Russian energy ties with Iran send U.S. a message
Simon Webb and Amie Ferris-Rotman, Reuters / Guardian, 22 Feb 2008DUBAI/MOSCOW, Feb 21 (Reuters) - As the United States warns the world away from business with Tehran, Moscow's tightening ties to Iran's energy sector underline Russia's differences with Washington over Iranian nuclear plans and Kosovo's independence.
While the timing of Moscow's announcement on Tuesday may have been political, the deal for Russian state-controlled energy giant Gazprom to take on big new Iranian oil and gas projects was a long time in the making and dovetails with Gazprom's strategic ambitions, analysts said.
Gazprom, the world's biggest gas producer, will play a larger role in developing Iran's giant South Pars gas field and will also drill for oil. ... Read full article
Editor's comment: Russia seems able to play the West like a five dollar banjo. Until the West realises that the only systemic answer is to start reducing consumption and keep reducing consumption (and uncomfortably enough, the same applies to most of the rest of the world), then our supply chains will be at the mercy of any producer who is clever and energy rich.