Iran Demands Access to Accused U.S. Plotter

In yet another development today we see an increase in tensions with Iran:

Iran Demands Access to Accused U.S. Plotter

* Tehran summons Swiss diplomat over Saudi death plot affair

* US lawmakers say plot was real, push for sanctions

Iran demanded consular access on Sunday to a man held in the United States over a suspected plot to kill the Saudi ambassador and vowed to respond robustly to any "inappropriate measure" by the West.

Manssor Arbabsiar, who holds U.S. and Iranian citizenship, was arrested in September over the plot which Tehran called a fabricated "comedy show" but which U.S. lawmakers said was "very real" and showed the need for tougher sanctions on Iran."

Any inappropriate measure against Iran, whether political or security-related, will be strongly confronted by the Iranian nation," Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, accusing Washington of inventing the plot to divert attention from the "Occupy Wall Street" protests.

Many experts, and some Washington officials, expressed doubts over the plot, which even the head of the FBI said sounded like a Hollywood script, but the heads of the intelligence committees in the U.S. Congress appeared on television on Sunday to say it should be taken seriously.

President Barack Obama said on Thursday that Iran -- already at odds with Western governments over its nuclear programme -- would face the toughest possible sanctions and the United States would not take any options off the table, the standard code to refer to possible military action.

Just another potential tipping point in the world. How many are there now - actively percolating?

Just this week:

We are watching Syria with a close eye, and their threats to Israel.

We are watching Turkey and their threats to Cyprus and Israel.

We are watching saudi Arabia and their threats to Iran

And now Iran is making slightly veiled threats to the U.S.

We are watching Egypt's actions around the Israeli border.

We are watching the EU's crisis.

We are watching the world-wide protest movement and the overt calls for a Marxism.

All of which are potential tipping points. All of which are getting hotter by the day.