Iran Suicidal

News from Iran. Iran Focus:

Iran’s Foreign Minister has expressed “concern” over “human rights abuses” in the United States and called on the United Nations to investigate the matter.

Oh, well, we have nothing to worry about. The UN....if it hit it in the face. Is Iran on the UN Human Rights commission?

Another Iranian plane crash. Remember this? It's Not Vegas:

Aircraft regularly fall out of the sky because Iranians are unable to reverse-engineer spare parts.

Finally, David R. Francis, via RCP:

For Iran, the use of its own oil as a bargaining chip has limited value. Iran gets 90 percent of its government revenues from oil. Its exports of about 2.5 million b.p.d. amount to 80 percent of its total exports. Oil provides some 40 percent of Iran's gross domestic product.

Yet Iran is the only major producer of oil to suffer from a budget deficit. The Iranian public, notes Alhajji, is heavily dependent on government subsidies for staple goods and fuels. From 1980 to 2005, Iran's population grew by 22.4 million and now stands at 68 million. Its daily oil output during that period rose by only 600,000 barrels.

So a cut in oil exports by Iran would be risky at home. "If they are willing to commit suicide, they could do it," says Alhajji.

Give it up Iran.