Middle East Mystery of the Day
The State Department has announced new sanctions on seven foreign companies that have, it claims, been helping Iran's energy sector. One of them is Israel's Ofer Brothers Group:
An Israeli company is among seven newly sanctioned by the United States for dealings with Iran.
Ofer Brothers Group is being sanctioned for its role in providing a tanker valued at $8.65 million to an Iranian shipping company.
The company "failed to exercise due diligence and did not heed publicly available and easily obtainable information that would have indicated that they were dealing with" Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, the State Department said Tuesday in releasing the names of seven companies it is adding to the list of those sanctioned for dealing with Iran's energy sector.
According to Ynet,
The Ofers are Israel's richest family. They control Israel Corp, one of Israel's largest investment companies. Israel Corp holds stakes in Israel Chemicals (ICL), the world's sixth-largest maker of potash, shipping firm Zim, chipmaker TowerJazz and Oil Refineries. It is also a main financial backer of the Better Place electric car venture.
Take it away, conspiracy-theorists. No, don't, this is Ricochet. But really: This is peculiar.
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Aug '10
Re: Middle East Mystery of the Day
This is pretty pathetic, "...sanctioned for its role in providing a tanker valued at $8.65 million to an Iranian shipping company."
First of all, an oil tanker can be bought anywhere from anyone. It's no different from a truck or a rail car. It merely transports a commodity. Ofer's role may have been simply as a broker, handling the funds. They may not have known they were involved, as these transactions are often done through front companies. We don't know. In any case, the tanker doesn't enable Iran to make a nuke in any material way.
Who are the companies selling Iran the centrifuges, computers, and other sophisticated devices Iran is using to process uranium? Who is helping them finance this multi-billion dollar enterprise? Who sells ammunition, hi-tech electronics, and plastic explosives to Iran? My guess is Russia and China.
Let's not allow ourselves to be distracted by trivialities in this ongoing catastrophe.
May '10
Re: Middle East Mystery of the Day
Israel Corp? What kind of stupid name is that? This is a Purloined Letter thing, hiding in plain sight.
The true Stupid Criminals here are the Iranians, buying something from "Israel Corp". Oh, sure, this'll be perfectly safe. Last time they commissioned work from an Israeli company, they ended up with a big Star of David on the roof of their military headquarters building.
I assume this tanker is scheduled to become instantly unseaworthy on some significant Islamic holiday, fouling the waters of the Persian Gulf and making them impassible for export vessels. Before that time, it will scatter Stuxnet viruses every time it docks, and emit a frequency that attracts Zionist killer sharks.
Re: Middle East Mystery of the Day
Exactly, Kennedy Smith. I mean, who's stupider? The Israeli company that sells an $8.65 million tanker to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, or the Iranian company that buys an $8.65 million tanker from the richest, best-connected Jews in Israel? Someone in this exchange is an idiot.
May '11
Re: Middle East Mystery of the Day
"Who are the companies selling Iran the centrifuges, computers, and other sophisticated devices Iran is using to process uranium? Who is helping them finance this multi-billion dollar enterprise? Who sells ammunition, hi-tech electronics, and plastic explosives to Iran? My guess is Russia and China."
And Germany . . . or shall I say, mainly Germany?
May '11
Re: Middle East Mystery of the Day
Oh my God! Did someone say "rich Jews?"
There are many rich Iranians, and they're not all in Dallas, either.
Re: Middle East Mystery of the Day
This is Obama's idea. He is trying to be "even-handed." And, as usual, he makes himself look bad.
Re: Middle East Mystery of the Day
You think? I thought that, then thought, "too Turkish, too conspiratorial."
Sep '10
Re: Middle East Mystery of the Day
Sounds like much ado about little. Methinks 8.5M buys a rather modest boat not exactly a supertanker. I would love to see a picture. Maybe a dozen 50 gallon drums lashed together with hemp and a propeller stuck on the back.