This Monday the European Union officially voted in an oil
embargo against Iran, adding to a list that also includes the United States and
Japan. Officially the European Union accounts for about 18 percent of Iran’s
oil exports (The Washington Post 1), but until Iran will eliminate their
nuclear weapons program the European Union will not be importing any oil from
Iran. Meanwhile last Sunday the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier, the
HMS Argyll, a frigate, and the La Monte Picquet, a French frigate, have all
joined up to protect the 30-mile wide Hormuz strait from any Iranian
interference (The Washington Post 3). Also
last Thursday a 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck a city in north east Iran,
approximately 550 miles from Tehran, leaving about 100 injured and more infrastructure
damage adding to the laundry list of problems that Iran is facing (The
Washington Post 2). With all of these pressures mounting on Iran, President
Ahmadinejad has announced today that he would like to revive talks about
reducing the Iranian nuclear program, but he insists that
Iran must be able to continue enriching uranium (The Washington Post 1).
Although they may demand this now, as conditions worsen for Iran we shall see
if they are able to keep this on the bargaining table. The International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA), the nuclear energy watchdog of the United Nations, is
expected to visit Iran’s underground bunker in the next couple of weeks, so the
results of this examination will be crucial in moving forward with the talks.
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/president-ahmadinejad-adds-voice-to-irans-call-for-nuclear-talks-with-world-powers/2012/01/26/gIQAjt9XSQ_story.html
2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/iran-tv-reports-moderate-earthquake-jolts-iranian-city-no-known-casualties/2012/01/19/gIQAeMfZAQ_story.html
3. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/iran-says-sanctions-will-be-ineffective-as-eu-imposes-oil-embargo-over-nuclear-program/2012/01/24/gIQAHCVrMQ_story.html
