Mr Cooke,

Agreed, but oil sales aside, there is also the nagging concern – not as pressing as the looming US election – of elections next year in both Iran (June) and Israel (October). While Ahmadinejad has little choice but to step down, he may yet have a last card to play, and Netanyahu has never been one to go quietly.

Whether this year or next, we are in for a very bumpy ride.

http://www.jewishjournal.com/israel/article/netanyahu_its_not_about_elections_in_america_but_centrifuges_in_iran

http://www.jacksonsun.com/usatoday/article/57807906?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/05/world/middleeast/iran-elections-deal-blow-to-ahmadinejad-and-the-presidency.html?pagewanted=all&_moc.semityn.www