said . . . "If the Iranians blink there will be no need for any action in New York."

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But [to that] Javad Vaeedi . . . said Iran had no intention of backing down.

"Research and development is the Iranian nation's legitimate right and is irreversible."

In other words, up yours.

With M3 data strategically concealed from prying eyes, the stage is pretty much set for all out war as soon as Iran starts mixing OIL with EUROS.