Archive for category: News

The court stated that the suspects on September 1, 2015, assaulted along with other unknown suspects a policeman, and acquired and possessed flammable and combustible materials, aiming at endangering people’s lives and properties. They also participated in an assembly made up of five persons for the purpose of committing crimes and threatening public security, using violence to achieve their goal which they gathered to fulfill, according to the court.

The authorities claimed that around 150 protestors took to the streets in the island of Sitra, and while the security forces “were dealing with them,” two policemen were injured. The authorities further state that after investigations, the information was confirmed by an anonymous source that five suspects along with others were involved in the incident, as they prepared Molotov cocktails and other objects in order to use them against security forces.

Human rights organizations challenge the charges raised against the suspects since they doubt the independence of the judiciary, whose members are assigned by royal decrees, and since it issues sentences based on confessions extracted under duress and evidence presented by secret investigations and anonymous witnesses.

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British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond said his government believes there is a “significant possibility” that an explosive device caused the crash. And a Middle East source briefed on intelligence matters also said it appears likely someone placed a bomb aboard the aircraft.

Metrojet Flight 9268 crashed Saturday in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula after breaking apart in midair, killing all 224 people on board. It was en route to St. Petersburg from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

The latest U.S. intelligence suggests that the crash was most likely caused by a bomb planted on the plane by ISIS or an affiliate, according to multiple U.S. officials who spoke with CNN.

The officials stressed that no formal conclusion has been reached by the U.S. intelligence community and that U.S. officials haven’t seen forensic evidence from the crash investigation.

Intelligence also suggests someone at the Sharm el-Sheikh airport helped get a bomb onto the plane, one U.S. official said.

“This airport has lax security. It is known for that,” the official said. “But there is intelligence suggesting an assist from someone at the airport. “

Egyptian authorities, who are leading the investigation into the crash, haven’t publicly responded to reports on U.S. intelligence. Since the crash, they’ve downplayed the possibility that terrorism could be involved.

The signs pointing to ISIS, another U.S. official said, are partially based on monitoring of internal messages of the terrorist group. Those messages are separate from public ISIS claims of responsibility, that official said.

In an audio message from ISIS’ Sinai branch that was posted on terror-related social media accounts Wednesday, the organization adamantly insisted that it brought down the flight.

“Find your black boxes and analyze them, give us the results of your investigation and the depth of your expertise and prove we didn’t do it or how it was downed,” the message said. “Die with your rage. We are the ones with God’s blessing who brought it down. And God willing, one day we will reveal how, at the time we desire.”

Typically, ISIS is quick to trumpet how and who carried out any attacks for purposes of praise and propaganda. To some, the fact that ISIS hasn’t provided details in this case raises doubt about the group’s repeated claims of responsibility.

Officials in Egypt and Russia have said there’s no evidence to support ISIS’ claims.

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During the meeting, which was held on the eve of November 4, which marks the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the former US embassy in Tehran by Iranian students, and which marks National Day of Fight against Global Arrogance, Ayatollah Khamenei said the present period of time is the period during which the dignity of the nation is stabilized and the map of progress of Iranians is sketched out. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also underscored the high significance of public vigilance, awareness and insight at this juncture, particularly by the younger generation.
   
“The fundamental point in understanding and analyzing the present circumstances and mapping out the future drive of the country lies in understanding the fact that the struggle of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian people against arrogance, despite remarks by certain individuals, is not irrational and emotional, but a confrontation born out of wisdom and experience and supported by science,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

Noting that paying attention to instructive experiences of nations prevents visual illusion and calculation error, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Even if we set aside the evident verses cited in the Noble Quran about resistance and fight against injustice and arrogance, the great event of Mordad 28, 1332 (falling on August 1953 marking the US-engineered coup against Iran’s then government) shows how the US should be dealt with.”
   

Elucidating the events during the important period when Iran’s petroleum industry was nationalized in the 1950s, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution highlighted putting trust in and pinning hope on the US as the historic mistake of then Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mossadeq, saying: “To counter Britain, Mossadeq leant towards the US and this very optimism and simple-mindedness and neglect cleared the ground for the success of an American coup, a coup that wasted all endeavors of the nation throughout the nationalization of the petroleum industry, revived the autocratic and dependent Pahlavi regime and left dear Iran prey to the most severe national harms as well as politico-economic and cultural setbacks for 25 years.”
 
Touching on the deep and extensive infiltration of the Americans following the 1953 coup, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “In the face of such travails, the nations that have no qualified leader become inactive and surrender, but the Iranian nation, benefiting from the divine blessing of the leadership of Imam Khomeini, became more aware and targeted the dependent Pahlavi regime and its main supporter, i.e. the US, with an Islamic movement.”  

Citing Imam Khomeini’s remarks in 1963 about the depth of the nation’s hatred of the US president, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “That influential and determined leader who had deep-seated faith in divine promises explained to the people since the very formation of the movement that all mischief and conspiracy are plotted by the US.”  

Ayatollah Khamenei recalled the US’s enmity toward the 1979 Islamic Revolution since the very first months following the victory of the revolution, saying: “After the [Islamic] Revolution, the Americans had their embassy in Tehran and were in contact with the Iranian government for some time, but they did not stop plotting even a single day and this historical experience must make some people understand that relationship and friendship does not end the US hostilities and conspiracies.”  

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said the takeover of the US embassy by a group of students was a reaction to the continuation of Washington’s conspiracies and the Americans’ sheltering of the definitive enemy of the nation, Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi. “The documents collected in the US embassy showed that this embassy was really the den of espionage and the center of persistent conspiracies against the ‘Iranian nation and the nascent Islamic Revolution’.”  

Ayatollah Khamenei said reflecting upon the documents of the Den of Espionage was necessary, important and instructive, adding: “These documents show clearly that throughout the formation of the [Islamic] movement, the Americans were constantly making efforts to deal blows to the Iranian nation in [support of] the shameful monarchial regime’s confrontation with people and also after the revolution.”
 
Citing the memoirs of US General Robert E. Huyser, who had come to Iran in the winter of 1979 to save the oppressive monarchial regime, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “These memoirs show quite well that the US had practically been encouraging and guiding the Pahlavi generals to massacre the Iranian people.”
 
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also enumerated separatist and counterrevolutionary moves, the botched Nojeh coup by a group of army officers against the Islamic Republic, encouraging Saddam Hussein to invade Iran and continuously helping the hated dictator of Baghdad during eight years of the imposed war as other links in the chain of US conspiracies against Iran.

“Due to misunderstanding and inability to analyze the realities of Iran, the Americans have over the recent 37 years sought to subvert the [Islamic] Revolution fundamentally, but thank God, they have been defeated and they will fail in the future as well,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.   

Ayatollah Khamenei said the idea behind reviewing the chain of conspiracies of the Great Satan was to get a more precise knowledge of the US, adding: “In recent years, there have been those who have – spitefully by following the US, or naively – tried to turn a blind eye to the frequent experiences of the nation and paint a rosy picture of the US and create the impression that the Americans were once the enemy of Iran and have now steered clear of those conspiracies!”

“The goal pursued by these efforts is to wipe the real face of the enemy off minds so that the Americans could continue their enmity covertly and stab in the back when time is right,” said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
 
“The fact is that the US’s objectives vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic of Iran have not changed at all and they will not hesitate even a second if they could annihilate the Islamic Republic, but they can’t, and with God’s help, under the aegis of youths’ endeavors, the expansion and deepening of the insight of the nation and the progress of Iran, they will fail to realize their objectives in the future as well,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said US officials showed some ostensible flexibility in the nuclear negotiations, saying: “The essence of the US behavior is pursuing the same hostile objectives of the past and the nation will not forget this reality.”

To that effect, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “During the negotiations, one of American officials spoke of hatred of war and even wept. Some naïve people may believe this story, but the US’ unflinching support for and incessant aid to the criminal, butcher-like and murderous Zionist regime and their support for the crimes committed against people in Yemen lay bare the reality of that claim and those tears.”
 
Referring to Iran’s normal relations with different countries in the world, even governments whose hearts are not on good terms with the Iranian nation, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “Despite this trend, the Iranian people do not regard the US, which seeks any pretext to harm the nation and to obliterate the Islamic Republic, as a friend and refuse to extend a hand of friendship towards it because ‘religion, wisdom, conscience and humanity’ do not give the nation such a right.”

Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the persistence of the US government’s all-out activities against the Islamic Republic, saying: “They have gradually realized that the reason behind the nation’s resistance lies in religious beliefs and convictions. For this reason, they are targeting these beliefs with new tools, but pupils, university students and all our youths will neutralize this ruse.”

 “The enemy is making massive efforts to transform universities into a bridge for connection to the West, like during the shameful period of the monarchial regime, but thanks to the vigilance of our dear youth, universities have turned into a stepladder leading to long-term ideals and our youth will preserve this influential situation,” said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
 
    
Ayatollah Khamenei said the progress and strength of the Iranian nation prompted the enemies to opt for nuclear talks, adding: “Even throughout the talks, they took hostile measures in a bid to stop the Iranian nation’s move.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said insistence on knowing the depth of the US enmity toward the Iranian nation did not mean ignoring internal weaknesses, adding: “In policymaking, execution [of policies], efforts and dynamism, prioritization of affairs and other fields, we have weaknesses which the enemy has used [against us] on many occasions.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said neglecting the real enemy and getting preoccupied with internal disputes are a big mistake, adding: “Some forget the foreign enemy under the pretext of internal weaknesses and issues.”

 “We should not mistake the enemy for those with whom we have differences of view. The enemy is he who is making every effort to harm the nation and bring to power a puppet government which is dedicated and submissive to and intimidated by the West, and we should by no means forget this vindictive, conscious and serious enemy,” said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
 
“Criticism brings about progress and the society is free and entitled to be critical, but we should never forget the Imam’s historic quote that ‘Vent all your anger at the US’,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution recommended that youth “take education and learning seriously, put public objectives before personal demands and increase their knowledge and analytic ability”, adding: “The voice of the Iranian nation is the only loud voice which is heard against injustice and exploitation and colonialism in the tumultuous global conditions and that conquers the hearts of nations and elites, and we should not lose this loud voice.”
 
Ayatollah Khamenei, whose speech was accompanied by shouts of ‘Death to the US’ by the students and pupils, added: “The slogan and shout of ‘Death to the US’ by the Iranian nation has strong logical and rational support and stems from the Constitution and fundamental thoughts that brooks no injustice and oppression.”

“This slogan means death to the policies of the US and arrogant powers and this logic is accepted by every nation when explained in clear terms,” said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

“The Iranian nation continues its path with determination and hope and today’s youth, ‘through enhancing their faith and insight and relying on the main criteria’, will undoubtedly witness a period in which nations will have broken loose from the yolk of the monsters of fear, and dear and advanced Iran will have become the source of inspiration for all nations,” Ayatollah Khamenei said to conclude his speech.

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Addressing a large and fervent congregation of the people on Tehran University campus on Friday, Ayatollah Emami Kashani said, “The US and the global arrogance started their hostilities against Iran since the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in the country and they have continued to do so up until now.”

He reiterated that it is for the same reason that Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has warned against holding direct talks with the US and the plots hatched by Washington to penetrate into Iran after the nuclear agreement signed between Tehran and the world powers in Vienna on July 14.

On Tuesday, Ayatollah Khamenei cautioned that despite the nuclear deal and Washington’s claims, the US is still seeking to change the ruling system in Iran.

“The reality is that the US objectives vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic of Iran have not changed at all and if they can, they will not hesitate a moment to annihilate the Islamic Republic but they cannot, and with God’s help, they will fail in materializing this goal in the future too in light of industrious moves by the youth, increasing and deepening insight of the nation and Iran’s progress,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in Tehran, addressing the Iranian university students and pupils on the threshold of the ‘Students Day’ and the ‘Day of Campaign against Arrogance’ in Iran.

He referred to certain superficial and unreal flexibilities shown by the US during the recent nuclear talks with Iran, and said that the reality behind such behavior is that the US is still pursuing the same inimical policies towards Iran, which will never be forgotten by the Iranian nation.

Ayatollah Khamenei underscored that the US support for the criminal Zionist regime and the Saudi-led coalition’s crimes against the Yemeni people reveals Washington’s real face.

He referred to Iran’s normal relations with other world states even those who show some hypocritical behavior towards the Iranian nation, but said the US which uses every pretext to hit a blow at the nation and annihilate the Islamic Republic is an exception to this rule, reiterating that “religion, wisdom, conscience and humanity all stand against such friendship”.

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the US continued practical enmity towards the Islamic Republic, and said religious beliefs are the root cause of this enmity as it is the source inspiring the Iranian nation with resistance. “Therefore, they have targeted those beliefs using new instruments but our students and youth will foil such tricks and plots.”

In relevant remarks last week, Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated that it would be meaningless to Iran to take part in direct talks with the US on the regional issues as Washington is Tehran’s foe standing against a fair solution of the regional problems.

“The main culprit behind these insecurities (in the region) is the US support for the Zionist regime and the terrorist groups and these policies are 180 degrees different from those of the Islamic Republic,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in Tehran, addressing Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, his deputies and Iran’s diplomatic corps abroad.

He rejected direct talks with the US on the regional issues, and said, “The Americans are after imposing their (will and) interests and not resolving the problems. They want to impose 60% to 70% of their demands in the negotiations and implement and impose their remaining goals in practice and illegally; therefore, what is the meaning of (such) negotiations?”

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