today

France, and most European nations are willing to make it more difficult for Iran to smuggle in components for weapons, particularly nuclear bombs. This forces Iran to be more dependent on Russia and China for their weapons and industrial needs. That suits Russia and China just fine, as they compete with European firms all the time, and it's nice to have an edge in Iran.

Iranian artillery has nearly doubled the range of its artillery shelling against Kurdish separatists inside Iraq. Iranian shells are now falling up to 17 kilometers from the border. More Iranian patrols have been spotted inside Iraq, as well as Iranian recon aircraft.

Allegedly the Americans have electronic warfare devices that blind radar, and enable smart bomb attacks to be made at will. If oil shipping is interfered with, Iran loses its oil revenue, as well as imports of refined petroleum products and food.

American troops are capturing more Iranian weapons, including portable (SA-7 like) Iranian surface-to-air missiles. Economic conditions inside Iran are getting worse, not better. The increasing oil prices enrich the clerical dictatorship and their followers. Most Iranians are screwed around every day by the greed and incompetence of the clerics, and the thugs used to keep people in line. As Winter approaches, the political climate is warming up.