The world is watching as Iran seized a British oil tanker today. This, following on the heals of Iran shooting down a US drone and the US following suit by downing an Iranian drone.
Well, here is a piece of news that helps explain what is really happening….
Two Iranian ships are stranded in Brazil because Brazil’s state-run oil company Petrobras refuses to sell them the fuel needed to return to Iran due to sanctions imposed against Iran by the United States.
Reuters explained on Friday that the cargo ships Bavand and Termeh arrived in Brazil a few months ago to deliver a shipment of petrochemical fertilizer and pick up loads of corn.
The Bavand was loaded up with 50,000 tons of corn and the Termeh is supposed to take on another 66,000 tons.
Carrying food back to Iran is legal under U.S. sanctions and Iran buys a great deal of corn from Brazil, but unfortunately for the Iranian captains, the Petrobras subsidiary that sells maritime fuel in Brazilian ports cited the U.S. sanctions and refused to refuel the ships. The Iranian government might need to send a tanker loaded with fuel all the way to Brazil to get the cargo vessels and their loads of corn.
Reuters explained that, unlike most ships employed in Iran’s agricultural trade with Brazil, the Bavand and Termeh are both flying Iranian flags. Iranian-flagged vessels usually arrive in Brazil with enough fuel to make it home, but that evidently was not the case with these two ships.
Petrobras stated that both Iranian ships appear by name on a list of sanctioned vessels, so refueling them could “have consequences for the oil company,” as Radio Farda put it. Petrobras is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and has operations in the United States, making it vulnerable to secondary sanctions.
https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2019/07/19/iranian-ships-stranded-brazil-without-fuel/
Meanwhile….
Inflation runs rampant in Tehran as Iran’s government struggles to stem rising food prices
- Tehran faces rising food prices and food shortages.
- Iran’s government is running out of options to help stem the costs.
- A local cook estimates prices have increased by 50% to 100% in the last year.
- The cost of beef has gone from 380,000 rials a kilo three months ago to nearly 1.2 million rials per kilo, pricing out many families.
As U.S. sanctions on Iran extend into a second year, Iranian citizens are paying the price with skyrocketing costs and food shortages.
Jafar Ghaffari, a cook in Tehran, is one of the many Iranians struggling to keep up with the rising cost of food. He says prices have increased by 50% to 100% in the last year.
Ghaffari says his weekly shopping trip, which cost him 7 million rials [$50] just three months ago, now costs him 14 million rials ($100) a week, nearly half the average Iranian’s salary.
Now…..get this…..
Unable to realize the economic benefits of the nuclear deal, Iran is facing high inflation, a devalued currency and an economy that the International Monetary Fund predicts will shrink by 6% this year.
The Iranian government has found its hands tied as prices on foods climb higher, pricing out the population, whose average monthly salary of 32 million rials equals only $220.
In 2018, the rial lost nearly 60% of its value. With less buying power (the exchange rate for the dollar on the free market is 145,000 rials), Iranians are finding they can’t stretch their paychecks anymore.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/17/inflation-rampant-in-tehran-as-iran-struggles-to-stem-rising-food-prices.html
Did you get all that?
The rial is collapsing, inflation is spiraling out of control, sanctions prevent Iran’s from selling oil (and now even buying fuel for it’s cargo ships loaded with food), and the cost of food inside Iran is getting so bad that…
Factories that make baking essentials have run out of raw ingredients and some have either stopped manufacturing altogether or sell products at an inflated price off the books. The government has tried to step in and force manufacturers to sell, but there is little upside for those factories to pay workers and sell goods below their cost. It’s cheaper to shutter their doors.
Don’t forget, the Iranian gov’t…it’s regime…is unpopular inside Iran. And now this.
PDJT has put the mullah’s controlling Iran into an impossible economic situation. Inflation is spiraling out of control with the gov’t UNABLE to do anything to curb it, and it’s people are now starting to go hungry.
And here is the kicker…
Iranians blame the(ir) government… 😎
POTUS is holding the mullah’s balls in vice they can not wiggle out or away from.
#WINNING
Thank you FGC
You bet
So glad to hear from you fg&c. Another concise informative post. Do you have any interactions with Iranian pilots where they could, perhaps, speak more freely?
Nope. They tend to keep to themselves because they are watched and have too much to lose, very much like former Soviet pilots used to be.
This is typical of the crap they have to endure…
https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-pilot-arrestes-revealing-saftey-issues/29367403.html
They wouldn’t know who would be an informer. Like the Soviet bloc. And even if they defected their families would pay the price
Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in the cage/not
Thank You, FG&C! That was very informative. I appreciate your post so much…
Thanks for saying so. 🙂
Great report FG&C. I don’t want people to starve, but this made my day. Thank you.
From what I’ve seen from Iranians on Twitter, they actually want the sanctions to force the mullahs out. They’re willing to sacrifice if it means gaining control of their own government.
TY for the confirmation Linda. I kind of thought so.
FG&C, Great info!
Read three Brit tankers seized today. Saw at least one of the Brit tankers was released. Wonder if the Iranians absconded with the oil.
Iranian ships stuck in Brazil through their inept fuel planning / cash flow / exchange rate difficulties is great news. Over joyed for Iranian misery… Bastards need to stop living in the dark ages and be civil.
Thanks so much FG&C for putting this piece together. I have such great admiration for the Iranian people; they deserve to have their country back. Nothing galls me more than the knowledge that Kerry and his Obama syncophants are working with Iran forces against their citizens and US interests.
If anyone has some trusted Iranian tweeters or news sources, please share those with us. I do follow HashmetAlvi on twitter although I need to confirm that spelling.
He’s also on quod verum social
Good information! Obviously contrary to the Obama Fake News and their agenda, so we’re only going to hear part of the story.
The WOOKIE is very WULNERABLE on this Iran Deal stuff, WOOF THINKS. 😉
Here is why it would be awesome for Iran to get rid of the Mullahs. Here is the HISTORY that could happen:
– no more funding for Hamas and Hezbollah
– Iranian Revolutionary Guards come home
– recognize Israel and its right to exist
– allow unlimited UN and Israeli inspection of its nuclear industry
– all sanctions removed
– all nuclear industry restrictions removed
– etc., etc., etc.
Imagine – by simply giving up its OBSESSION with destroying Israel, Iran could overnight become one of the richest and most powerful nations in the world.
Iran under the Mullahs is LITERALLY psychotic.
Because RADICAL ISLAM IS PSYCHOTIC.
And it is OUR RIGHT not to allow RADICAL ISLAM to FESTER IN in the UNITED STATES.
Even a LITTLE BIT OF RADICAL ISLAM is DANGEROUS.
And yet our STUPID “AP” won’t even ALLOW the term “Islamism” or “Islamists”.
Unfortunately, hatred for Israel and the Jews is written into the core texts of Islam and 1400 years of tradition, as well as the teachings/rantings of the Imams and Mullahs..
What we need is a world-wide conversion to Christ.
They hate Christians, Hindus,Buddhist’s, atheists and Muslims of differing creeds and level of fundamentalism.
And, at the lowest level of all, they hate themselves. For they are bound to Satan.
Only Jesus, and Salvation can set them free. Right now, they’re in a “Hotel Kalifornistan” situation; they can check out, but they can never leave…
When you step back, and look at all the cults, secret societies, etc., the ALL have SEVERE penalties, up to and including DEATH, for becoming “apostate” or leaving their “religion”. And they all require an enormous amount of “care and feeding” (gotta get you further up the bridge; a few $1000.00/hr. intensives ought to do it, maybe a couple of rundowns and a purif at $5000.00 each will do, too).
I’ve been hounded since I “blew” $cientology 38 years ago. And, because of some accidental comments (in reply to cold calls from the $cienos to family members), they’ve “found” me here. But, at least they don’t try to kill me (but they did, to Lisa McPherson, RIP).
The Moslems, on the other hand, consider apostasy or conversion a capital offense, requiring death, or PAINFUL death. Then there are others, that threaten cutting one’s tongue out, or diversection, etc., etc.
Or Arkancide.
There are “honor killings” here each and every day. What honor is there in avenging a supposed slight to a Moon god who, were he so powerful, could avenge himself?
Forced compliance is no compliance, nor desire nor interest. Only FREE WILL is true… And, yes, that free will means one can say “NO”, if that is what they so desire…
Yes it’s a vicious cult. What makes me laugh is when they say it’s feminist. Even if you obey every single rules, and they have a rule for EVERYTHING, you can still be married and fucked, against your will at6-12 depending on how the Muslims are trying to ingratiate themselves in civilised society, you can be beaten at will by you husband with the proviso he doesn’t do too much damage, stoned to death if you talk to an unrelated male, divorced byyouhusband saying I divorce you 3 times, only inherit 1/3 as much as your brothers. Oh and once weaned your kids belong wholly and solely to your husband. Ffs. What a nightmare
Any Islam is dangerous whilst their perfect god given Koran calls for the death and enslavement of infidels. It’s kind of like being a little bit pregnant.its wierd because Persia/Iran had a glorious past and that had not been totally erased by Islam. The old pre Islamic names (for people) persist. In fact the Persians Iranians were the most tolerant of all in the Middle East and were disparaged as Jew lovers. They have a great history not just camel riding raiders and thieves
Cargo ships, sitting in Brazil, loaded with corn, and not enough fuel to get home.
Wow
Wowwwwww
Thank you, Obama. Yes, I said it.
The Iranian people KNOW the USA returned frozen assets of 150 BILLION dollars and the Mullahs squandered it to undermine other countries. It turns citizen sentiment.
It’s the timing which is key.
Without any spoke in the wheel, Trump Strategy would not work, but LOOK at what his administration has done.
Before setting out on this journey —- President Trump took a little trip to Saudi, did the sword dance, and aligned the 51 countries of GCC. Gobsmacking brilliance. Somehow, still shaking my head about it, Israel and Saudi are working together, with Egypt, Jordan. Qatar and the bad billionaires of Saudi funding the terror were placed in time out. With these things accomplished, the plan was set in motion.
1. We’re energy independent, fuel $/barrel have remained steady throughout.
2. Mnuchin sanctions are nothing short of miraculous (people are going to write books about this guy).
3. Our military has money.
4. Trump Admin went after DPRK – FIRST, and wrangled China/Russia into signing UN sanctions against DPRK, which means they really can’t bust the sanctions on Iran.
5. China “balls in a vice”, fighting their own struggles with USA.
6. Trump Doctrine has Europe on their heels, paying for defense in NATO and Merkel’s power has evaporated.
7. A powerful Prime Minister in England is no threat to strategy AND Macron’s countrymen hate him. Notre Dame is gone and yellow vests are in the streets.
8. The BRIC Countries, Brazil, Russia, India, China + Turkey, are either on our side or marginalized.
9. And finally, Trump has overturned the table in the Pentagon. Firing Mattis when he returned from Iraq was key. And President Trump will not be fooled into a war.
It’s nothing short of brilliant. We’ve never seen anything like it. The timing, the rollout, sure and steady, bringing countries along, turning their sentiment, despite all the obstacles, has come to fruition and we have arrived at this moment.
Iran’s Mullahs call on their old guard, try their old tricks, call their old friends. They’re puzzled. Nothing is working.
“Firing Mattis when he returned from Iraq was key” Couldn’t agree more. Being from a Marine / Navy family, I was familiar with his reputation and jumped for joy when Mattis was tapped for Secretary of Defense. Then it became apparent that he had an agenda which wasn’t in accord with the President. More DS BS. (There is sooo much of this crap in the Pentagon…disloyal, seditious, if not treasonous.)
What a Herculean task the President is confronted with on a daily basis…not a problem for our Atlas.
Read somewhere that Matt is may be lined up for military tribunals. OTOH his ego might have tripped him up. It must be galling for experts to take orders from someone as unconventional as Potus though you would think that Matt is would be deeply familiar with the art of war.
Terrific post, FG&C…i’ve Sent it on to my list!
And…also like your follow up comments, Daughn.
Good teamwork, guys!
FG&C wonderful read. Thank you.