Yesterday the fell 4 to 8 percent to 35000 to 1. The exact amount is hard to tell because of the regime clampdown on currency stats and sellers.
Today the has fallen another two percent to 35800.
Upcoming threats to the Rial: It will be interesting to see how the rial responds as the newest sanctions come into effect on February 6th and later when and if Assad falls. Though it's now appears that may not happen until after Iran's presidential elections, it's always possible.
Currency earned by Iran in payment to some oiil sales allowed under sanctions would have to be banked in the countries that bought the oil until sanctions end, While banked Iranian earnings could not be sent back to Iran before sanctions end, the money could be used to buy humanitarian goods, such as food and medicine. Thus the benefit of the earned income would go to those foreign countries, not Iranian producers. The former should like that while the latter will have another reason to be ticked mullah and IRCG rulers of the mafia-like Islamic Republic.
IRAN HELPS CONSTRUCT SYRIAN PARAMILITARY FORCE
The highest percentage of atrocities tend to be committed by paramilitary forces. Copying those employed by the mullahs and IRCG to beat, shot and murder Iranians and trash their homes, mosques and funerals following the 2009 election, Assad is being aided by his fraternal twin from Iran, the "holy" Supreme Leader. Lebanonon's Hezbollah--used by Khamenei to crush his own people in 2009--is also doing the same for Assad and involved in the scheme.
IRI UNDERMINES ITS CREDIBILITY ONE AGAIN AND THEREBY PROVES 2009 ELECTION RIGGING
Credibility Problem Continues: Today a hard line IRI newspaper, Mashregh news, accused Israel and Massad of having assassinated JFK. Previously regime clerics accused Israel of having been behind the elementary school shooting in Connecticult. I can't figure out why people still don't believe the regime's "honest" claims that Khamenei did not rig the 2009 election and that foreigners were behind the protests. We all know Iranians have no reason to be discontented with this regime and the Holy One's rule, do we not?
Of course, the regime has an "easy" way to clear itself of those charges once and for all and to verify that the people still love it at the same time. I could hold truely free, open and unvetted election and even bring in neutral outside observers from the UN to verify the results. Or it could hold a referendum on the IRI itself. Don't hold your breathe.
More to come later in this roundup.
Comments 6 Pending 0
FG
ReportA MOSCOW ANALYSIST DISAGREES WITH GOVERNMENT ON RUSSIAN EVACUATIONS.
Sometimes you have to hind your cards to avoid a panic. The official Russian position is that only a few Russians are leaving. However, it is interesting that the current naval rotation dispatched to Syria includes five big transports, replacing all all-warship fleet. Does that make sense for wargames? As for the Moscow analystt, see for yourself:
"Even in the foreign ministry they do not know how many Russians are now in Syria," says Vladimir Sazhin, an analyst with the official Institute of Oriental Studies in Moscow.
"Many of them are not registered with the Russian Embassy. Along with their children and other family members we may be looking at several tens of thousands," he says.
"We are seeing only the first stage of evacuation today, and it is happening very late. It is a sign that Russia is losing confidence in the situation being resolved any time in the near future.... But we had to start taking people out of that slaughterhouse much sooner," Mr. Sazhin adds.
Link to Christian Science Monitor story:
http://news.yahoo.com/start-something-big-russia-pulls-hundred-citizens-syria-155610519.html
FG
ReportREUTERS HAS AN INTERESTING REPORT ON IRAN'S MOUNTING ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/22/iran-currency-idUSL6N0AR3H320130122
From the AP: IRAN'S PRESIDENT SCOFFS AT WESTERN SANCTIONS (and makes a humorous boast)
http://news.yahoo.com/irans-president-scoffs-western-sanctions-142321987.html
EXCERPT:
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's president on Tuesday claimed his country can create 10 times more wealth from inventions than from oil, rendering Western economic sanctions powerless.
QUESTION: Given Iran's brain drain, how does he expect to do that? Meanwhile, why would the best and the brightest want to stay and live under such a regime?
FG
ReportSyrians struggle with shortages as economy buckles. Story reveals role Syrian and Iran are playing in economy.
EXCERPT: the government's inability to provide basic services is likely to fuel frustration and anger with Assad, even from supporters who are deeply distrustful of the rebels fighting to topple him."The situation is catastrophic in most of Syria," said Dubai-based Syrian economist Samir Seifan. "The economy is paralyzed. Whole sectors are paralyzed, especially the industrial sector...."
Despite the ravaged economy, most analysts say the regime can survive for at least another year at current levels of spending, and perhaps even longer.
Seifan said one reason is the assistance that the regime reportedly is getting from its main regional ally, Iran, which has allegedly provided billions of dollars since the crisis began in March 2011.
"If this assistance stops, there will be an economic collapse," Seifan said.
QUESTIONS: How can Iran afford to pay billions, especially since the regime is going down regardless. All the aid from Russia and China is being thrown away. I wonder how the Iranian people feel about this aid.
A POINT THAT BEARS REPEATING: Even Assad supporters are upset."If this assistance stops, there will be an economic collapse,"
http://news.yahoo.com/syrians-struggle-shortages-economy-buckles-171107451.html
FG
ReportWhy didn't evacuating Russians fly out and not take planes?
According to the Washington Post, the Damascus airport is under attack again--despite claims to the contrary by a recent poster at Enduring America.
It appears as I read that story that the Russians plan to evacuate many more--probably any who ask to go...and I'm sure there will be plenty. The Post also notes that today's evacuation is "the strongest indication yet that Moscow sees President Bashar Assad’s grip on power slipping nearly two years into the conflict."
Most of today's evacuees were women and children. The officials also said thousands more could follow — many of them Russian women married to Syrians — and that later evacuations could be by both air and sea.
Sea? Maybe that's why so many Russian ships are approaching Tartous, though alas they are also expected to deliver weapons for Assad's lost cause. Now it only he can find reliable and loyal troops to use them!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/activists-fighting-rages-near-damascus-as-group-of-russian-citizens-prepare-to-leave-syria/2013/01/22/88bbeefc-647d-11e2-889b-f23c246aa446_story.html
FG
ReportLOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN ASSAD'S PROSPECTS?
The first group of 50 Russian nationals being evacuated from Syria has crossed the Syrian-Lebanese border on three buses, escorted by Damascus-based Russian diplomats. As readers probably know, Assad's own mother--a hard liner with substantial influence on her son's chosen policies--had previously left for Dubai where she now resides in safety.
The group includes Russian women who married Syrians, as well as husbands and children who have Russian citizenship. The evacuees had resided in Damascus, Aleppo, Hamam and Homs.
A total of more than 80 people said they would like to return to Russia. More than 8000 Russians are registered at the Russian Consular Office as permanently or provisionally residing in Syria. According to the Russian diplomats, about 25,000 Russian women who had married Syrians have chosen to ignore registration at the Consulate.
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ITEM: Assad is trying to shift all cash in Syrian banks to Damascus and losing quite a bit of it in the process. This news implicitly raises the question of weather he has given up dreams of a coast redoubt.
Syrian banks face gangs and robbery as they transport cash to Damascus
Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/industry-insights/finance/syrian-banks-face-gangs-and-robbery-as-they-transport-cash-to-damascus#ixzz2ImKbEwPE
Follow us: @TheNationalUAE on Twitter | thenational.ae on Facebook
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While Assad's forces continue to lose control of Syria bit by bit, week by week and month by month, his defense minister boasts the regime is on the way to victory.
I wonder how many of Alawites or regime troops believe that whopper, let alone the rebels and the outside world. I'm reminded of Ahmadinejad's claims that the whole world is beating a path to Iran's door to learn how to run an economy or Khamenei's claims that Iranians still love the regime and himself deeply despite all the crimes he has committed openly since blatantly rigging the 2009 elections.
From Enduing America:
The Minister of Defense, General Fahd Jassem al-Freij, has declared "that the Syrian Arab Army will continue pursuing the armed terrorist groups everywhere until we achieve victory and foil the conspiracy".
Meanwhile, insurgents continued to build their forces for a possible offensive near Idlib city, the regime continued its bombardment of insurgent-held Damascus suburbs, and a car bomb in Salamiyeh in Hama Province --- responsibility unclaimed and unknown --- killed an undetermined number of people.
Fred
ReportThank you for the informative blog.
FYI, there is a typo in your blog. The next wave of sanctions by the sane world will become effective on the 6th of February and not the 8th.