TARGET IRAN, Part 1 - US sanctions send Iran into Asia's arms

From a Western-centric point of view, the United States and its allies are pushing Iran into a corner in its efforts to rein in what Washington considers Iran's move towards becoming a nuclear power. A broader perspective would indicate that we might simply be driving Iran into the arms of Asia.

On March 24, Iran's official media reported that Iran will apply for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), headed by China and Russia and containing a fistful of continental Asian states.

Connoisseurs of irony will find fodder in Iran's reported appreciation of the SCO's goals of "anti-terror, anti-extremism, and anti-splittism" as well as its discovery of the deep cultural affinity between Iran and Asia. But consider this:

The two largest customers for Iranian oil are China and Japan. China has surpassed Germany as Iran’s biggest trading partner. The main market for Iran's gasoline purchases has switched to Singapore. The main investors in Iran's energy industry - led by China - are all Asian.

TARGET IRAN, Part 1 - US sanctions send Iran into Asia's arms