While tensions between the United States and Iran have eased somewhat following President Trump’s assassination on 3 January of Iranian general/ number two political leader Qasem Soleimani, Washington has warned more killing of Iranian officials remain a U.S. policy option.
Speaking at the annual Davos meeting in Switzerland last week, U.S. Special Representative to Iraq, Brian Hook, singled out Esmail Ghanni, who replaced Soleimani, as a target.
“If Ghanni follows the same path of killing Americans, then he will meet the same fate… This isn’t a new threat. The president [Trump] has always said that he will always respond decisively to protect American interests. I think the Iranian regime understands now that they cannot attack America and get away with it,” said Hook.
Responding to Hook’s threat, the Iranian foreign ministry said, “These words are an official announcement and a clear unveiling of America’s targeted and governmental terrorism.”
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Who are the “Americans” Hook is referring to that cannot not be attacked? Average American citizens?
Or the American military and their mercenaries killing, bombing, and illegally occupying Yemen, Libya, Syria, Iraq, and other sovereign nations who pose no threat to “Americans”?
And who are the “American interests” Mr. Hook is referring to that must be protected? ExxonMobil, Halliburton, United Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and other war profiteers?
Ghanni, as well as other Iranian officials, are vowing to take revenge for the U.S. killing of Soleimani.
And, as reported in last week’s Trends Journal, the Pentagon has sent an additional 4,000 troops and military hardware to the Middle East region surrounding Iran.
TREND FORECAST: The U.S./Israel/Saudi alliance will continue to target Iran. We forecast an acceleration of overt and covert economic and political warfare will be launched by the alliance in efforts to bring down the Iranian government and have them submit to alliance demands.
And now, with oil prices dropping to under $60 per barrel and Iran’s exports having fallen to 500,000 barrels of oil per day (from 2.8 million before Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal and put “maximum pressure” sanctions on the nation), Iran’s economy will continue its sharp decline while domestic pressure against the ruling government will intensify.
Here Comes Europe
While the European Union has made overtures it would continue working with Iran to both keep the nuclear agreement, which the U.S. backed out of, and work to maintain peace in the region, it is now capitulating to U.S. pressure.
Among the countries sending naval forces to the Strait of Hormuz, which borders Iran and is the only sea passage to move oil from the Persian Gulf to the world’s oceans, are France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Holland, and Greece.
