*Three* Massive Explosions Rock Iran's Oil Heartland

Three Massive Explosions Rock Iran's Oil Heartland

I added this as an update to the "nuke" post, but it seems important enough for a new post.

Three strong explosions jolted southern Iran on Thursday, the semi-official Fars news agency reported, but gave no information about possible casualties.
"Three explosions were so strong that they shook windows of houses," the agency said, adding that the explosions happened in Khorramshahr in the border province of Khuzestan.
Khuzestan, the heartland of Iran's oil industry, has been simmering with unrest among the province's mostly Arab population for more than a year.
Slightly more than half of Iran's are 69 million people are Persians and the rest are ethnic Azeris, Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, Baluchis and Lors.

Three massive explosions in the "heartland of Iran's oil industry" which is "simmering with unrest"?

Please say it isn't so.

How will my heart go on?

Corrected: Whoops, wrote "Iraq" in the header. It's Iran.

I Wonder If This Has Anything To Do With Anything Update:

Iran to Execute Seven Arabs For "Anti-Government Activity" In Oil-Rich Khuzestan Province
Iran is planning to execute seven Arabs sentenced to death after a secret summary trial, this according to three United Nations human rights investigators.
The families of the seven men from Ahvaz, the capital of oil-rich Khuzestan province (south-west Iran), were told earlier this week that the executions would occur “in the next few days”. Seething with resentment over high levels of unemployment, Khuzestan is home of anti-government movement.
The UN officials said the seven were part of a larger group of Arabs arrested in June 2006 in the province on charges including intent to destabilise Iran and overthrow its government. Three were executed last month.
The suspects were also accused of training in Iraq by US, British and Israeli officials, said Philip Alston, the UN Human Rights Council's expert on summary executions, and fellow investigators Leandro Despouy and Manfred Nowak.

Well, they always claim that. But it's still time to say "Nice oil industry you got 'ere, Colonel. Be a shame if sometin' were to 'appen to it."

Now, am I saying I approve of terrorists blowing up Iranian oil infrastructure?

Of course not.

But, like Reuters, all I see here are some "insurgents" with a plucky, can-do attitude. And a dream.

Posted by: Ace at 05:20 PM

Comments

1 Headline says Iraq, article says Iran. I'm guessing the header oughtta say Iran.

Posted by: leoncaruthers at January 11, 2007 05:23 PM (7iTO9)

2 Might want to fix the headline- it says explosions hit Iraq.

Unless it was a joke that went over my head.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at January 11, 2007 05:23 PM (plsiE)

3 What they said.

Posted by: seattle slough at January 11, 2007 05:24 PM (H5l9d)

4 The article says Iran but the headli--WAIT A MINUTE

Posted by: z ryan at January 11, 2007 05:25 PM (zqgUK)

5 I see - so we're gonna start supporting internal rebels in Iran. This sounds interesting. I'm sure the Kurds are down with that.

Posted by: Editor at January 11, 2007 05:25 PM (adpJH)

6 Article is gone.

Posted by: Editor at January 11, 2007 05:28 PM (adpJH)

7 If we've attacked Iran, start screensaving every article you can find about Iran's evil regime.

In three months, liberals will be claiming that Iran was the home of rainbows and kiteflying kittens.

Posted by: adolfo_velasquez at January 11, 2007 05:30 PM (fy+B7)

8 Oh fuck.

Posted by: kiteflying kittens at January 11, 2007 05:31 PM (omkIU)

9 kite-flying kittens are gay.

Posted by: Rainbow at January 11, 2007 05:33 PM (wEYaf)

10 Why invade when 'disaffected youths' can do oh so much more?

PS: Throw a dollar in the CIA tip jar when you get a chance.

Posted by: blogRot at January 11, 2007 05:33 PM (EKMxC)

11 48-hour rule. My guess: not nuclear.

Posted by: Monty at January 11, 2007 05:35 PM (UdJCa)

12 Two civil wars in proximity! It's too good to be true. Let them all kill each other so we can go home.

Posted by: Fierce Scorpion at January 11, 2007 05:36 PM (CdPfY)

13 My first thought was Israel done nuked their nuke facilities.

Oh well … I can dream.

Posted by: Paladin at January 11, 2007 05:38 PM (2X4q0)

14 Two civil wars in proximity!

If Iran gets embroiled in a civil war, then Iraq's "civil war" will go away.

We'll just be trading a proxy war with Iran in Iraq, which Dems scream is a "civil war" for domestic political purposes, for a real civil war in the heartland of our real enemy in the region...

which is a very good thing.

Posted by: Rocketeer at January 11, 2007 05:40 PM (GFaLW)

15 Couple of possibilities here, might be an industrial accident, might be unrest, might be Israel blasting locations, might be testing things, could be a lot of things. LIke the explosions, massive fires, and blackouts in North Korea we might not know for years if ever.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at January 11, 2007 05:41 PM (FuM7z)

16 The rebellion has begun. Led. of course, by General Douglas Greenwald...

Posted by: Mark at January 11, 2007 05:43 PM (XSi5N)

17 If we were smart, it would have been us going after Iran's oil industry many, many months ago.

Posted by: Mark V. at January 11, 2007 05:44 PM (X5HHU)

18 Fuck the kittens!

Posted by: kitten-flying kites at January 11, 2007 05:47 PM (1tlBF)

19 see the update if you haven't yet.

Posted by: ace at January 11, 2007 05:49 PM (4qddO)

20 They're executing these seven Arabs? If they really wanted to be cruel they'd squat over a Koran or have a woman laugh at their genitals.

Posted by: z ryan at January 11, 2007 05:50 PM (zqgUK)

21 But, like Reuters, all I see here are some "insurgents" with a plucky, can-do attitude. And a dream.

Let's all pray that some "insurgent" sympathizing rogue US general doesn't deplete our wedding/child bombing supplies and send about 300 or 400 tons of US Military issue plastic explosives their way. The results could be super hilarious.

Posted by: Big E at January 11, 2007 06:14 PM (uw1/g)

22 There's no question of their guilt. Regardless of how many times the story changes.

Posted by: Nifong at January 11, 2007 07:02 PM (dpudc)

23 "Couple of possibilities here, might be an industrial accident, might be unrest, might be Israel blasting locations, might be testing things, could be a lot of things."

It was definitely unrest. Don't analyze any further.

Posted by: The Joooos at January 11, 2007 07:09 PM (6GK9U)

24 Hmm. Seems to me that Iran is crossing some sort of line here flipping off the Arab world and that will not end well for them.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at January 11, 2007 07:13 PM (FuM7z)

25 Don't lose your panties, these were dismantled mines from the Iraqi war that were discarded. Have someone learn Persian so you don't have to rely on half-ass Reuters and AP reports.

Posted by: Siroos at January 11, 2007 08:30 PM (o2/Bm)

26 "...wounds my heart with a monotonous languor."

Posted by: mojo at January 11, 2007 08:51 PM (v3Oz/)

27 Mojo: You're a genius. Especially since the French role in relations with Iran is the last thing from "la resistance". More like "la doggy style".

Posted by: Sort-of-Mad Max at January 11, 2007 09:12 PM (Ft+og)

28 Why not just mine the Iranian oil terminals. Brought the North Vietnamese to the table right sharpish. Pity we had Kissinger sitting there...

Posted by: richard mcenroe at January 11, 2007 09:20 PM (JU+yP)

29 Are the Baluchis Italian?

Posted by: John F Not Kerry at January 11, 2007 09:41 PM (CJ5+Y)

30 John has a long mustache. John has a long mustache.

Posted by: BBC at January 11, 2007 10:12 PM (ATbKm)

31 - Boltons mustache was in on this?

Posted by: Big Bang hunter at January 12, 2007 12:22 AM (k9TnY)

32 I knew that Bush was loosening the ROE, but this is better than I'd dare hope.

Amir Taheri had a piece recently in the New York Post (I think) saying that the Sunni powers were ready to hit back at Iran which is intent on creating a Shia Crescent.

"[Diplomats call it unthinkable and unimaginable:] a military showdown with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Yet a recent tour of Arab capitals presents a different picture: Arab leaders appear resigned to such a showdown as inevitable, and are preparing for it."

I heard Tony Snow mention today that we were going to start hitting 'rat lines.' Could this have anything to do with that?

Posted by: at January 12, 2007 01:39 AM (jCfaQ)

33 The speculation was fun while it lated but there is a mundane explanation for the blasts.

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8510210160

A LOT of landmines installed from the Iran-Iraq war. The Iranians collect 'em, stack 'em and, from time to time, blow 'em up. There have been 60 such detonations in that area over the last 2 years and it seems the word didn't get out to the locals that such a "diffusion operation" was scheduled.

FYI, left over or unexploded ammo is a big problem. The French are STILL collecting huge amounts of artillery shells that didn't detonate from World War One! (Aftermath - Donovan Webster)

Posted by: Arthur at January 12, 2007 02:20 AM (xwXy8)

34 Whts a war

Posted by: Grundel Bluah at January 12, 2007 05:07 AM (1LYsG)

35 replica handbags
http://blin.jouwpagina.nl/
replica handbags

Posted by: replica handbags at February 27, 2007 10:16 AM (VwonC)

Posted by: ²È½Ð¾¯½÷ at January 30, 2009 04:22 AM (hXNNS)

37 MOV Converter for Mac becomes one of the best conversion software currently. The MOV Converter Mac not only can convert video formats from one to another perfectly and quickly on Mac OS X, but also can convet MOV to iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, iPhone, Apple TV, PSP, Creative Zen, iRiver PMP, Archos, various video mobile phones and many other digital video and audio players.MOV Converter Mac,iPod Converter for Mac,AVI to DVD Mac,Mac DVD Ripper,DVD Ripper for Mac

Posted by: qweqweqwe at March 12, 2009 09:16 PM (CZ75W)

38 Give please. In America, they want you to accomplish these great feats, to pull off these David Copperfield-type stunts. You want me to be great, but you don't ever want me to say I'm great? Help me! There is an urgent need for sites: Senior manager manufacturing jobs. I found only this - make money online canada. Asset finance business development manager. Posted by - bizexpert hours, minutes ago in business finance. Waiting for a reply :confused:, Thekla from Norway.

Posted by: Thekla at July 23, 2009 12:41 PM (di2HJ)

Posted by: replica watches at November 17, 2009 03:49 AM (xpuiO)

Posted by: replica watches at November 17, 2009 08:43 AM (xpuiO)

Posted by: replica watches at November 17, 2009 10:20 PM (xpuiO)

Posted by: replica watches at November 18, 2009 06:05 AM (C/zDM)

Processing 0.01, elapsed 0.0162 seconds.
15 queries taking 0.0059 seconds, 51 records returned.
Page size 46 kb.
Powered by Minx 0.7 alpha.