Ghalibaf's joke.

"Hours before the US Federal Reserve, the world's most powerful central bank, made on of its biggest calls in three years and raised interest rates by 25 basis points," the Speaker of Iran's Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf modified a decades old Taylor Rule in economics to 'Straits Taylor Rule', meaning a rate hike is not going to increase oil supplies through both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. "You can't 25bp a chokepoint. Stay unanchored," he joked. The Print. How droll! He must have forgotten that Iranians are facing severe fuel shortages while there is no shortage of fuel, even if more expensive than before, in the rest of the world. "Transporters say they are experiencing fuel problems they didn't face during the active combat of the first month of the war with the US." The Union of Truckers and Drivers said that "they are now out of supplies for a third of every month." WSJ. "As recently as March, Iran exported 1.85 million barrels of crude oil a day, worth $191 million at international prices." Now, "The government has appealed to Iranians to do their part by limiting their consumption of water, electricity and gas." And to use public transport instead of driving. WSJ. "According to statistics from the Statistical Center of Iran, the overall inflation rate for August stood at 89%, while food and beverage inflation surged to a record high exceeding 127%." "The dollar exchange rate has surpassed the 235,000-toman mark, compounding the major shock caused by the hike in gasoline prices to 10,000 tomans." Voice of Emirates. One toman equals 10 rials, so $1 buys 2.35 million rials. Very soon people will be dying of starvation and this Ghalibaf thinks it is hilarious. Ghoulibaf would suit him better. "Iran vowed to respond to a US blockade by pushing more trade overland." But, "Hundreds of trucks drivers are currently stuck at Iran's border with Pakistan," and "The same is happening at Iran's land borders with Turkey, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, dealing Tehran a self-inflicted blow." WSJ. In desperation, Iran is recruiting support wherever it can find. "Saudi Arabia has closed a critical oil pipeline after it was attacked by drones launched from Iraq." "Saudi Arabia has previously accused Iran-backed militia in Iraq of targeting its oil facilities." BBC. On Thursday last week, Iran's proxy militia the Houthis captured Yemen's strategic port city of Mocha. "Hours later, on Friday, the Houthis captured another key coastal asset, Perim Island, at the mouth of the Red Sea," thus "giving Tehran de-facto control over another key shipping route." CNN. Recently, "New photos...reveal for the first time the widespread damage and destruction of buildings and vehicles at multiple US positions across the Middle East, as a result of Iranian missile and drone attacks." CBS. Three days ago, "Saudi Arabia intercepted and shot down a Houthi drone south of the Islamic holy city of Mecca." BBC. Iran has a history at Mecca. On 31 July 1987, Iranian pilgrims clashed with Saudi armed forces during Hajj at Mecca. wikipedia. So, "With the US and Pakistan rejecting calls for help, Saudi Arabia has reportedly turned to Western allies, including Israel, for assistance as Houthi attacks continue to target cities and infrastructure across the country." Talks with Israel were apparently mediated by CENTCOM. News18. Ironically, "Palestinian Islamist group Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed about 1,400 people aimed to disrupt a potential normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia sought by Riyadh, US President Joe Biden said." Reuters. Yesterday, "A car-bomb attack on a mosque at a police compound in north-western Pakistan has killed at least 21 people and injured more than 100." The attack was blamed on Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). BBC. And so, after Gaza and Iran almost destroyed, with the Pakistani army in danger of losing control inside the country and the US Hollywood army imitating sitting ducks, Saudi Arabia may reach a deal with Israel. Israel has the guts, knowledge, intelligence and experience to win the war. The US and Gulf states should give it full support. Does Ghoulibaf have a joke for that?