Archive for month: October, 2015

Ayatollah Arafi stressed that all Iranian factions and groups should realize that Ayatollah Khamenei has the “final word” over the JCPOA and that his advice and commandments are paramount to all partisan issues.

During his Friday prayer sermon to a large and fervent crowd of believers and mourners in Qom’s Holy Shrine of Lady Fatimah al-Ma’sumah, Ayatollah Ali-Reza Arafi stated that the message of Ashura is to have piety in one’s personal and social life and added that the Ashura of today is to confront and resist “American Islam, Saudi Islam, ISIL and aristocratic Islam.”

Referring to the ISIL Takfiri terrorist group, His Eminence added that the hatred of these modern-day successors of Umayyad Dynasty seek to stand against the roaring waves of those mourning for Imam Husayn, but they know that the flag of Imam Husayn will remain flying high and that they and the arrogant powers cannot stand against the message of Imam Husayn which has “pushed all their waves aside.”

Ayatollah Arafi stressed the need to avoid superstitions and distortions during the mourning ceremonies and said that mourning for Imam Husayn must be passionate and avoid superstitions and practices such as tatbir (self-flagellation) which is the cause of insult to Shi’a Islam.

“Our Shi’ism is revolutionary and our revolution is based on Ashura and it must be protected,” he stressed.

In another part of his speech, Qom’s Friday prayers’ leader referred to the letter from the Supreme Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution (Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei) to President Hassan Rouhani in regard to the implementation and important points of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and stressed that Ayatollah Khamenei has the “final word” over this agreement which was reached after twenty months of tough negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in July.

“All parties must consider the statements of the Supreme Leader as the final word as such, they are paramount over their own positions and his commands and advice are more important than partisan issues and disagreements because he is the monitor and guardian of the Islamic Revolution,” he said.

Ayatollah Arafi said the legislation and implementation of the JCPOA should be carefully considered by the country’s authorities as the text of this agreement has weaknesses which Iran’s enemies can take advantage of after it is implemented.

He emphasized that Iran must to strengthen its research and development capabilities and prepare to defend itself against the arrogant powers and must also continue its support of the Islamic Resistance and establish a culture of resistance and a resistance economy after the implementation of the JCPOA. He added that Iran must not show any tolerance or weakness in this regard.

The renowned Iranian scholar said that the enemies must know that Iranians have been reasonable and have had patience over the JCPOA but we are children of Ashura and will not make any concessions to the enemies or surrender to their excesses.

Ayatollah Arafi stressed that the United States and the Zionists are not safe from collapse. Takfiri terrorist groups must not feel safe as the waves of the Islamic Resistance are increasing throughout the world.

“Our message, which has been inspired by Ashura, to the Americans and other enemies of Islam is that they must realize that they cannot influence Iran so they should stop trying to interfere in Iran by creating dissension among our people,” he said.

He explained that Ashura is a sign of the greatness of the Iranian nation, adding that the Zionist regime is in the grip of the Islamic Resistance and by God’s grace, this cancerous tumour will collapse soon.

His Eminence added that ISIL, Takfiris and the House of Saud know that until Iran sits back and surrenders to the oppressors, they cannot continue their support of conflict among Sunnis and Shi’ites in Iran. “They must stop their support of evil policies or they will be defeated,” he said.

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Two severed pig’s heads bearing an anti-Islam slogan have been left at the doorsteps of a disused church in Belfast, capital of Northern Ireland.

St Luke’s Church on Northumberland Street, owned by the Church of Ireland, is up for sale but is currently being used by a community group for an event period. The wardens at St Luke’s Church have described the incident as terrible.

Chief Inspector of Police Gavin Kirkpatrick said that they received a report at around 10.30 this morning that two pig’s heads with racially offensive language written on them were left outside a property at Northumberland Street.

“Officers are currently carrying out enquiries into this incident which must be condemned by all.”

Spokesperson from the Belfast Islamic Centre (BIC), has said that the racist attack is disgusting no matter what side of the community you come from and there is no place for it in a civilized community.

It is noteworthy that police are treating the incident as a race hate crime.

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The Syrian army killed the leader of the Al-Nusra Front terrorist group in the Aleppo countryside on Saturday.

The Egypt-born Abu Suleiman al-Masri, a senior al-Nusra Front leader, was killed during a fight near the Tal-al-Karsani in Aleppo countryside.

The Nusra Front is a terrorist group Islamist armed group fighting the Syrian government.

This week the Russian Defense Ministry said Daesh (ISIL) was in talks with other terrorist groups operating in Syria about joining forces against the Syrian Army.

“Intercepted radio communications suggest that commanders of several large units of the Al-Nusra terrorist group have begun talks with leaders of the Daesh terrorist organization about joining forces to contain the Syrian army offensive,” Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

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A Saudi Arabian appeals court has upheld the death sentence of the prominent Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, referring his case to King Salman’s office, the cleric’s brother announced.

Mohamed al-Nimr said the death sentence handed to his brother, who has been in detention for nearly three years on political charges, has been referred to King Salman’s office for a final decision.

He strongly warned the Saudi regime against any hasty decision, saying that if King Salman signs the verdict, it will have serious consequences.

Mohamed al-Nimr expressed the hope that the Saudi King would avoid approving the death penalty to prevent the outbreak of unrest in the oil-rich kingdom.

Saudi criminal court had earlier referred Sheikh Nimr’s case to an appeals court, where the sentence was upheld in early March.

Sheikh Nimr was detained in July 2012 following demonstrations that erupted in Qatif region, Saudi Arabia. He is accused of delivering anti-regime speeches and defending political prisoners.

His arrest has sparked widespread protests in the Arab country, leaving several people dead.

Last October, Sheikh Nimr’s family reported that a Saudi judge has found him guilty of “sedition” and sentenced him to death.

Activists say there are over 30,000 political prisoners in Saudi Arabia.

International human rights organizations have criticized Saudi Arabia for failing to address the rights situation in the kingdom. They say Saudi Arabia has persistently implemented repressive policies that stifle freedom of expression, association and assembly.

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Head of the terrorist group of ISIL Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is not in Turkey, Turkish Ambassador to Iran Reza Hakan Tekin said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters, he noted that if ISIL leader or or any of its affiliates or elements enter the Turkish territory, they will be arrested immediately.

Tekin refused media reports about hospitalization of al-Baghdadi in Turkey, adding that these reports are biased.
Turkey is victim of terrorism and has declared the ISIL as a terrorist group, he added.

Some media have reported that ISIL Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been transferred to Turkey for treatment through a series of coordination measures by the CIA after the notorious terrorist leader was severely injured in the Iraqi army’s airstrike on his convoy in Western Anbar province.

A military statement by the Iraqi Army announced on October 11 that the Iraqi air force had bombed the convoy of al-Baghdadi while he was heading to Al-Karable to attend a meeting with ISIL commanders.

Al-Karable is the Sub-district in the West of the Al Anbar province of Iraq, beside the Syrian border in an area of high ground.

Several ISIL commanders were killed in the June airstrike, including Abu Hareth Al-Shami, Abu Aeshe al-Ansari – an explosives expert – Moroccan national Abu Yousef Al-Jezrawi, Abu Hussein Al-Salmani who was in charge of issues concerning ISIL’s Zakah (an Islamic tax system), and Wa’d al-Latif Jom’eh al-Mohammadi who was in charge of ISIL’s suicide operation agents.

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