VIENNA: The Shah of Iran today [Dec 28] called on the world’s industrialised nations to stop using oil as fuel, and restrict its use to the petrochemical industry. He told a Press conference here that if the use of oil were restricted … the world reserves of crude oil would last 380 years instead of being exhausted within the next 30. Iran was one of the six major Gulf oil producing countries who agreed … to double the price of their crude from the beginning of next year. The Shah said one of his country’s aims … had been to demonstrate … that oil was “too noble” a product to be burned up in engines and used for domestic heating. — News agencies

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from Tel Aviv,] “Israel should not hesitate to extend the city limits of Jerusalem as far as Bethlehem … if necessary … to be able to settle new immigrants there, War Minister Moshe Dayan told an election meeting. … “Jerusalem is more than the capital of Israel. It is the symbol of the nation and the people of Israel,” he claimed. Israel would never allow “others” to “install themselves in Jerusalem in its place”, Gen Dayan boasted, and repeated his demand for … settlements between the occupied Gaza strip and Al-Arish.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2023