---There's also considerable concern that an attack on Tehran will encourage the Iranians to take back the disputed territory of southeastern Iraq which is flush with oil. ---
Take back? :^)
I guess I should put that in quotes - "take back". IIRC, this was what precipitated the Iran-Iraq war (that and an assassination attempt on Tariq Aziz). I'd have to go back and read up on my history of that war, but I believe that control of the Shatt al-Arab waterway has been in dispute since the 1970's because it's essential to both country's oil production.