IRGC Leaves South Pars

An interpretation advanced by me among others holds that the growing economic role of Iran's Revolutionary Guards was an important factor contributing to the 2009 electoral coup. The fact that economic role is increasing in any case makes this interesting:

"Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards will not be involved in developing Tehran’s part of the world’s largest gas field, said a senior gas official on Monday.

"'Khatam al-Anbia has pulled out of developing all phases of the South Pars gas field,' Mohammad Hassan Mousavizadeh told reporters. Khatam al-Anbia is an engineering and construction arm of the Guards.

"The Guards, hit by sanctions imposed by the United Nations and the United States, has played a growing economic role in the Islamic Republic since hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad first took office in 2005...

"After Norway’s Kvaerner pulled out, development of phases 15 and 16 of South Pars were handed over to Khatam al-Anbia in 2006.

"In May the group also signed an agreement to develop three other phases of South Pars, the world’s largest reservoir of gas.

"The Security Council resolution passed in June blacklisted 15 firms belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps."

Meanwhile, the bazaar strike has ended.

(Crossposted to American Footprints)