under the Caspian Sea. That claim is not believed by all, however. Business Monitor International (BMI) commented that this “is only the latest in a string of unverifiable large finds made since 2009Ö. We have repeatedly voiced our skepticism with regard to this plethora…. The Iranian authorities’ attempts to woo investors by making unverifiable announcements that underline the country’s potential are also a signal that the economy is struggling. Therefore, far from a risk-free strategy, Iran is showing its weakness by sounding so desperate. This strategy is, therefore, more likely to backfire than to succeed.”
