Iran -- and U.S. irrelevance

When you look at Iran's dealings with the rest of the world, you realise how irrelevant the U.S. is becoming in that region. U.S. embargos and threats seem to have little effect. China, India and Japan are desperate for Iran's oil and gas. Russia and China are both working hard to get oil and gas development projects. China and Russia are doing a good business selling arms to Iran, and China is doing a roaring trade in manufactured goods to Iran. But I read very little about US and EU deals. No wonder thr EU has been working so hard on the nuclear safeguards issue. They want a piece of the action too.


India
India calls Iran a strategic partner.

State-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has teamed up with Iran's Petropars to put forward a $3bn (£1.63bn) joint project to develop a gas field in Iran.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/business/3978211.stm


Russia
Russia has just about finished building a nuclear power plant for Iran, trade has risen for two straight years and is expected to be up almost 500%, according to one article I read recently. Russia will be building and launching a satellite for Iran and selling them planes.
Putin is trying hard to get oil and gas field development projects for Russian firms.

http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=27087&NewsKind=Business%20%26%20Economy


Japan
Japan is Iran's number 1 energy importer. (see WP article below)


China
Last month, China and Iran signed a preliminary accord worth $70 billion to $100 billion by which China will purchase Iranian oil and gas and help develop Iran's Yadavaran oil field, near the Iraqi border. Earlier this year, China agreed to buy $20 billion in liquefied natural gas from Iran over a quarter-century.

In turn, China has become a major exporter of manufactured goods to Iran, including computer systems, household appliances and cars. "We mutually complement each other. They have industry and we have energy resources,"

Not to mention arms sales, which no one talks about.

Trade was up 50% last year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A55414-2004Nov16?language=printer