Stepping back from the brink

It would appear that between the West potentially losing all its positions in Pakistan, and bases in Central Asia (such as Kyrghizystan) the West has lost much of its strength.

Iran Warns West: Ban Our Oil And Prices Will Rise Above $250

Economy Watch,

05 December 2011

Global oil prices will double to more than $250 a barrel if Western economies impose a ban on Iranian oil exports, warned an Iranian government official on Sunday.

"Imposing sanctions on oil and gas is among the sanctions that, if one wants to do that, the consequences should be fully considered before taking any action," said Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast in a local newspaper interview as cited by Reuters.

Mehmanparast’s comments came just days after the European Union imposed fresh new economic sanctions on 180 Iranian officials and firms last week, over Iran’s alleged attempts to acquire nuclear capabilities. But while the EU managed to agree on freezing the assets of the accused parties, they stopped short of any decision to halt the purchase of oil from the Islamic state.

Iran foreign minister 'regrets storming of British embassy'

Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran's foreign minister, has expressed regret over the storming of the British embassy in Tehran and pledged to prevent future attacks, according to the German foreign ministry.

the Telegraph,

5 December, 2011

The ministry recounted a meeting between Mr Salehi and his counterpart Guido Westerwelle.

"On the issue of the attack on the British embassy in Tehran, the Iranian foreign minister expressed that he was deeply sorry for what has happened," the statement said.

"He assured to do everything to prevent such an incident from happening again," the ministry said in a statement issued in English.

"Foreign Minister Westerwelle made clear that such an attack against the diplomatic mission of a single EU member state is perceived as being directed against the missions of all EU member states."

Mr Salehi is due to attend a key international conference on the future of Afghanistan in Bonn on Monday.