Reports of the huge Unocal oil & liquifiable natural gas discoveries in the Casp  

The impact of these earlier discoveries, estimated to be even greater than Saudi Arabia proven oil reserves of the preferred "light sweet crude" variety, may potentially threaten/influence overall regional stability, the US-based military presence there, OPEC base prices globally, and the extremely nearby Russian military bases there on alert.
The building of 2 liquefiable natural gas pipelines there recently, thru Pakistan and Afganistan by US oil interests, is unquestionably indicative of the region's importance as a protected "vital interest" or resource market of the US.