to block oil trade through the crucial strait of hormuz leading to continue deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in the region with a mission to prevent any hindrances of passage u.s. and israeli forces are planning on holding a missile defense trail two in the region and recent ten day naval. john race from start the war coalition told me that western worries over the land suppose a nuclear ambitions of always just been an excuse to curtail radian influence in the region. this isn't just about nuclear weapons if you were about nuclear weapons in the middle east then the.

block oil trade through the crucial strait of hormuz leading to a continued deadlock in the persian gulf americanwarships are also present in the region with a mission to prevent any hindrances of passage i spoke to john recently stop the war coalition who told me that western worries over iran's supposed nuclear ambitions of zero is just spin excuse to cartel iranian influence in the region. this isn't just about nuclear weapons if it were about nuclear weapons in the middle east then the united states would have a bone to pick with israel which is the only power in the middle east which.

to block oil trade through the crucial strait of hormuz leading to a key of deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in the region with a mission to prevent any hindrances of passage let's discuss this further we're now joined live by political analyst christophe is on the line with us live from berlin thanks for being with us iran seems to be feeling the pain of the sanctions already how serious an impact could they have if the oil embargo does in fact go through. well as far as the oil is concerned the impact is not very big germany is taking a one point five million barrels in a year that's next to nothing the european union has four percent of the. oil imports done by iran or from iran so that is not really a threat of course if they close the strait of hormuz that is. more dangerous not for germany though we just in the zero from the middle east except a little from iran as i said two point six million barrels a year or so very little from syria. but it's not affected by the strait of hormuz but for the rest yes it has fifteen point five million barrels per day going t

oil oil trade through the crucial strait of hormuz leading to a continued deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in the region with a mission to prevent any hindrances of passage political analyst christophe who are still thinks the e.u. is paving the way for war against iran with the help of the u.n. nuclear watchdog and a biased media. on paper so to say they're not moving the troops but this is going to happen in washington as we know is constantly every day war gaming the whole globe so for them that's no surprise at all the stumbling block is that iran wants to talk to the western powers the you presented by catherine ashton is not ready for talks but they want to have their agenda followed step by step and that means that a letter written by ashton. has to be answered first the iranians right now don't want to answer in the way the west wants to hear so this is a real stalemate but overall i can see the situation is pretty serious since the with trying to misuse the peaceful nuclear program. which was peaceful so far they're not building a bomb definitely they're

the crucial strait of hormuz leading to a continue leading to a continued deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in the region with the mission to prevent any hindrances of passage political analyst christophe course still thinks e.u. is paving the way to war against iran with the help of the un's nuclear watchdog and a biased media. on paper so to say they're not moving the troops but this is going to happen and washington as we know is constantly every day war gave me the whole.

to block oil trade through the crucial strait of hormuz leading to a continued deadlock in persian gulf american warships are also present in the region the mission to prevent any hindrances of passage political analyst christophe horse still thinks the e.u. is paving the way for war against him with the help of the un's nuclear watchdog and a biased media. papers that they're not moving at the troops but there's going to happen there.

block oil trade through the crucial strait of hormuz leading to a continued deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in the region with a mission to prevent any hindrances of passage u.s. and israeli forces are planning to hold a missile defense through following iran's recent a naval exercise but a joint race in the stop the war coalition the top of the western worries over iran's supposed nuclear ambitions of always just been an excuse to could taylor rein in influence in the region. this isn't just about nuclear weapons if it were about nuclear weapons in the middle east then the united states would have a bone to pick with israel which is the only power in the middle east which actually possesses nuclear weapons it's not about that that's because as well i but the reason for this continued conflict is because the american administration simply can't live with an iran which has as much regional power as it has at the moment you see the americans when they look at the iranian regime they see its links with syria they see links with hamas they see links with hezbollah and

block oil trade through the crucial strait of hormuz leading to a continued deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in the region with a mission to prevent any hindrances of passages toward the job political activist the national officer at the stop the war coalition who's in london to get his thoughts about what we're seeing unfolding in front of our eyes here i there and sanctions are often used by the west but how effective are they really are they're often criticized or no or what do you think the u.s. and the e.u. is really trying to achieve here. well i think we have to understand this is a strategic foreign policy problem that the united states has had since the failure of the war in iraq the war in iraq was meant to give them a stable pro western pro-business base for operations in the middle east what they ended up doing is making iran a great a regional power than it was before and so they've got to deal with this problem and this is what the sanctions are about but the sanctions as we know in the past as we know over the case of iraq indeed were the precursor to

block all trade through the crucial strait of hormuz leadings would continue deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in the region with a mission to prevent any hindrances of passage let's get some more analysis on this talk now to professor of political science is from paris west university and on the defense server good evening to you thanks for being on the program and markets have already been reacting to the persian gulf standoff with oil prices edging up is it wise do you think for the west to push for sanctions at a time when rising all prices could of course threaten badly needed economic recovery another big story that's ongoing as well to the side of this. well clearly from an economic point of view it is not wise but political point of view this is grandstanding and political. coming from leaders who are facing elections obama in the us and obama has very tough on iran because it is accused by the republicans of being soft on iran and so cozy quite discredited in trances trying to score a success so trying to bash iran something good for political reasons for thi

block oil trade through the crucial strait of hormuz waiting to continue to deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in the region with a mission to prevent any blocking of shipping.

block oil trade through the crucial strait of hormuz leading to a continued deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in the region with a mission to prevent any hindrances of passages talk to join political activists the national officer at the stop the war coalition who's in london to get his thoughts about what we're seeing unfolding in front of our eyes here i there sanctions are often used by the west but how effective are they really are they're often criticized or no what do you think the u.s. and the e.u. is really trying to achieve here well i think we have to understand this is a.

block oil traded through the crucial strait of hormuz leading to continue to deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in. the region with a mission to prevent any impeding of shipping u.s. and israeli forces are planning to hold a pencil drill in the following iran's recent ten day exercise john reese from the stop the war coalition says that western worries over iran's supposed nuclear ambitions have always just been an.

block oil trade through the crucial strait of hormuz leading to a continued deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in the region with a mission to prevent any hindrances of passage u.s. and israeli forces are planning to hold a missile defense to the following iran's recent naval exercise to join lease in the stop the war coalition had told the western worries over iran's supposed nuclear ambitions of always just been an excuse to could tailor rein in influence in the region.

block all trade through the crucial strait of hormuz leadings would continue deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in the region with a mission to prevent any hindrances of passage of some more analysis on this talk now to professor of political science from paris west university. thanks for being on the program markets have already been reacting to the persian gulf standoff with oil prices edging up as it was you think for the west to push for sanctions at a time when rising all prices could of course threaten.

block oil trade through the crucial strait of hormuz leading to a continued deadlock in the persian gulf american warships are also present in the region with a mission to prevent any hindrances passage well let's discuss this further we're now joined live by political analyst christophe for itself is on the line with us live from berlin thanks for being with us iran seems to be feeling the pain of the sanctions already how serious an impact.

coming up later in the program power play in the persian gulf. the american administration simply can't live with an iran which has as much regional power at the heart of the moment we take a look at the western scramble to corner iran and terror on accuses the e.u. of starting an economic war with its latest set of sanctions. saying u.s. hangs daffy shot but one fate awaits egypt's hosni mubarak or bring you the latest from the trial of the ousted leader. a stellar beginning and a no less spectacular decline ten years on and the euro is in real trouble with member countries plagued by deepening debt and widespread disorder it means that what began as a project to establish an economic european superstate is now quickly becoming its very undoing artists are silly reports from brussels. the birth of an ambitious project a common currency celebrated with no less than a big bang. the big. strong euro. the warm berry. ten years down the road the euro is not in the best of shape. a spiraling sovereign debt crisis credit downgrades rising interest rates tens of mil

well coming out later in the program here in our power play in the persian gulf. the american restriction simply currently within iran which has as much regional power at the moment we take a look at the western scrambled corner iran and terror on accusing the e.u. of starting an economic war with its latest set of sanctions. plus hussein was hanged. for what fate awaits egypt's hosni mubarak we bring you the latest from the trial of the ousted leader. but first what began as a symbol of a united europe is now at the heart of the crisis that's tearing it apart ten years ago and the euro is in real trouble with countries plagued by debt crisis remedies failing to provide fortunes are just as are sillier reports from brussels. the birth of an ambitious project a common currency celebrated with no less than the big bang. theory the big. strong euro. the warm bed if you will. ten years down the road the euro is not in the best of shape. a spiraling sovereign debt crisis credit downgrades rising interest rates tens of millions unemployed budget cuts and violent protests. the euro i

persian gulf. and 90,000 american troops in afghanistan, next door to iran.intelligence officials told the senate today, they don't think iran has taken the final step, deciding to build a bomb. but israel does think iran has crossed that red line. and u.s. officials say if attacked, iran would not hesitate to retaliate against both israel and the u.s. andrea mitchell, nbc news, washington. >>> in italy tonight, officials there say they have called off the search for missing people in the submerged portion of that costa concordia vessel because it's just become too dangerous for the divers on the job. they'll continue to search the portion above the water line and around the coastline. 16 people are still listed, remember, as officially m lyly . that includes an american couple from minnesota. 15 people killed in that awful chain reaction threat. five members from the same georgia church, including the pastor, his wife, their 17-year-old daughter. another daughter survived. she is in critical condition. friends say they were driving to make sunday services th

officials plan to ignore iran's warning to keep an american carrier out of the persian gulf that comes in the wake of iran's threat to close the straight of hormuz. >> we warn the american war ship previously in the persian gulf which is a threat to us it should not return we are not used to repeating our warning. >> they could mind the straights of hormuz. it would mean a concentration of the most powerful navy in the world. >> tensions have sent oil prices above $101 a barrel. president barack obama is considering new sanctions against the country. sunday, iran announced the successful production of a nuclear fuel rod and missile, terrorism is a fact of life in the 21st century but the is face of terror changing what does the u.s. need the do to keep us all safe from new threats. joining us in and out, wtop radio, jay jay green happy new year welcome back to the show. >> thanks for having me. >> let's start with the nuclear capabilities of iran. when we reported that story we also said some don't believe that is actually the case where does iran stand as far as nuclear capabilities.

trade through the crucial for moore's strait and they've also warned the american naval presence in and around the persian gulf certainly tehran is feeling the pinch of the sanctions that the international community has imposed and looking to impose against it the currency dropped to a record low after the american president signed into law those sanctions so what we're hearing from iran is also that it's preparing its own naval exercises that these exercises will go ahead soon they're part of a series that has been dubbed the great prophet so certainly that has people both here in the region and in the international community concerned paula thanks very much indeed that's part of their lives in jerusalem. and rb of the national iranian american council in washington claims the actions of american israel indicate that they are preparing for war against iran which could descend into a massive middle east conflict. we're getting closer and closer to war with iran. anybody who argues that this kind of extraordinary confluence of events of events planned exercises by the u.s. and israel the exercises that iran was

not to allow an american carrier back in the persian gulf after it was removed during iran's naval exercisesfirm numbers from the front lines of mexico's drug war. mexican newspapers reports 12,000 people were killed in drug violence in 2011. 50,000 people have been killed since 2006 when there was a crack down on traffickers. >>> an unusual sales record for guns. december 23rd was the second busiest day for gun purchases in history right behind black friday. records show more than a million and a half names were sent in for background checks last month. >>> and holidays are officially over for the first family. in hawaii, president obama and michelle said one final good-bye to well wishers before boarding air force one to return to washington. >>> the markets were closed yesterday for the new year holiday. but here's your first look at how they'll kick off the day to day. dow opens at 12 snch,217. the s&p 500 lost five. nasdaq was down eight. taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, neat okay gained 56 points. in hong kong, the hang seng surged 443. >>> most major global ma

the american government thinks of new sanction, iran said aggressive a tags will be met with force -- attacks will be met with force. >> reporter: as iran wraps up 10 days of drills in the persian gulfchief claiming iran recently took these pictures of a u.s. aircraft carrier. [ speaking in native tongue ] [ through translator ] >> we warned the american warship, which was previously in the persian gulf, a threat to us, it shouldn't return and we're not used to repeating our warnings. >> reporter: a senior defense official tells fox that the u.s. navy won't adjust the plans because of the threat. the administration will continue to ensure freedom of navigation in the region and apply pressure on iran. >> no option is every off of the table. we believe the sanctions are biting, that we are seeking with the support of the congress to strengthen multilateral sanctions, including those that target iran's oil sector. >> reporter: president obama signed legislation saturday including potential sanctions on iran's bank and could result in an embargo on iran's oil. since then, the value of iran's currency plummeted. iran threatened to close off the strait of hormuz, a fight vital artery. >>

around the house war in the united states it will take action if an american warship returns to the persian gulf and left the area when iran started its ten day naval war games during which they successfully test fired a number of different missiles but russia's defense ministry says that despite the latest military exercise they're rainy and don't have the technology to make intercontinental ballistic missiles meanwhile france is pushing for stricter sanctions as it says its short tech plan is developing nuclear weapons it's urged e.u. countries to follow the u.s. in freezing iranian central bank assets and imposing an embargo on oil exports to iran has been threatening to block the strait of hormuz one of the world's most important oil routes if the west stepped up its sanctions james corbet editor of the corvette report website says tensions in the region will only rise if the u.s. and its allies continue to pressure iran i think it's quite remarkable.

is brushing aside iran's blunt warning to keep american aircraft carriers out of the persian gulf. the threat was made in response to tough u.s. sponsored economic sanctions against iran for its nuclear program. david martin assesses the latest tough talk. >> reporter: iran wrapped up ten days of naval exercises by warning the u.s. not to send an aircraft carrier back into the persian gulf. it may sound like an empty threat. but it's also clever propaganda. the "uss stennis" left the gulf last week headed for home and won't be back any time soon, so the iran can claim the "stennis" didn't dare return, but the two other carries, the "lincoln" and the "benson" are on the way to the region and one is scheduled to take part in exercises inside the gulf. as they have in the past, the iranians could harass the carrier with go fast boats as it is in the channel of the two-mile channel through the strait of hormuz. over the last two days, iran showed off antiship missiles and submarines and hydrofoils to back up a claim they surely don't believe. that closing the strait of hormuz to the su

may rule research a iran has warned the united states it will take action if an american warship returns to the persian gulf it left the area when iran started his ten day naval war games during which they successfully testified a number of different missiles but russia the defense ministry says that despite that latest military exercise the iranians don't have the technology to make intercontinental ballistic missiles francaise pushing for strict sanctions as it says its shoulder tehran is developing nuclear weapons it's urge the e.u. countries to follow the u.s. and freezing iranian central bank assets and imposing an embargo on oil exports to iran has been threatening to block the strait of almost one of the world's most important oil routes if the west stepped up sanctions james corbet the editor of the colbert report website says tensions in the region will only rise if the u.s. and its allies continue to pressure iran. and i don't think it's quite remarkable to think that france and the u.s. and other countries would be willing to step up sanctions that have already had such a profound effect on the i