Tehran

2025-06-17

كتب- محمود الطوخي تداولت وسائل إعلام محلية عالمية، خبرا مُفبركا يدعي اغتيال الرئيس الإيراني الأسبق أحمدي نجاد بحادث إطلاق نار في طهران. Preliminary Report: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad along with his wife and two sons were assassinated by masked gunmen in central Tehran earlier today. وتضاربت وسائل الإعلام العربية في نسب الخبر المفبرك، ففي حين نسبتها في البداية لمصادر إيرانية، عادت لتنسبها للتلفزيون الأذربيجاني. مقتل الرئيس الإيراني الأسبق أحمدي بجاد بالرصاص في وبالتحقق، تأكد مصراوي من زيف الإدعاء. فلم تنشر أي وسيلة إعلامية إيرانية خبرا عن الاغتيال المزعوم. رصد مصراوي انطلاق الادعاء، من حسابات إسرائيلية على موقع تويتر ادّعت اغتيال نجاد وزوجته وولديه على يد مسلحين في وسط العاصمة طهران في وقت سابق من اليوم الثلاثاء. Preliminary Report: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad along with his wife and two sons were assassinated by masked gunmen in central Tehran earlier today. ونقلت صفحات باللغة الفارسية الادعاء دون تدقيق. قبل أن ينشر خبرا خاطئ تحت عنوان: بالكاد.. نجاة أحمد نجاد من محاولة اغتيال"، لكنه نسب الخبر للنيوزويك مستشهدا بخبر قديم نشرته النيوزويك عن محاولة اغتيال أحمدي نجاد في ٢٤ يوليو ٢٠٢٤. ويبدو أن مواقع عربية أخطأت في ترجمة التقرير الأذربيجاني، كما أنها وقعت في خطأ عدم التحقق من معلومات التقرير، وعدم الرجوع للمصادر الأولية. كما فندت مواقع إعلامية إيرانية مثل ""، مزاعم اغتيال نجاد وقال الموقع الإيراني: " يبدو أن هذه الوسيلة الإعلامية الصهيونية تسعى لزعزعة استقرار المجتمع بنشر أخبار كاذبة". من جانبه، كذّب مكتب الرئيس الإيراني الأسبق أحمدي نجاد، التقارير الزائفة التي تزعم مقتله وأسرته "بقصف إسرائيلي". ...قراءة المزيد

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2025-06-13

وكالاتأفادت القناة 13 الإسرائيلية، الجمعة، بأن سلاح الجو الإسرائيلي بدأ تنفيذ هجوم على مواقع داخل الأراضي الإيرانية، في أول رد عسكري بعد الهجمات الصاروخية التي شنتها طهران على إسرائيل اليوم.وأعلنت هيئة الطيران المدني الإيرانية إغلاق المجال الجوي الإيراني أمام جميع الرحلات، موضحة أن الإغلاق سيستمر حتى الساعة الثانية من ظهر غد السبت بالتوقيت المحلي، في إجراء احترازي وسط التصعيد العسكري المتسارع. NEW: Explosions are being reported in Tehran, the capital of Iran. ...قراءة المزيد

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2025-06-13

القاهرة- مصراوي: شهدت العاصمة الإيرانية طهران مظاهر احتفال واسعة شارك فيها آلاف المواطنين، في مشهد يُظهر دعمًا شعبيًا كبيرًا للضربات الانتقامية التي شنتها إيران ضد أهداف إسرائيلية. وانتشرت في شوارع طهران مشاهد لمواطنين وهم يلوحون بالأعلام الإيرانية ويرددون شعارات مؤيدة للمقاومة، فيما وصف مراقبون هذه اللحظة بأنها تمثل تجليًا واضحًا "لروح وطنية موحدة" خلف السياسات الانتقامية لطهران. People in Tehran gathered to show support for Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Israeli targets. وأظهرت فيديوهات متداولة من العاصمة الإيرانية طهران مقاطع مصورة تم تداولها على منصة X (تويتر سابقاً) احتفالات ليلية في شوارع طهران، حيث يخرج المواطنون في تجمعات جماهيرية هاتفين دعمًا للضربات العسكرية: ایرانی دارالحکومت تہران پر اسرائیلی فضائی حملوں کا جواب دیکھنے کےلیے لوگ جمع ہیں اور ائیرڈیفنس سسٹم کی فعالیت پر خوشی کا اظہار کر رہے ہیں وفيما سبق أعلن الجيش الإسرائيلي، مساء اليوم، أنه رصد إطلاق صواريخ من داخل الأراضي الإيرانية باتجاه إسرائيل. وقالت الجبهة الداخلية الإسرائيلية إنه تم بالفعل رصد إطلاق صواريخ، مشيرة إلى أن صفارات الإنذار قد تُفعّل في بعض المناطق خلال الدقائق المقبلة، في ظل حالة التأهب القصوى. كان التلفزيون الإيراني، أفاد اليوم، بأن المرشد الأعلى للجمهورية الإسلامية، آية الله علي خامنئي، أصدر قراراً بتعيين العميد أمير حاتمي قائداً جديداً للجيش الإيراني. ويأتي هذا التعيين في ظل التوترات المتصاعدة في المنطقة، دون أن يورد التلفزيون تفاصيل إضافية بشأن خلفيات القرار أو مهام القائد الجديد. ...قراءة المزيد

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2025-05-31

وكالاتقال وزير الخارجية الإيراني عباس عراقجي، إن وزير الخارجية العماني بدر البوسعيدي، قام بزيارة طهران، اليوم السبت، لنقل اقتراح من الجانب الأمريكي.وأكد عراقجي، في منشور على حسابه الرسمي بمنصة "إكس"، أن إيران ستقوم "وفقًا للمبادئ والمصالح الوطنية وحقوق الشعب الإيراني"، بتقديم الرد المناسب على المقترح الأمريكي. My dear brother , distinguished Foreign Minister of Oman, paid a short visit to Tehran today to present elements of a US proposal which will be appropriately responded to in line with the principles, national interests and rights of the people of Iran. وفي سياق منفصل، أكد رئيس منظمة الطاقة الذرية الإيرانية محمد إسلامي، اليوم السبت، أن هناك بعض التقدم في المفاوضات غير المباشرة مع الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.وأشار إسلامي، إلى أن الحديث عن تصفير التخصيب هو حديث وكلام ينطبق بالأغلب على إسرائيل، وفقًا لوكالة الأنباء الإيرانية "إرنا".ونوه إلى أن إيران تمتلك محطة للطاقة النووية بقدرة 1000 ميجاواط في بوشهر، والتي أنتجت 7.3 مليار كيلوواط/ساعة من الكهرباء في العام الماضي وحده، لافتًا إلى أنه وبحلول نهاية الخطة التنموية السابعة، ستصل قدرة محطة الطاقة النووية في البلاد إلى 3000 ميجاواط، وأنه تم إعداد الأرض لبناء محطتين للطاقة النووية في جنوب وشمال البلاد. ...قراءة المزيد

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2025-02-16

(وكالات) يواصل الطلاب في إيران، اليوم الأحد، احتجاجاتهم لليوم الثاني على التوالي، عقب مقتل الشاب أمير محمد خالقي البالغ من العمر 19 عامًا، وهو طالب بجامعة طهران، في حادث سطو وقع بالقرب من سكن الطلاب. وأثارت الحادثة غضبًا واسعًا بين الطلبة، الذين وجهوا اتهامات لإدارة الجامعة بعدم اتخاذ التدابير الكافية لضمان سلامتهم. واندلعت مواجهات بين الطلاب وقوات الشرطة في محيط مسرح الجريمة، حيث حاول المحتجون الضغط من أجل تحقيق العدالة لزميلهم الراحل. This is where the world shouldLearn bravery in the face of sheer evil from!!!!Protests have erupted all over Iran since Tuesday (46th anniversary of the Islamic Regime’s coup over Iran) but tonight ALL EYES ON TEHRAN’s UNIVERSITY where students are demonstrating the murder of… من جانبه، دعا نائب الرئيس الإيراني إلى إجراء تحقيق رسمي لكشف ملابسات الجريمة، في حين حذر المسؤولون من امتداد الاحتجاجات إلى خارج الحرم الجامعي. هذه الاضطرابات ليست الأولى من نوعها، إذ تشبه احتجاجات سابقة شهدتها إيران، والتي عادة ما كانت تواجه إجراءات أمنية صارمة من قبل السلطات. ويطالب الطلاب بتوفير حماية أفضل وضمانات تحول دون تكرار مثل هذه الحوادث في حرم الجامعة وخلال المواجهات مع الشرطة اعتقل 4 طلاب وأصيب آخر بكسر في أنفه، بحسب ما ذكرت "رويترز". ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-09

Reza Pahlavi, the crown prince and eldest son of Iran's former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, recently sat down for an interview with i24NEWS, reiterating his impassioned plea for global solidarity in overthrowing the oppressive Iranian regime.  In his discussion with i24NEWS consultant Christian Malard, Pahlavi emphasized Iran's central role in perpetuating regional conflicts, describing the Iranian people as forsaken and left to grapple alone with a tyrannical regime. Pahlavi minced no words in condemning the regime's support for militant factions like Hamas, citing the recent bloodshed on October 7th as emblematic of Iran's disruptive interventions in the Middle East. He criticized the regime's manipulation of regional tensions, echoing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's rhetoric of perpetual hostility. Expressing deep skepticism towards Western overtures for diplomacy with Iran, Pahlavi dismissed hopes of reforming the regime, likening it to an unchangeable wolf. He asserted, "We cannot turn a wolf into a sheep," arguing that Western appeasement strategies were futile. Instead, he called for a resolute global effort aimed at regime change, urging Western powers to adopt a tougher stance towards Tehran. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-09

Iran will have to change its nuclear doctrine if its existence is threatened by Israel, an advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, Kamal Kharrazi, said, Iran's Student News Network reported on Thursday. "We have no decision to build , but should Iran's existence be threatened, there will be no choice but to change our military doctrine," Kharrazi said, as reported by Iran's Student News Network on Thursday, adding that Tehran has already signaled it has the potential to build such weapons. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei views a model of a nuclear facility, in Tehran, Iran June 11, 2023 (credit: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS) Iran's Supreme Leader banned the development of nuclear weapons in a fatwa in the early 2000s, reiterating his stance in 2019 by saying: "Building and stockpiling nuclear bombs is wrong and using it is haram (religiously forbidden) ... Although we have nuclear technology, Iran has firmly avoided it." However, Iran's then-intelligence minister said in 2021 that Western pressure could push Tehran to seek nuclear weapons. "In the case of an attack on our nuclear facilities by the Zionist regime (Israel), our deterrence will change," Kharrazi added. In April, Iran and Israel reached their highest level of tensions, with and drones against Israel as retaliation for a suspected deadly Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Damascus. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-08

In the policy world, every now and then very sophisticated people make arguments which underneath rely on a foundation of blatantly circular logic. The West’s critique of Israel’s policy – a policy which will need to be fundamentally reevaluated after Tehran’s k - has recently run into this issue. On one hand, many in the West have criticized Israel for assassinating Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander for Syria and Lebanon, Mohammed Reza Zahedi, on April 1. But at the same time, these same critics have urged Israel not to attack the Islamic Republic’s nuclear weapons program. In the end, Israel heeded these critics somewhat, with Sports Minister Miri Regev confirming an Israeli attack on Iran’s S-300 anti aircraft missile system – a warning to Iran of the damage Israel could have done, but not actually doing any deep long-term damage. The S-300 missile system is seen during the National Army Day parade ceremony in Tehran, Iran, April 17, 2024. (credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters) It is far from clear that Israel’s limited action made it safe from future direct attacks from Iran. In any case, those who slammed Jerusalem for removing Zahedi from the board said he was too high ranking and it destabilized the region. They add that Israel itself was surprised that Tehran was furious enough at his death that it retaliated with around 350 aerial threats in its first-ever direct attack on the Jewish state. This is brought as further proof that attacking him was overly aggressive. Some of these same critics then urged Israel not to attack Iran back so as to avoid the conflict deteriorating into a regional war. Most importantly, to avoid regional war, they urged Israel not to touch Iran’s nuclear weapons program. One way to summarize these critics' advice to Israel is to sit back and wait for the ayatollahs and their proxies to do their worst against Jerusalem and to just always play defense. Zahedi was not killed in a vacuum the way that much of the global media have reported it – as if the conflict between Israel and Iran started with his unprovoked death on April 1. Rather, he has been directing a relentless terror campaign against Israel for years from both Syria and Lebanon. Hezbollah in Lebanon have fired on Israel thousands of times with rockets and anti-tank missiles since October 7, and militias in Syria have likely fired on Israel hundreds of times. But for around a decade before October 7, the IRGC, led by Qasem Soleimani or Zahedi, or both, was rallying Hezbollah and Syrian militias to attack Israel and to develop a huge threat buildup of rockets and militias on Israel’s borders to ready for an invasion or multi-front war, such as the current one. Israel has been trying to hold Iran, its proxies, and Zahedi at bay with thousands of its own strikes on attempts by Tehran to smuggle more advanced weapons to the border with Israel, either from the Lebanese or Syrian side. All of this is in the context that Israel has nothing against Iran at all if the ayatollahs ever just left the Jewish state alone. There are no land disputes between the countries – they are around 1500 kilometers apart. And if Iran simply stopped trying to l, Jerusalem would not order strikes on anyone Iranian because it would not be the Jewish state’s business. When Israel decided to kill Zahedi it was to send Iran a message that its years of pressing Hezbollah, Syria, and Hamas in Gaza to attack and wear down Israel, would not be free. Hamas chose the date to invade Israel, but it could not have invaded the Jewish state without Iranian funding, planning, weapons, and training. So Israel had plenty of reasons to want to remove Zahedi, and killing him was far from unprovoked. When Israel decides in the future whether it would be willing to kill Zahedi’s successor to some other similarly very high ranking IRGC official, it will not need to weigh whether it is worth the risk. But the risk it will be analyzing will not be in a vacuum, but by comparison. A man stands next to the apparent remains of a ballistic missile, as it lies in the desert near the Dead Sea, following a massive missile and drone attack by Iran on Israel, in southern Israel April 21, 2024 (credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun) Will Israel be more endangered by a backlash of another Iranian direct aerial attack to avenge the death of one of its top IRGC officials or will it be more endangered if it does nothing and allows the Islamic Republic to slowly attack it and surround it with more and more deadly weapons with impunity? This is not a simple balancing act, but it is a balancing act which Israel will need to weigh, as opposed to the simplistic formula of some Western critics acting as if “restraint” by itself is a strategy that could . And how would those advising Israel not to strike Iran’s nuclear program have had it respond to the around 350 aerial attack threats which could have killed thousands of Israelis, and made Hamas’s October 7 massacre look like a warm-up? Iran’s attack also could have eliminated Israel’s F-35 squadrons which would have hampered Israeli national offensive and defensive power for the next decade. Critics don’t want Israel to attack the nuclear program and they don’t want Israel to attack Iranian officials in Lebanon and Syria who are organizing terror campaigns against Jerusalem. Do they really think that the Islamic Republic won’t fire missiles, rockets, and drones at Israel again because the Jewish state showed it was magnanimous? How far will a US guarantee to defend Israel from future massive Iranian barrages go to deter Iran from attacking when the worst thing that could happen to Tehran is that its missiles will not get through and its “best” case scenario is killing thousands of Israelis. Israel may have missed a unique opportunity to set back Iran’s nuclear program as part of a “retaliation” for Tehran’s massive attack. But the US and the West pressed it not to, so it found a middle ground that did not draw blood and essentially let Iran off the hook without bloodying it too much. From the US perspective, in the short term maybe it saved Israel from itself: from rushing into an unnecessary intensified regional war. But Israel needs to live in this region long after the US loses focus or interest and will eventually need to recalibrate how it can both prevent Iran’s proxies from raining down a “ring of fire” on it as well as prevent Tehran from breaking out to a nuclear weapon which could endanger Israel on an existential level. Balancing the risks for retaliating is necessary, but constant restraint as a complete strategy for dealing with a hardened adversary like Iran would eventually be more dangerous than acting. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-08

The extent of Iranian involvement in Hamas's decision to initiate the has not yet been fully disclosed - and according to various sources in the Arab media and the Iranian opposition, it is possible that the connection between the Revolutionary Guards and Hamas was even deeper and wider. Dr. Hassan Hashemian, an Iran expert based in Washington, argued in an interview with the Saudi channel Al-Hadath, "I believe that everything that happened on October 7 was managed and planned during the era of Qasem Soleimani," referring to the commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, who was killed in an operation attributed to the United States and Israel. He added, "The issue of the tunnels and the funds invested in their construction, all the weapons accumulated by Hamas, and even the planning of the operation itself, were all conducted during Soleimani's tenure. But the implementation itself was carried out by Ismail Qaani, Soleimani's successor." "Qaani wanted to prove himself," Hashemian continued, "because it is known that Soleimani is a different figure from him. Within Hamas, within the , and even in the government offices in Tehran, and even among many agents abroad, it is believed that he does not measure up to the stature of Qasem Soleimani." According to Hashemian's claim, official responses from Iran cannot be relied upon, stating that Tehran was not involved in Hamas's planning. The S-300 missile system is seen during the National Army Day parade ceremony in Tehran, Iran, April 17, 2024. (credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters) Iran maintains vocal support for Hamas and the Palestinian cause, yet officially denies any involvement in attack planning. Nevertheless, doubts arise regarding the plausibility of such decisions being made without the Revolutionary Guards' knowledge, particularly that of Qaani. criticized Israel for the collapsed prisoner exchange deal, stressing the imperative of swift action against enemies. He underscored, "With the enemy, one cannot act with patience," further stating, "Israel would not dare to commit the crimes it perpetrates against the Palestinians without the support it receives from the United States." On Sunday, former IDF Chief of Staff Prof. Yaakov Nagel read in a special article published in Maariv, "to move from words to actions" in Gaza and Lebanon given the escalation in tensions with Hamas. "When Israel finishes dealing with Hamas, the interests of Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran to postpone the fighting in the north will likely be caught for a short time," he argued. "It is imperative not to misjudge the challenges of confrontation with Iran. Israel must continue to act forcefully against Iran's aggressive behavior and its desire to break into the nuclear field. Iran remains Israel's central problem.” "In light of the developments, from which Hamas's priorities can clearly be understood," he added, "Israeli priority must be to complete the mission in Gaza, strive for a temporary solution in the north that will allow residents to return home safely, and continue covert and overt activity against Iran to ensure it does not exploit the opportunity to break into the nuclear field and continue attacking Israel. Normalization with Saudi Arabia is very important but can wait." In a recent article published by Maariv, former IDF Chief of Staff Prof. Yaakov Nagel urged for a shift "from words to actions" in dealing with the escalating tensions in Gaza and Lebanon. He cautioned that after addressing the Hamas issue, there might be a brief moment where the interests of Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran align, emphasizing, "It is imperative not to misjudge the challenges of confrontation with Iran." Nagel stressed the need for Israel to maintain a robust stance against Iran's aggressive behavior and its nuclear ambitions, stating, "Iran remains Israel's central problem." Addressing Hamas's priorities, Nagel asserted, "Israeli priority must be to complete the mission in Gaza," and advocated for pursuing a temporary solution in the north for residents' safety. He emphasized the importance of continuing covert and overt actions against Iran to prevent it from exploiting opportunities to advance its nuclear program and attack Israel. While acknowledging the significance of normalization with Saudi Arabia, Nagel suggested that it could be deferred, stating, "Normalization with Saudi Arabia is very important but can wait." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-08

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has strongly criticized Iran's failure to cooperate with the agency's probe into its nuclear program.  Following a visit to Iran, Grossi expressed his dissatisfaction with the level of cooperation and urged Iranian leaders to take immediate and tangible steps to address concerns over their nuclear activities. Speaking to reporters upon his return to Vienna, where the IAEA is based, Grossi emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that the current state of affairs is "completely unsatisfactory." Acknowledging the complexity of the issues at hand, Grossi stressed that there is no quick fix to the ongoing challenges.  The IAEA has long sought clarification from Iran regarding two sites near Tehran that inspectors suspect of housing undeclared nuclear activities. Despite previous agreements aimed at enhancing cooperation, including one reached during Grossi's last visit to Iran in March 2023, progress has been slow. Iran has reportedly reduced the number of inspections and revoked the accreditation of a group of IAEA experts, further complicating the situation. Grossi reaffirmed the validity of the existing agreement but called for additional substance to be added to ensure meaningful progress. He highlighted the importance of upholding safeguards and monitoring measures to address the international community's concerns and maintain transparency regarding Iran's nuclear program. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-08

During my stay in Israel over the last few years, I’ve learned that each year, and Independence Day are complex and painful days for the State of Israel. There is no doubt that this year, more than ever, these days will be difficult and painful.  As someone who represents the , who have experienced a painful and cruel war over the last two years, I deeply understand the sadness and deep pain. More than 10,000 civilians killed in the war so far and 25,000 civilians injured, including over 500 children killed and more than 1,100 injured. Unfortunately, the continues to act against us with all its might to destroy everything that stands in its way, even if they are innocent civilians.  In these difficult moments, I cannot avoid reflecting on the deep-rooted partnership of fate between the Israeli and Ukrainian people. In these turbulent times, our nations are united in a shared destiny not only by common values and aspirations, but also by common cruel enemies: the “axis of evil” consisting of Russia and Iran. Throughout history, both Israel and Ukraine have suffered enormous sacrifices and struggles in their quests for sovereignty, security and prosperity. The resilience shown by the two nations in the face of adversity serves as evidence of the inseparable partnership of fate that binds us together. It is necessary to recognize, precisely in these complex days, the parallels between our journeys. Soldiers walk to see destroyed Russian military vehicles, amid Russia's invasion on Ukraine in Bucha, in Kyiv region, Ukraine April 2, 2022. (credit: REUTERS/ZOHRA BENSEMRA) Just as Israel faces existential threats, so too does Ukraine face ongoing challenges to its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Moreover, both Israel and Ukraine find themselves facing the menacing specter of the Russia-Iran axis, which poses a serious threat to regional stability and security.  The evil alliance between Moscow and Tehran, which is manifested in the use of means of warfare – including drones and UAVs made in Iran – against the residents of Ukraine and more recently against the citizens of Israel, undermines the efforts for peace, exacerbates tensions throughout the Middle East and Eastern Europe, and may lead to an aggressive conflict, including in other places in the world as well. IN THE FACE of such enormous challenges, it is imperative for Israel and Ukraine to deepen their strategic partnership and cooperate closely to deal with common threats. By leveraging our shared strengths in defense, intelligence and technology, we can strengthen our collective resilience and deterrence capabilities, thereby safeguarding our national interests and maintaining peace and stability in our regions. Only recently, the United States, the leader of the free world, decided to provide aid to Ukraine and Israel, the two countries at the forefront of the war against the axis of evil. The American House of Representatives approved by a large majority the $17 billion security aid budget for Israel alongside the $60 billion aid package for Ukraine. This is an important decision that will help the free world to be much freer. At the heart of our partnership lies a shared commitment to freedom, democracy and human rights. Both Israel and Ukraine cherish the principles of freedom and justice and reject the forces of tyranny and oppression. It is this shared dedication to democratic values that binds us together and fosters a sense of kinship and brotherhood.  And now, as we commemorate the fallen heroes who gave their lives in defense of our nations, it is critical that we honor their memory by confronting the forces of evil so that together we can overcome the expected challenges and build a brighter future for future generations in both countries and the entire world. On this complex day of remembrance, let us stand shoulder to shoulder, united in our commitment to freedom, democracy and peace. May the friendly relationship between the Israeli people and Ukraine continue to exist, and serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration for all who cherish the values of freedom and justice. How long will we continue to bury our children, women and men? We must put an end to the axis of evil. We must unite against terrorism. The writer is Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-07

A report in Al-Ain media in the UAE claimed to reveal an interesting development in Yemen. The report claims that Hezbollah has “confiscated” funds in Yemen from the Houthis and that Hezbollah is playing a role in Yemen. The report leaves many questions that are impossible to confirm, but it likely reveals some details that are worth analyzing. First of all, it reflects a concern in and the Gulf about the increased ties of the Houthis to Iran and other Iranian proxies. It reflects concern that the Houthis are being operationalized to do proxy work for Iran. Iran has been active in backing the Houthis in their war on Saudi Arabia since 2015 when Saudi Arabia and other countries intervened in Yemen to prevent the Houthis from taking Aden. There was a ceasefire in Yemen in 2022, and Saudi Arabia and the Houthis appeared to be on a track toward peace because Riyadh and Tehran were patching things up with China’s backing. Now, the Houthis have directed resources to join Hamas in the war against Israel. The Houthis are playing their role by attacking ships. This raises concerns about how Iran may use the Houthis in the future. The report at Al-Ain says that the news organization learned that the Houthi militias received "directives from Hezbollah to allocate the largest portion of the financial revenues it earns from the Yemeni governorates in the north to military operations and military industrialization." Hezbollah in Lebanon apparently now supervises some of what the Houthis are doing and works as a “mastermind” behind operations. “The sources revealed that Hezbollah addressed the militia leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, by transferring the process of managing the financial resources that the Houthi militias earn from revenues, royalties, and taxes from areas under their control to a special committee headed by one of Hezbollah’s experts present in Sanaa, whose nickname is ‘Abu Radwan.’” The name Abu Radwan, if it’s real and not just a made-up name, is possibly linked to the , who are portrayed as the elite force of Hezbollah. The Radwan force takes its name from the late Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh who was known as al-Hajj Radwan. This was his “war name” or nom de guerre. The fact that a mysterious man in Yemen who is linked to Hezbollah has taken on the name Abu Radwan is entirely plausible, but it’s only plausible in the context of knowing who the original Hajj Radwan was and what is meant by Radwan in the Hezbollah lingo. Armed Houthi followers ride on the back of a pick-up truck during a parade in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and to show support to Houthi strikes on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, in Sanaa, Yemen January 29, 2024. (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS) The article claims that Abu Radwan in Yemen is now “supervising the revenues of the communications and Internet sector under the control of the Houthis.” But not only that, he has done this for years and was linked to Hezbollah for years. He is “directly linked to the leadership of Hezbollah and experts from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards to finance military activities and arming the militias.” Hezbollah now plays a greater role in deciding where the Houthis allocate funds. A committee now exists that received input from Hezbollah about where to target financial resources and “how the process of military spending and armament will be carried out.” There is some kind of cheeky irony in this story because the article claims the source said that the goal of Hezbollah in Sinai is to kind of put the Houthi leadership on a diet of finances, “ending the extensive financial privileges enjoyed by the Houthi leadership, including military and security, drying up corruption, transferring funds for the benefit of military operations, and preparing for any future developments." In essence, Hezbollah has been brought in to bring some austerity here and clean up the Houthi books. The Houthis are like one of those large corporations like Office Space, and someone has to come in as efficiency experts and ask the Houthis, “What exactly do you do here”? At the same time, it seems Hezbollah has sought to squeeze the populace by sending taskmasters to go out and farm more money for the bosses in Sanaa. “The sources confirmed that Hezbollah asked the Houthi militias to intensify the financial collection process and raise the rates of customs, taxes, port fees, and communications costs by no less than 40% during the coming months until the end of the current year.” And it gets worse if you’re a Yemeni who thought peace might bring a peace dividend. It turns out Hezbollah wants a 70/30 split in terms of where the money goes. Seventy percent for guns and only thirty percent for food. This “guns or butter” equation is not in favor of what is good for Yemen. However, the article reveals the reason for this squeeze. It turns out that the Houthis are not getting as much money from Iraq or Iran, or perhaps Hezbollah is not getting as much from Iraq and Iraq. A new “council of experts” has been formed in Sana’a, and it has been “granted absolute powers for military and security decisions, controlling even the civilian sector, carrying out bombing or targeting operations inside and outside Yemen’s borders, and even naval attacks against cargo ships.” According to the report, this council is now in charge of military operations, and the Houthi's own ministry of defense has been sidelined. If this is true, it points to outsourcing some operations in Yemen to Hezbollah. It’s not the first that has been heard of Iran’s IRGC playing a role in overseeing Houthi actions, but it is the first time Hezbollah’s role has appeared so prominent. It is also known that in early October, after the Hamas attack, the Houthis created a “joint operations room” to coordinate with the rest of the Iranian axis to threaten Israel. Now, it seems this has grown into this “council” and taxation committee. If the report is accurate, then it spells more troubles in the region as Hezbollah grows in its role within the Iranian hierarchy. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-07

Iran's nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, has described the recent discussions with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi in Tehran as "positive." Eslami affirmed Tehran's commitment to continued interaction with the IAEA over unresolved issues regarding its nuclear program. According to reports, Grossi arrived in Tehran leading a delegation to participate in a nuclear conference and engage in negotiations with top nuclear and political officials of the country. During his visit, Grossi held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and is scheduled to meet with Mohammad Eslami, the chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. Following his meeting with the foreign minister, Grossi took to social media to share that he proposed "concrete practical measures" aimed at restoring confidence-building processes and increasing transparency in Iran's nuclear activities. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-06

A new Iranian law is tightening restrictions on . The initiative, known as Noor - “light” in Farsi - increases the government crackdown on women who don’t cover their hair, including punishing business owners who allow women not to wear the hijab on their premises.  According to the new law, if a woman without a hijab is seen at a business, the business can be shut down, or the owner can face a steep fine. The law was passed on April 13. Iran’s parliament initially approved this bill at the end of the past year. Still, it was frozen due to massive protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini, an in police custody after being arrested for not properly wearing a hijab. Mayor of Tehran Alireza Zakani applauded the new law in an official interview. “The efforts to punish women without the hijab should be doubled,” he said. “The municipality will work side by side with the police for our ‘environmental protection.’” Ghasem Rezaei, Iran’s deputy chief of police, told the Iranian press, “The Noor plan has been issued within the framework of the belief and insight of the police force. As police officers, we are proud to implement God’s command based on the law in the country.” have led to international and domestic unrest. Following Mahsa Amini’s death in police custody in 2022, uprisings broke out in Iran. Protests were held not only in major cities such as Tehran and Isfahan but also in rural areas and among minority groups such as the Kurds and the Balochs.  People participate in a protest against the Islamic regime of Iran and the death of Mahsa Amini in New York City, New York, U.S., September 27, 2022. (credit: REUTERS/STEPHANIE KEITH) Protesters united under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom,” acknowledging not only the importance of women’s rights but also the goal to overthrow the Iranian regime, which deprives all citizens of their rights.  Although the protests were massively popular, many Iranians still support the Islamic Republic. Some supporters of the regime, male and female, gathered to celebrate the Noor plan in the presence of Sardar Radan, the head of Iran's Police Intelligence Organization. Supporters of the regime posted videos of the event on the social media platform X. Many supporters also shared posts accusing the BBC of conspiracy for reporting on the 2022 death of Nika Shakarami at the hands of morality police. Despite displays of support from some pockets of the populace, the Islamic Republic shows signs of weakness.  According to the UN, Iranian security forces have killed 551 civilians-including at least 49 women and 68 children-in the wake of the protests.  Ashkan Rostami, an Italy-based representative for the exiled Constitutionalist Party of Iran, told The Media Line that the violence is a sign of the regime’s weakness.  “The mistake that many people abroad make is that they think that the protests restricted the power of the morality police, but actually, this is not the case. They were always in control, but now, since the regime is getting weaker, they are using new tough manners,” he said. “What is interesting is that a sign of the weakness of the regime can be spotted among its Iranian morality police members, most of whom disagreed with the procedures and decided to resign,” he continued. “This caused the hiring of Afghan and even Lebanese immigrants as their substitutes.” Iranians are grappling not just with oppression from the state but also with a huge economic crisis.  “Five years ago, poverty rates affected only 20-30% of the population, but in the last two years, even those who were considered middle class are poor now,” Rostami said. “Moreover, with the Noor plan, they may face higher economic losses.” Protests against the Iranian government have been smaller in 2024 than last year. Their makeup is also changing, with men and women of multiple generations gathering to protest climate change and social and economic issues. Those who do gather to protest face the risk of state violence. Azam Ebrahimi, an Iranian social activist currently living in Italy, said that the harsh economic situation in Iran is leading to increased frustration with the state. “We are already winning against the regime because the majority of its expenses go to the military, and this has raised dissatisfaction in each social group due to the terrible economic situation,” she said. She noted that some of the slogans in the latest rounds of protests criticize the government for punishing women who don’t wear the hijab but fail to punish corrupt police officers and politicians. In addition to protesters, 41 lawyers in Iran have been arrested in the past year alone. On April 27, 61 Iranian attorneys condemned the morality police’s tactics in Iran, declaring them a violation of international human rights agreements.  Nadia B., an Iranian-British immigration and human rights lawyer who requested partial anonymity, told The Media Line about the risks facing lawyers in Iran. “Many Iranian lawyers are facing imprisonment for opposing themselves against the regime, and unfortunately, this circumstance will repeat itself in the future,” she said. Nadia described clients who were detained for two or three days and received lashes. They were forced to sign a promise not to commit further “sinful acts” to be released. Some clients had to pay a bribe as well.  She said that action from the UN would not be enough to bring the change needed to Iran. “The UN writes a report on the situation, criticizes the law, and provides statistics. However, this entity doesn’t take direct actions against the Iranian government or even pressure it,” she said. “The only real change can come from within, from Iranian people.” ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-04

Israel has consistently targeted in southern Lebanon alongside the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Alongside recruitment to the organization, Hezbollah also enhances its airspace with an entire air defense system dedicated to downing drones and other UAVs.  The use of drones by Hezbollah, which began already 20 years ago, came to be through its . The current and contemporary drones, which have been used in the last operations in Arab al-Aramshe, can carry about 50 kilograms of explosives and have a launch range and the ability to reach a distance of about 150 km. Arab media reports reveal that alongside the Iranian , air defense is a major factor pointing to Hezbollah's development. Apart from artificial intelligence-based missiles, Hezbollah also has missiles capable of overpowering advanced Israeli drones such as "Hermes 450" and "Hermes 900." Another part of Hezbollah's air defense system includes the SA8 system, which includes short-range missiles that reach 2-9 k.m. and a height of up to five k.m., and the SA17 system has a 20 k.m. range. Shahed 129 UAV at the Eqtedar 40 defense exhibition in Tehran (credit: FARS MEDIA CORPORATION/CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)/VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS) Arab sources reported that there are still other weapons and systems that Hezbollah has not yet revealed and those that may be more important and larger in their influence and advance. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-04

Al-Ittihad, UAE, April 27 The Israeli government is currently focused on closely monitoring and assessing Iranian actions, particularly following the recent Israeli strike on Isfahan. This surveillance is being conducted within a specific framework that has been established through the agreement of Israeli military leadership and intelligence services. Despite the advancements in Iran’s military capabilities, including drones and missiles of various ranges, the threat posed to Israeli national security has been limited in previous years, even after the Isfahan strike. Israel’s robust defense systems, such as the (being modernized in collaboration with the US), David’s Sling, and Red Sky, ensure that the skies over Israel remain secure. Any potential challenges from adversaries will be promptly addressed. Despite the rhetoric in Israeli media and politics, the primary goal is to garner support for Israel and reinforce the Western-Israeli alliance in defense of the values of freedom and democracy. The recent strike on Isfahan served to assert Israel’s legitimate right to deterrence, despite pressures from the Biden administration to exercise restraint. The fear of escalating tensions in the region, involving various actors aligned with Iran, such as militias or factions, poses a significant concern. Additionally, the potential involvement of groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS could further destabilize the region and jeopardize American interests in the Middle East. Furthermore, ongoing covert operations targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities and military infrastructure underscore the strategic approach Israel has taken in dealing with the Iranian threat. Rather than engaging in direct military confrontation with Tehran, Israel is prioritizing cyberwarfare techniques to address evolving threats in the region. BILLBOARD OF slain Iranian Brig.-Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi includes slogan in Hebrew ‘Making you regret it,’ seen April 3 in Tehran’s Palestine Square. (credit: Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images) The issue at hand transcends the Iran-Israel dynamic and implicates Western countries that have permitted Iran to act freely during negotiations, allowing it to advance its nuclear program and evade international obligations. The potential return of former president to the White House could have far-reaching implications on the region’s security, necessitating a recalibration of current strategies. While Israel remains committed to maintaining security amid various threats, including those from the Gaza Strip and from Iran, the government’s approach will continue to prioritize deterrence and strategic responses to safeguard national security. The Israeli military establishment is poised to address any emerging threats, ensuring that Israel’s security remains paramount in the face of evolving regional challenges. – Tarek Fahmy Al Qabas, Kuwait, April 24 The well-known Arab proverb asserts, “The roaring mountain just gave birth to a mouse,” which aptly describes Iran’s underwhelming response to headquarters in Damascus. Despite widespread anticipation for a dramatic retaliation from Iran following the destruction and killing of Brig.-Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi and seven other officers from the Quds Force, the reality fell far short of expectations. Those familiar with the situation were long aware that Iran’s reaction would likely lack the strength or impact to match Israel’s repeated aggression against it over the years. The catalog of killings and sabotage carried out by Israel against Iran in recent years is extensive and distressing. Yet, Iran has consistently responded with mere condemnations and denouncements. From the assassination of notable figures such as Prof. Massoud Ali-Mohammadi and IRGC Brig.-Gen. Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam to destructive attacks on nuclear facilities like Natanz, Israel has repeatedly targeted Iran with deadly precision. Despite these provocations, Iran’s responses have been largely impotent. Israel’s history of killing and destruction in and outside of Iran stands in stark contrast to Iran’s subdued responses. The recent operation, named “The True Promise,” exemplifies this stark contrast. Although anticipated to bring about significant harm to Israel through a barrage of missiles and drones, the operation ultimately failed as it was meticulously intercepted and neutralized before causing any damage. This operation underscores the ineffectiveness and bluster that have characterized Iran’s responses to Israeli aggression. Ultimately, the consequences of these events shed light on several key outcomes. First, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s position is solidified as Israeli citizens rally behind him in the face of ongoing threats. Second, the US administration and Congress have realigned their support for Netanyahu, backtracking on previous demands for urgent elections. Third, the international community shifted its stance on Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza, resulting in increased financial and military aid to Israel. In an unexpected turn of events, the Iranian regime inadvertently aided Israel in its challenges in Gaza, prompting a resurgence in support from staunch opponents of the war in Gaza. This unforeseen consequence underscores the complexities of regional dynamics and the intricate web of alliances at play. – Faisal Mohammad bin Sabt  An-Nahar, Lebanon, April 24 The recent reports released by AFP that Iran has reduced its military footprint in Syria are inaccurate. Our sources indicate that the Quds Force has grown its presence in the country and altered its operational method within Syrian territory. Prior to the recent assassination of Brig.-Gen. Zahedi and six Iranian officers at the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Israeli strikes in Syria were relentless and devastating. This event, which occurred on April 1, marked a turning point following a series of targeted killings and strikes throughout Syria. These actions exposed the leadership of the Quds Force, an IRGC division. Reports suggesting a significant shift in the Iranian role in Syria are misleading. The changes made are primarily tactical, such as adjusting the locations of Quds Force officers, enhancing secrecy in movements, and modifying relationships with Syrian regime affiliates. Iranian sources claim that leaks about their presence in Syria to Western agencies, who then share information with the Mossad, have prompted these adjustments. Tactical modifications also include reducing the number of officers and experts present in Syria simultaneously, as well as anticipating potential escalation in Lebanon. The rules of engagement have been revised following the consulate incident. As the Israeli military plans to launch its operation in Rafah, Lebanon may become a focal point for conflict. The intensification of attacks against Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Quds Force members on Lebanese soil are expected. Meanwhile, Iran is likely to escalate its activities to bolster its support for Gaza and Hamas, shifting focus away from Rafah itself. The Syrian arena is poised to remain a hotbed of conflict, as Iran shows no signs of diminishing its presence in the country. Syria represents a crucial geopolitical investment for Iran, serving as the linchpin of its Levant strategy. Should Iran withdraw from Syria, its entire expansionist agenda would crumble. While Hezbollah is often viewed as Iran’s flagship in the Levant, Syria serves as the backbone of Tehran’s regional ambitions. The idea that Iran will reduce its military footprint in Syria is wishful thinking. Syria plays a pivotal role in Iran’s regional strategy, linking its eastern borders to the Mediterranean Sea. This strategic corridor is essential for Iran’s influence in the region, making any substantial withdrawal from Syria highly unlikely. – Ali Hamada Al-Ahram, Egypt, April 25 This opinion piece serves as an opportunity to engage in critical thought. For a long time, the proposed solution to the Palestinian issue revolved around the debate between a one-state and two-state solution. However, this debate seemed futile as neither Palestinian nor Israeli politicians truly believed in either option due to the internal conflict it would bring. In reality, the region from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea was effectively a single state, controlled by Israel through force, favoritism, and racial bias. There is skepticism that a state controlled by Hamas or Fatah would differ significantly. Throughout history, the weight of past suffering has clouded our ability to find a viable solution, leaving us to rely on time for a miraculous breakthrough. Thankfully, there is now a global consensus supporting the two-state solution, with Western nations, and African, Asian, and Latin American countries showing readiness to recognize an independent Palestinian state. However, the journey toward this goal will demand thoughtful deliberation to ensure a resolution that upholds the rights to life, security, and prosperity for all parties involved. The world has witnessed two major conflicts characterized by intense animosity and profound implications for life and death. In Europe, simmering tensions since the Napoleonic Wars erupted into the cataclysm of World War I and World War II. Following this devastation, the European Union project emerged from careful contemplation, offering a glimmer of hope for lasting peace and cooperation. While Europe’s story continues, the prospect of a return to deadly conflicts appears increasingly unlikely. In Asia, post-World War II divisions in Korea, Vietnam, and China fueled further conflicts, culminating in the Vietnam War and a turbulent era. However, a turning point arrived in 1978 with the rise of the Asian Tigers and the inception of the ASEAN initiative, paving the way for unprecedented prosperity, economic growth, and trade. As the forces of globalization swept across the region, these countries found themselves well-prepared to emerge as leaders in a changing world order. Recognizing the strategic shift toward Asia, the US has positioned itself to embrace this future as the key to global progress. – Abdel Moneim Saeed Translated by Asaf Zilberfarb. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-04

Iran is clearly a nuclear threshold country today, according to a great majority of scientists. What is unclear is exactly when we can expect . The chairman of the (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, claimed this week that Iran is not months but weeks away from possessing enough enriched uranium to develop a nuclear bomb. He clarified, however, that this does not signify that Iran will avail itself of nuclear weapons within that time frame.  While the Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly claimed that it does not intend to to the level required for a nuclear bomb, statements from Tehran testify to the contrary.  The obvious question arises: What exactly did Israel do to Islamic Iran and the belligerent Arab states that so despise us and wish to destroy what they term the “Zionist entity”?  In an interview with Epoch Times, Rabbi Oury Cherki explained that to understand the essence of the conflict, it was necessary to go straight to the source, to the biblical story of Ishmael, borne to Abraham by Sarah’s immigrant slave girl. Once Sarah realized that she was not able to bear children of her own, she selected the Egyptian princess Hagar as a surrogate so that Abraham could father a son and heir.Peter Paul Rubens, The Reconciliation of Jacob and Esau, 1624 (credit: WIKIPEDIA) Rabbi Cherki said that the moment Isaac was born, the birthright and the inheritance went straight to him, even though he was 13 years younger than Ishmael. This was in accordance with the Code of Hammurabi, the legal codex in force at the time.  But Ishmael refused to recognize Isaac, his younger half-brother, as their father’s heir.  Most Arabs see themselves as descendants of Ishmael and are unwilling to accept the validity of Judaism. As far as Islam is concerned, since the arrival of Mohammed (born as late as the 6th century CE) all other religions, including Christianity and Judaism, are unimportant and Islam is the one true religion.  Before Islam, the Arabs were idolaters and they themselves divide their history into two periods: the period of the Enlightenment and the period of Islam. Islam is a return to the God of Abraham but not to the God of Isaac.  Thus, essentially, the debate centers on to whom the land, the inheritance of our father Abraham, actually belongs.  Some of us still recall the good relations that existed between Iran and Israel some 50 years ago. Israel invested heavily in nurturing the relations between the two countries and provided Iran with weapons, defense, and agricultural expertise.  Israel’s relationship with Iran has experienced ups and downs. The political alliance, “the Alliance of the Periphery” died along with the rule of the Pahlavi dynasty following the 1979 Iranian Islamic revolution and the return of ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini from exile.  Khomeini’s Iran embraced Muslim radicalism and anti-Western and anti-Zionist ideology and gave birth to the “Axis of Resistance.” Iran began to establish its grip on Syria, supporting it against Israel and assisting it with weapons.  Iran has made Lebanon its forward military base against Israel, while equipping itself, according to estimates, with around 150,000 missiles and rockets, some of which are precision-guided, in order to advance its murderous plan of hitting us as hard as possible.  Iran’s anti-Western ideology, which sees the United States as the “Great Satan” and Israel as the “Little Satan,” and is bent on harming Western interests, has caused countless murderous attacks. The fingerprints of Iran and its proxies were found in the horrific 1994 attack on the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) Jewish community building in Buenos Aires.  In September 1992, a terror attack took place at a restaurant in Berlin, Germany’s capital, in what was deemed the most serious attack by a foreign country on German soil since World War II. At the time, the court ordered the arrest of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) agents.  In August 2002, an Iranian opposition group revealed information about the existence of secret nuclear reactors in Natanz and Barak, in violation of the bilateral agreement between Iran and the IAEA regarding the implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).  Notwithstanding Iran’s threat to destroy a United Nations member country, the Western world is silent and thus complicit as sinister and envious Shia leaders race to achieve their murderous hegemony and world domination by means of terror and the development of a nuclear bomb.  Economic sanctions have affected Iran only slightly since many companies in France, Germany, and the UK have known how to circumvent them. Additionally, the Western embargo on weapons and spare parts for Iran’s nuclear project has clearly been ineffective. Via its Houthi proxy, the Islamic Republic also threatens and harms Gulf countries. This nuclear-threshold country is also equipping the worst of our enemies with the best of weapons. THE DESTRUCTION of Soviet missile batteries designed to protect the nuclear facility in Iran was a message to Tehran that Israel will not put up with its nuclearization – and perhaps also a signal to the United States that if it does not act to destroy the nuclear threat, Israel may well do so. Israel and the US were mistaken in allowing this monster to grow to such terrifying proportions and achieve the ability to threaten Israel directly and through its Middle East proxies. Iran continues to develop its nuclear capability while ignoring the demands of other countries to stop.  The Islamic Republic is not only a threat to Israel but to the entire world, and it will continue on its path until it has a bomb in hand or the world finally wakes up and puts a stop to the evil and terrorist regime’s intention of destroying the State of Israel.  The writer is CEO of Radius 100fm, honorary consul of Nauru, deputy dean of the Consular Staff in Israel, and vice president of the Ambassadors Club. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-03

The pressure is mounting on in New Jersey after Iranian-Americans and students appeared at a demonstration in late April, urging the Ivy League institution’s president to fire for his alleged role in the assassinations of over 20 Iranian dissidents. Mousavian is also facing calls for his summary dismissal because of his ongoing support for two US-designated terrorist organizations, Hamas and Hezbollah, and his endorsement of an Iranian regime fatwa to execute the British-American writer Salman Rushdie. Over 70 people, including a survivor of a 1992 assassination operation reportedly linked to Mousavian, protested last Friday in Princeton against the controversial academic. Mousavian was the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ambassador (1990-1997) to Germany when the former Iranian regime president, Akbar Rafsanjani, ordered a team of assassins to murder Kurdish dissidents in a Berlin restaurant called Mykonos in 1992. The Iranian regime ordered assassination resulted in the murder of four Kurdish dissidents, according to a Berlin court verdict. Seyed Hossein Mousavian, 2003. (credit: WIKIPEDIA) Lawdan Bazargan, the lead organizer of the campaign to terminate Mousavian’s employment and a former political prisoner in Iran, told the Jerusalem Post, "It's astounding that on Science and Global Security, with the noble mission of advancing national and international policies for a safer and more peaceful world, has chosen to associate itself with Seyed Hossein Mousavian, who stands accused of involvement in terrorist attacks in Europe. By retaining Mousavian, Princeton jeopardizes its own reputation and undermines its commitment to human rights and global security.” On Friday, April 26, we held a protest at Princeton University demanding the removal of Seyed Hossein Mousavian. Mousavian, linked to terrorist activities, represents a past we cannot ignore. We stand for accountability and justice. Mousavian served as a high level official for the Islamic Republic of Iran in a number of positions, including as the chief spokesman for Tehran’s nuclear negotiating team from 2003 to 2005. Bazargan oversees the campaign Alliance Against Islamic Regime of Iran Apologists (AAIRIA). According to AAIRIA, “In the seven years Mousavian  served as IRI’s ambassador in Germany, more than 23 Iranians were killed in terrorist attacks on European soil orchestrated by IRI...These heinous acts underscore the direct involvement of the IRI embassy in Bonn and Mousavian’s role in Iran's state-sponsored terrorism and orchestrating violence against innocent civilians.”  Parviz Dastmalchi, a survivor of the Mykonos terrorism attack who flew from Germany to the US to speak at the protest, said “Mousavian, as the ambassador of the IRI, was the official representative of this criminal government and is still a supporter of this brutal regime. In addition, according to documents and the testimony of one witness at the Berlin court, he was actively involved in the killing of dissidents in Western Europe.” Dastmalchi, a politician and prolific writer on Iranian regime terrorism, added “We, the Justice seekers, demand Mousavian's expulsion from the university and his removal from the United States of America.” In November, the US House Committee of Education and the Workforce launched an inquiry into the role of Mousavian in allegedly advancing the interests of Iran’s regime. The US State Department has repeatedly classified Iran’s regime the world’s worst state-sponsor of terrorism. In April, the US-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) published a damning report about Mahallati’s alleged terrorism and support for Islamist terrorist movements. MEMRI first translated German articles that showed Mahallati’s reported endorsement of Hamas, Hezbollah and the fatwa against Rushdie.    According to a  1997 article from the Berlin newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, Abolghasem Mesbahi, a former Iranian intelligence official, told a Berlin court during the Mykonos trial: "Mousavian participated in most of the [Iranian regime's] crimes that took place in Europe." The Berlin court sentenced Iranian intelligence operative Kazam Darabi to life imprisonment for the Mykonos murders, with Iranian secret service chief Ali Fallahian implicated in the legal ruling  as the chief  perpetrator of the killings. The court also sentenced Hezbollah operatives to prison terms. In the interview with the German paper Taz, Mousavian referred to the court conviction as "nonsense," and declared Iran's support for Hamas "in its struggle," and said  "We support Hezbollah morally." When approached by the Post, Mousavian declined to renounce his support for Hamas and Hezbollah.  In a November statement to the Post, Mousavian wrote about the Mykonos case that  ”The 398-page verdict is published and everyone can have access to it. The Berlin court verdict does not contain any direct or indirect allegations against me.” Reuters reported in a 1992 article  titled "German Opposition Wants Iranian Envoy Expelled” that " ...Hossein Mousavian was summoned to the German Foreign Ministry after remarking in a radio interview that Bonn would not act against its trade interests with Iran to back Rushdie's request for the death decree to be lifted.” According to the Reuters article, Social Democrat politician Freimut Duve told parliament in a debate about the "Rushdie Affair" that Mousavian should leave Germany because he did not respect its laws. Reuters noted that "In the radio interview after Rushdie's appearance, Mousavian defended the historic Islamic practice of imposing the death sentence for blasphemy." Mousavian told Spiegel magazine in 1993 about Rushdie that “ I hate him. He insulted my religion, my prophet, the law.” When the Post asked Mousavian about his support for the fatwa, he declined to comment.  In 2022,  Hadi Matar, an American man of Lebanese origin who had been in contact with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard, nearly killed Rushdie. Representatives from the Kurdish community participated in the protest against Mousavian. According to a statement issued by a coalition of Kurdish groups, “The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan urges Princeton University to take appropriate action and terminate Mousavian's employment with this esteemed institution. Allowing his continued presence despite strong calls from Iranian society and his involvement in terrorism would set a negative precedent for the institute's future.” The American-Jewish Princeton undergraduate student ,Jared Stone, spoke at the anti-Mousavian rally. He said that “The malign influence of the terrorist regime, propagated by the likes of Mousavian and [Behrooz] Ghamari-Tabrizi [Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton], has poisoned the well of our campus discourse. To my shock and dismay, student protesters yesterday brandished the flag of Hezbollah and drowned Princeton’s McCosh Courtyard in a sea of applause at the mention of the terrorist regime in Tehran.“ Stone added “Yes, you heard that right — our nation’s supposed best and brightest egged on the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and its proxies. This is the same regime that imprisoned Princeton PhD student Xiyue Wang for 3 years and whose paramilitary proxy Kata’ib Hezbollah holds another Princeton doctoral student, Elizabeth Tsurkov, captive as we speak.” Tsurkov is a dual Russian-Israeli citizen who was kidnapped in 2022 by the Iranian regime-controlled proxy Kata’ib Hezbollah. Ghamari-Tabrizi did not immediately respond to a Post press query. The Post sent detailed press queries to Princeton University president Christopher Ludwig Eisgruber about Mousavian’s alleged terrorist activities and support for Hamas, Hezbollah and the fatwa. Eisgruber declined to comment. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-03

The United States cannot move forward on a defense pact with Saudi Arabia unless the deal also includes a normalization agreement with Israel, (R-South Carolina) told The Jerusalem Post. “There will not be 67 votes in the United States Senate for a defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and the United States that doesn’t have an Israeli component,” he said in a telephone interview late Thursday. “That’s been true from day one and remains true.” agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel from across the aisle, even though it would give a boost to US President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. He has shuttled between Washington, Riyadh, and Jerusalem to push the matter forward. The Israel part of the agreement has always been viewed as necessary to sway Republicans to support the deal. The approval of 67 out of 100 senators is needed because the defense pact between Washington and Riyadh is at the level of a treaty. Being that there are 48 Democratic senators, 49 Republicans, and three independents, the only way to move forward is with bipartisan support. The US has hit an important goal post by finishing this important pillar of the deal, which is the defense pact, US SECRETARY of State Antony Blinken meets with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, on Monday. (credit: EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS) “Once that has been achieved, then we turn our attention to the Palestinian file and normalization,” he told the Post. “I don’t think Saudi Arabia is going to talk about the Palestinian issue or normalization until they lock down a deal with the United States. If I were them, I would not. I would want to make sure I got what I needed from the United States before I started that conversation.” The United States had been moving rapidly in the early fall on a triad deal with Saudi Arabia. It included a defense pact between Washington and Riyadh, a normalization deal with Israel and Saudi Arabia and an agreement that the Palestinians were on a pathway to statehood. That work was scuttled by Hamas’s invasion of Israel on October 7, an act which the White House and many US politicians, including Graham blamed on Tehran.  “You got a situation where Iran control Hamas,” Graham point out. “October 7, in part was designed to slow down the normalization process,” Graham stressed. “Iran’s overall ambitions are to keep the Middle East in turmoil and to stop this normalization,” he said. “When you look at the future of Israel and the region the single best thing to happen to secure Israel's future, I think is to end the Arab-Israeli conflict, and normalize with Saudi Arabia,” Graham stated.  “That would be an earthquake in Mid East politics and a nightmare for Iran,” he stated.  This is why it is “hell bent on stopping” the integration of Israel into the region, he added. Graham spoke with The Jerusalem Post as the US has said that it has mostly completed work on the defense pact with Saudi Arabia.  This fact has sparked speculation that the Biden administration would attempt to advance just the defense pact, leaving normalization and Palestinian statehood for a later time. Graham said that such a plan was not feasible because the only way to receive enough votes in the Senate for the deal, is to move the entire package forward. But he acknowledge that the insistence on passing the entire package at once, creates its own set of almost impossible challenges. It has long been believed that the overall Saudi deal must be passed before the November elections and that the closer it gets to that date, the harder it will be for the Senate to move on it due to domestic political concerns. “The time period to achieve this is not unlimited,” Graham explained. Another complicating belief is Saudi Arabia’s insistence that a normalization deal can not be advanced until the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza ends. “As long as there's intense military conflict, it's gonna be hard to negotiate this deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel. I think Saudi Arabia has made that clear,” Graham explained. It’s also not possible for the deal to be successful if Hamas remains in power in Gaza, the Senator said as he voiced support for Israel’s goal of destroying the terror group, including backing Israel’s plans for a military operation in Rafah to eliminate its four remaining battalions there. “Who would invest in Gaza if Hamas is still around,” Graham said. “There will be no deal that will allow Hamas to remain standing. Israel has to make it clear to the world that the destruction of Hamas is non-negotiable,” he said. The Biden administration has hoped that Hamas will accept a hostage deal to free some of the remaining 133 captives, that would pause the war, and allow for a window of opportunity by which to move forward on the other two parts of the deal.  It would be possible, Graham said, to include the reconstruction of Gaza under the auspices of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with the normalization deal.  Skepticism has been high that a deal with a pathway toward Palestinian statehood could be approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government which opposes such statehood. Graham pointed to the Knesset declaration against unilateral Palestinian statehood that passed earlier this year with the support of 99 of the parliaments 120 members, as a sign that Israel is open to a negotiation process on Palestinian statehood. “That Knesset resolution, reaffirmed the position of Israel, that if there's any agreement between the Palestinians and Israel on a state or anything else, it would have to come through direct negotiations without pre-conditions,” he said. Graham clarified that Saudi Arabia was “not insisting on the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state. That's not the Saudis position. They are insisting upon a pathway, an irrevocable pathway, to direct negotiations,” he said. Graham stressed that this deal presents Israel with an historic opportunity.  “Israel's top priorities get the hostages back. But in terms of the long term security of the Jewish state, a Saudi Israel deal would be one of the biggest accomplishments since the founding of Israel.” ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-03

Iran has released the crew of a seized Portuguese-flagged ship linked to Israel but remains in control of the vessel itself, said. Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized the container ship, , with a crew of 25, in the Strait of Hormuz on April 13, days after Tehran vowed to retaliate for a suspected Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus. Iran had said it could close the crucial shipping route. “The seized ship, which turned off its radar in Iran's territorial waters and jeopardized the security of navigation, is under judicial detention,” Amirabdollahian said, according to a foreign ministry post on X late Thursday night. He said the release of the crew was a humanitarian act and they could return to their countries along with the ship’s captain.IRGC siezes ship near Bu Musa Island, Iran (credit: Wikimedia Commons) Iran’s foreign ministry had earlier said the Aries was seized for "violating maritime laws" and that there was no doubt it was linked to Israel. MSC leases the Aries from Gortal Shipping, an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, which is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer. Recent attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea and the by Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthis, claiming solidarity with Palestinians during Israel's war on Gaza, have affected global shipping. ...قراءة المزيد

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