Kurt Nimmo, Infowars.com, January 13, 2012
The head of the Kremlin’s Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, has told the Interfax news agency Russia fears Israel will push the United States into attacking Iran.
“There is a likelihood of military escalation of the conflict, towards which Israel is pushing the Americans,” said Patrushev, a Vladimir Putin confidant.
“It cannot be ruled out that the Iranians will be able to carry out their threat to shut exports of Saudi oil through the Strait of Hormuz if faced with military actions against them.”
A Harvard and MIT study conducted in 2008 stated that Iran has significant littoral warfare capabilities, including mines, antiship cruise missiles, and land-based air defense. It would be able to close down the Strait of Hormuz for a month or more and inflict significant economic damage.
A closure would result in Brent crude prices spiking to between $150 to $200 per barrel and would trigger the release of strategic IEA reserves.