Iran blamed for ZTE's 260 PER CENT profit slump

Under-fire Chinese telecoms kit maker ZTE has warned it will report a loss of up to 1.75bn yuan (£174m) for the first nine months of the year, blaming a slowing global economy and the Iranian market, where US investigators are probing its activities. The Shenzhen-based firm’s preliminary financials for the first three quarters …

[Anonymous Coward]

Amazing power

US Sanctions really seem to be working. No one will be trading with Iran soon.

I think if this carries on they need to start up a large number of their own companies to meet demand not fulfilled by foreign companies.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Amazing power

I am not sure they will starting long numbers of companies quickly, that would recover a more stable economy and intellectual base not cowered by a theocracy. The same theocracy that wanted to make its own, safe, Islamic internet.

[Anonymous Coward]

Three lousy choices

Option 1: Ignore the Mullahs as they threaten our various (some dubious) friends and allies in the middle east and around the world - overt and covert support for various bad actors, dictators and terrorist groups, and bring harm or death to people. Not acceptable solution.

Option 2: Cut them off economically - they can't provide for their own needs domestically, sooner or later the Iranian state will crumble. It probably won't be pretty, there will be a lot of suffering in the population whose only error was being born there, but FAR preferable to option 1 above and 3, below.

Option 3: Military action. Results - complete destruction of Iran's armed forces and military-industrial complex in a matter of a few days (they are SO outgunned -out EVERYTHINGED - it is absurd), followed by ongoing guerilla war for decades both in and out of Iran, constant terrorist attacks, lots and lots of dead people on both sides, drones everywhere, including semi-autonomous and eventually fully-autonomous (Skynet, anybody?) military hardware on land, sea and air. Not acceptable.

Option 2 appears to be the only realistic way to go, barring a local revolution which is the unstated goal of the sanctions unless the Iranian government just decides it isn't worth it and changes its game (not likely).

This planet sucks sometimes.

[asdf]

Re: Three lousy choices

Yep because the last revolution due to incompetent governance went so well for the West. Iran is damaged goods and another failed colony of the British (though modern fail mostly due to CIA ). It seems like most of the West's enemies these days were former British colonies often made our enemies by lovely colonial governance (see partition and the lovely failed state of Pakistan).

[asdf]

Re: Three lousy choices

another failed former colony of the British meant to say as well as pointing out that the predecessor to BP had a large hand also in the coup that brought the Shah to Iran and made them love the west so much.

[tonysmith]

Re: Three lousy choices

Former colonies that are "enemies"?

The real "threat" to the west comes from Russia and China. In terms economic/military threat, places like Iran are quite down the list.

[asdf]

Re: Three lousy choices

I think you will find the UK did have a colony in China named Hong Kong and kept a very weak China in the 1800's under its thumb in some rather dubious ways. As for Russia like most European countries the UK might have some claim to it with the massive inbreeding the royals of that continent did. Still neither country are really long term as big a threat to the West as we are led to believe. The people of both countries like material stuff. The real danger is from goat farmers who value the lies their mullah tells them more than the output of other cultures.

[tonysmith]

Re: Three lousy choices

cut them off economically is the preferred option? Like with Saddam and 12 years of sanctions and 100,000 of Iraqis dead (due to sanctions, not the war that followed)? Preferred option?

I'd rather keep talking, apply pressure economically and support groups that would eventually replace the current lot.

Iranians are a proud lot, like a lot of people around the world. Cut them off like that and they'll rally around the guys in charge - the opposite of what you want to happen.