9:57
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[Short clip] Message Of Shaheed Quaid Tribute - Sayyed Jawad Naqvi - Urdu
Message of shaheed Quaid to the youth. His message to all Ulema Deen and he was voice of all oppressed Muslims irrespective of their country.Also what was his place in eyes of imam Khomeni. And...
Message of shaheed Quaid to the youth. His message to all Ulema Deen and he was voice of all oppressed Muslims irrespective of their country.Also what was his place in eyes of imam Khomeni. And message of Syed Jawad Naqvi on barsi of Quaid.
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Description:
Message of shaheed Quaid to the youth. His message to all Ulema Deen and he was voice of all oppressed Muslims irrespective of their country.Also what was his place in eyes of imam Khomeni. And message of Syed Jawad Naqvi on barsi of Quaid.
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[25 Nov 2013] Angola becomes first country to ban Islam - English
-- Update: Angola govt. denies it banned Islam, destroyed mosques (01:40 GMT)
Angola has banned Islam, claiming that it clashes with its customs and state religion.
The Angolan...
-- Update: Angola govt. denies it banned Islam, destroyed mosques (01:40 GMT)
Angola has banned Islam, claiming that it clashes with its customs and state religion.
The Angolan government says Islam is not a religion but a sect, and as part of the ban, all mosques will be destroyed in the Christian-majority country. According to the Islamic Community of Angola, there are more than eighty mosques and about half a million Muslims in the country, and the number is growing. Angola\'s culture ministry says the houses of worship of other faiths which have not been legalized will also be demolished. Angola is the first country in the world to ban Islam.
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Description:
-- Update: Angola govt. denies it banned Islam, destroyed mosques (01:40 GMT)
Angola has banned Islam, claiming that it clashes with its customs and state religion.
The Angolan government says Islam is not a religion but a sect, and as part of the ban, all mosques will be destroyed in the Christian-majority country. According to the Islamic Community of Angola, there are more than eighty mosques and about half a million Muslims in the country, and the number is growing. Angola\'s culture ministry says the houses of worship of other faiths which have not been legalized will also be demolished. Angola is the first country in the world to ban Islam.
4:47
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[30 Jan 2014] 52% Americans say country failed to achieve goals in Iraq, Afghanistan - English
A new poll gives yet another grim assessment of US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A majority of Americans now say their country failed to achieve its goals in either country.
According to a...
A new poll gives yet another grim assessment of US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A majority of Americans now say their country failed to achieve its goals in either country.
According to a joint USA Today-Pew Research survey, about 52 percent of Americans say their country has not succeeded in Iraq and Afghanistan. A majority of respondents also criticized the U-S military action in Iraq. Views on the failure in Iraq differ little across party lines. However, there\'s division over the Afghan war with more Republicans than Democrats calling it the right decision. The public\'s critical assessment stands in contrast to opinions in 2011 after al-Qaeda-leader Osama bin Laden was allegedly killed by the US in Pakistan.
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Description:
A new poll gives yet another grim assessment of US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A majority of Americans now say their country failed to achieve its goals in either country.
According to a joint USA Today-Pew Research survey, about 52 percent of Americans say their country has not succeeded in Iraq and Afghanistan. A majority of respondents also criticized the U-S military action in Iraq. Views on the failure in Iraq differ little across party lines. However, there\'s division over the Afghan war with more Republicans than Democrats calling it the right decision. The public\'s critical assessment stands in contrast to opinions in 2011 after al-Qaeda-leader Osama bin Laden was allegedly killed by the US in Pakistan.
0:30
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[05 Dec 2013] Syria govt seize large cache of drugs from insurgents in Idlib country side - English
Syrian government forces have seized a large cache of drugs from foreign-backed insurgents in Idlib province.
Syrian troops found the drugs in a warehouse in Idlib countryside. Several men were...
Syrian government forces have seized a large cache of drugs from foreign-backed insurgents in Idlib province.
Syrian troops found the drugs in a warehouse in Idlib countryside. Several men were also arrested at the warehouse. The militants have been receiving funds and other supports from their regional backers, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Reports say Riyadh and Doha give them millions of dollars each month, and also buy them weapons from black markets around the world.
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Description:
Syrian government forces have seized a large cache of drugs from foreign-backed insurgents in Idlib province.
Syrian troops found the drugs in a warehouse in Idlib countryside. Several men were also arrested at the warehouse. The militants have been receiving funds and other supports from their regional backers, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Reports say Riyadh and Doha give them millions of dollars each month, and also buy them weapons from black markets around the world.
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[04 Dec 2013] Iran says inspectors from IAEA will visit the country Arak heavy water plant this coming Sunday - English
Iran says inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the I-A-E-A, will visit the country\'s Arak heavy-water plant this coming Sunday.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran says...
Iran says inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the I-A-E-A, will visit the country\'s Arak heavy-water plant this coming Sunday.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran says the visit comes in response to a request by the I-A-E-A. It also says this will be in line with Tehran\'s goodwill gesture to remove ambiguities over Iran\'s nuclear energy program. Tehran says the I-A-E-A\'s request is based on an accord reached between the Islamic Republic and the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany in Geneva last month. It will be the third time I-A-E-A inspectors will visit Arak\'s heavy water reactor.
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Description:
Iran says inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the I-A-E-A, will visit the country\'s Arak heavy-water plant this coming Sunday.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran says the visit comes in response to a request by the I-A-E-A. It also says this will be in line with Tehran\'s goodwill gesture to remove ambiguities over Iran\'s nuclear energy program. Tehran says the I-A-E-A\'s request is based on an accord reached between the Islamic Republic and the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany in Geneva last month. It will be the third time I-A-E-A inspectors will visit Arak\'s heavy water reactor.
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21:21
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Fun Fact About Every Country in the World - Part 1 - Eng
Title says it all: a fun fact about every country in the world. This is Part 1 in which we look at countries from A to L. Part 2 is already in works and shouldnt be too long until it's out. Sorry...
Title says it all: a fun fact about every country in the world. This is Part 1 in which we look at countries from A to L. Part 2 is already in works and shouldnt be too long until it's out. Sorry for how long it's been since my last video. 2020 was a weird year.
After 7 years on YouTube I finally decided to start a Patreon, so if you'd like to help me out by supporting this channel, it would be greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/wonderwhy
I also started a Discord to engage more with my viewers, and get more direct feedback and help with my videos. Come join here: https://discord.gg/eshPYMhMTw
Music by Epidemic Sound: http://epidemicsound.com/creator
Select images/videos by Getty Images
Archive footage AP archive
More...
Description:
Title says it all: a fun fact about every country in the world. This is Part 1 in which we look at countries from A to L. Part 2 is already in works and shouldnt be too long until it's out. Sorry for how long it's been since my last video. 2020 was a weird year.
After 7 years on YouTube I finally decided to start a Patreon, so if you'd like to help me out by supporting this channel, it would be greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/wonderwhy
I also started a Discord to engage more with my viewers, and get more direct feedback and help with my videos. Come join here: https://discord.gg/eshPYMhMTw
Music by Epidemic Sound: http://epidemicsound.com/creator
Select images/videos by Getty Images
Archive footage AP archive
3:00
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Mohammad Javad Larijani Interview with MSNBC - He Just Shut Up CFR Officials - 17 Nov 2011 - English
Iran's Secretary General of the High Council for Human Rights, Mohammad Javad Larijani has said that the recent claims by the International Atomic Energy Agency against Tehran are “laughable.”...
Iran's Secretary General of the High Council for Human Rights, Mohammad Javad Larijani has said that the recent claims by the International Atomic Energy Agency against Tehran are “laughable.”
In his November 8 report on Iran's nuclear program, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano claimed that Iran had engaged in activities related to developing nuclear weapons before 2003, adding that these activities “may still be ongoing.”
Based on the report, which Iran has called "unfounded and unbalanced," the IAEA Board of Governors on Friday passed a new resolution on the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities.
The resolution voices "deep and increasing concern" over Tehran's nuclear program and also calls for Iran and the IAEA to intensify dialogue to resolve the dispute over the issue.
Larijani made the remarks in a heated television debate aired on the American channel MSNBC.
US president of the Council on Foreign Relations, Dr. Richard Haass, Mike Barnicle and John Mitchun were the other guests on the television debate.
What follows is a rough transcription of the interview:
MSNBC: Let's go to the heart of the matter when it comes to Iran, the headlines of the past week, the IAEA report found evidence of nuclear weapons program in Iran and you are quoted as saying that is “quite laughable.” Why sir?
Larijani: The reason is very simple. There is no single evidence in that. These allegations which is aired again is based on a document which was put to us four years ago based on a laptop somewhere found by United States authorities.
And at that time, four years ago, it has been discussed with the agency and the conclusion was that none of these allegations could be verified.
So by a letter it has been closed- the whole issue. Then again it has been renewed and [let me] just give you an example. A good part of this so-called document which is on the laptop, for example lecture notes that somebody presented in Brussels or at some universities. Some of them are parts of some textbook as put together with pictures, formulas, so it is totally inconclusive.
MSNBC: Let's back up. Before I send this to Richard Haass- are you saying it doesn't exist? There is no nuclear program?
Larijani: Well we have a very extensive nuclear program but not to the direction of producing arms. Our nuclear project is very extensive, very advanced. We are number one in the Middle East but we are not pursuing the nuclear armament for two basic reasons.
Number one there is a Fatwa by Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader and it is against the Islamic jurisprudence to build and use mass destructing weapons. It is Haram we call it, unlawful.
And secondly, it doesn't add to our security. It is more liability than asset for us. Our military muscle is strong enough to repel or to deter any imminent threat and this is basically very important achievement.
MSNBC: Richard Haass, put this into perspective for us. What the reports were saying and what this gentleman is saying.
Haass: Well quite frankly it is impossible to take the Iranian denial seriously. They are preposterous. The International Atomic Energy Agency taking information from all the member states in the United Nations have put together a comprehensive and extraordinarily damning report.
And what there is, is a pattern, not a single incident, a pattern over years of Iranian program to move in the direction of developing nuclear weapons.
We see a procurement mechanism to gain access to all sorts of equipment, we see all sorts of undeclared efforts to produce nuclear material now up to 20 percent well on its way to what it needs to produce a weapon, most important there is now serious evidence about the Iranian testing of the implosive device that would actually be the heart of the nuclear weapon.
So the idea that the Iranians have all these underground and undeclared facilities, that they have been misleading the International Atomic Energy Agency for years, the idea they're doing this- this oil rich country in order to produce electricity? If you believe that you seriously have to believe in the tooth fairy.
MSNBC: Sir this doesn't sound like preposterous, little pieces of information that were roaming together randomly.
Larijani: Well the whole scenes of allegation is produced and initiated by the United States. It seems there is a good machinery to produce perpetual allegation against Iran, it is not only one case.
I am telling you exactly that there are no secret programs in our nuclear program and development. Iran's transparency is far ahead of United States, far ahead of UK, far ahead of France and incomparable to Israel which is a renegade state in the sense of NPT.
Barnicle: So you allow inspectors to just come into Iran.
Larijani: The inspectors are coming to Iran periodically, the cameras are there 24 hours. This is quite obvious.
Haass: But the whole concept the way this works, just when you talk about inspectors, let's just be clear, I am sure if everyone watching this will understand, the entire international nuclear inspection effort depends upon the willingness of the country in question to cooperate fully.
This is a gentlemen's agreement. They declare their facilities that are involved in the nuclear business then the inspectors come in and look at them. If they do not declare facilities the inspectors don't give a chance and the problem is this is a gentlemen's agreement in a world where not every country is a gentleman.
So Iran quite frankly has undeclared facilities and undeclared programs which the inspectors had not had access to and the reason we only know about it is that member states, not simply the United States sir, but many, many member states of the United Nations have provided independent information to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which by the way you know and I know is not controlled by the United States.
We have fundamental differences with this agency over the years including over Iraq. We had fundamental differences and we've also had differences over Iran where we the United States felt, this agency was not being nearly tough enough. So now they have come in with an extraordinarily damning report and Iranian officials can dismiss it.
MSNBC: So if this is a gentlemen's agreement, the gentlemen certainly don't agree and sir, you seem very confident and almost as if it's funny it's interesting because we interviewed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about this about a year ago, off camera, and he too seemed very comfortable about his position which is similar to yours.
And if you are so comfortable with your position about the lack of nuclear armament and the facilities that the IAEA is talking about, why not let inspectors completely come in? Open the door let them come in and see what you have.
Larijani: Well the mechanism that the gentleman addressed is not complete because first of all there is no single secret installment or activity which is concealed from the agency.
Secondly, two years ago we asked the agency tell us all the questions you have and he managed to put to us six groups of questions. The questions were raised by themselves not dictated by us. So one by one groups of inspectors came to Iran and we cleared them up and there is official letters from them this group has been finished then we moved to another one.
Well it doesn't make sense that every morning somebody says we guess there is some secret things done there. There should be foundation for this allegation. What do you mean the door should be open? They should ask where do you want to inspect? Did they want to inspect my bedroom or other places? I mean it doesn't make sense.
Barnicle: A few moments ago when you mentioned the nuclear programs of other nations I detected a definite edge in your voice when you mentioned the state of Israel. Do you fear an attack from the state of Israel on your nuclear facilities?
Larijani: Well I am beyond the fear. What is the difference between us and Israel? Israel has a bomb, not a member of NPT; it doesn't disclose anything to agency, nothing wrong with it. You see what the double standard is in here.
We are member of NPT, they periodically come to Iran, their cameras are there, we don't have the weapon then the whole pressure is put on us. No, not at all. We don't fear any attack from anyone. We take it serious in our calculation but we don't fear. There is a difference between that.
Mitchum: Given your tone again Sir when you talk about Israel, just a second ago why shouldn't we suspect that there would be ambitions for Iran to join the club of which Israel is a part with the nuclear arms?
Larijani: We are very advanced in the nuclear technology which is a matter of pride for us and that gentleman mentioned that we have plenty of gas and oil with all good calculations, the age of this is up to 20-25 period, 25 years from now.
It means that if we don't have it, then we should beg in front of the Western countries to light our houses and we know how bad they are treating us in this area. We are right now very happy that we have the first power plant, we know how to make the fuel. We already have more than 25 percent share of sodalite and erudite they don't give us a bit of this fuel that we need, even the twenty percent that we needed for Tehran.
Haass: It's important to keep in mind we are not talking about an established democracy that treats its own people with respect, we are talking about a country also that is the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. So this is obvious and understandable concern about what Iran is doing.
Larijani: In terms of record I think United States of America is the largest and the greatest country supporting terrorism. The records of terrorist activity which is supported by the tax money of these people is enormous, I can go one by one.
Barnicle: Wait a minute. This is a free country. And part of our gift is we have the liberty and the freedom to say anything and to sound foolish, to sound absurd, to sound smart. That's absurd saying that America is the biggest terrorist nation in the world.
My question to you Sir is, you seem like a really nice guy, alright, why doesn't your country be a better neighbor?
Larijani: We have fantastic relations with all of our neighbors...
Barnicle: Really? [laughing]
Larijani: Definitely, but the policy of demonizing Iran, a very important policy which is pursued in the region- well it has its own benefit.
Barnicle But it's just in little things, like the American tourists cross the border, supposedly cross the border, you grab them, you scoop them, you hold them for months on end. Why?
Larijani: This is a very simple question I answered before; suppose the security of your people...
Barnicle You're here...
Larijani: No, I'm here with visa- It's quite different. [Suppose] The security of the United States' people, on a patrol with Mexico elsewhere they pick 3 Iranians and ask them why are you here? They say well we are just walking in the desert.
Well, with the whole hostility and suspicion which is between the two countries, you are in here to blow up somewhere definitely they will be put into jail for years if not in Guantanamo, they bring them somewhere else.
It took a lot of time that we convince- I was working on this case because they were like me from ... Berkeley. I talked with their families, managed to contact between them and their families when they were arrested- for their families to come to Iran to take the suspicion away.
This is very natural for security of people to suspect a cross bordering which is in the most volatile regional area of Iran- in which there is daily shooting over there.
Barnicle Ok. They're going to blow up the desert. What is the root? What do you think is the root of Iranian paranoia towards the United States and towards many of its neighbors?
What is the root of this paranoia? Is it the fear that we find out about your nuclear program?
Larijani: We don't have any paranoia about our neighbors. We are very suspicious of American paranoia with us. The question is what is wrong with Iran that this persistent hostility...
Barnicle: You have a track record of international terrorism.
Larijani: This is not true. We are ourselves the victim of international terrorism- terrorism in the area. Let me ask you, who was helping Al-Qaida and Taliban for years while we were at war with them in Afghanistan? The United States of America.
The money from the United States was pouring to Al-Qaida and Taliban- the idea was we should curb Iran by another religious front. Is it correct?
Haass: No it's not correct. The United States did support the Mujahidin; obviously in order to get rid of the Soviet... to say that the United States supported Al-Qaida is again preposterous- the fact is that Iran is supporting terrorism in Lebanon, it's supporting groups like Hezbollah, groups like Hamas; it is involved in Iraq; it is involved in Afghanistan.
Iran has basically become a regional power that is trying to destabilize many countries, trying to make them in some ways heavily influenced by Tehran and that is simply a fact of life- which again is one of the reasons the world is so concerned about Iranian nuclear program.
How do we know Iran will not become even more aggressive? How do we know that nuclear materials will not end in the hands of a group like Hezbollah? What do we see about Iran's track record that would lead us to believe that Iran in any way would be responsible with nuclear material?
This is a genuine concern and if you dismiss it as laughable Sir you are seriously underestimating not simply the American, not simply the Israeli, but I would suggest the world's concern over the direction your government is heading.
Larijani: The disastrous thing is the blind policy of the United States in supporting carte blanche renegade Israel which is the source of all tension in the region. If you call Hezbollah and Hamas terrorist groups- they are fighting to be given the permission to live. What about Israel?
Israel is involved in government sponsored terrorism. Kills anybody who thinks that it's not correct and deprives millions of people from basic tenures of life. 60 years of atrocity in that area is supported carte blanche by the US, this is even against the basic interests of that nation- they don't know it.
Mitchum:Sir do you recognize the right of Israel to exist?
Larijani: We recognize the rights of Jews, Christians and Muslims to live together in peace and tranquility- to create a racist regime in the middle of a land put the others out is like creating a small colony for the blacks and leave the rest for the whites.
Mitchum: Thank you for the answer.
Barnicle: The answer is no.
Larijani: No, the answer is not no. We respect any decision by Palestinians. We are not in a position to tell them what kind of state they [should] have. But they should be given the chance to decide.
MSNBC:This has been fascinating and a great picture window into the choices that Americans make when they're choosing their president and also a sense of what our Secretary of State and what our diplomats have to confront in dealing with when they're going out into the world and working with other countries.
It is extremely complicated and often conversations feel like they're going in circles because it's very hard to develop a common understanding or even a place where you can start engaging and I think this was an example of that. Mohammad Javad Larijani, thank you for coming on the show this morning.
More...
Description:
Iran's Secretary General of the High Council for Human Rights, Mohammad Javad Larijani has said that the recent claims by the International Atomic Energy Agency against Tehran are “laughable.”
In his November 8 report on Iran's nuclear program, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano claimed that Iran had engaged in activities related to developing nuclear weapons before 2003, adding that these activities “may still be ongoing.”
Based on the report, which Iran has called "unfounded and unbalanced," the IAEA Board of Governors on Friday passed a new resolution on the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities.
The resolution voices "deep and increasing concern" over Tehran's nuclear program and also calls for Iran and the IAEA to intensify dialogue to resolve the dispute over the issue.
Larijani made the remarks in a heated television debate aired on the American channel MSNBC.
US president of the Council on Foreign Relations, Dr. Richard Haass, Mike Barnicle and John Mitchun were the other guests on the television debate.
What follows is a rough transcription of the interview:
MSNBC: Let's go to the heart of the matter when it comes to Iran, the headlines of the past week, the IAEA report found evidence of nuclear weapons program in Iran and you are quoted as saying that is “quite laughable.” Why sir?
Larijani: The reason is very simple. There is no single evidence in that. These allegations which is aired again is based on a document which was put to us four years ago based on a laptop somewhere found by United States authorities.
And at that time, four years ago, it has been discussed with the agency and the conclusion was that none of these allegations could be verified.
So by a letter it has been closed- the whole issue. Then again it has been renewed and [let me] just give you an example. A good part of this so-called document which is on the laptop, for example lecture notes that somebody presented in Brussels or at some universities. Some of them are parts of some textbook as put together with pictures, formulas, so it is totally inconclusive.
MSNBC: Let's back up. Before I send this to Richard Haass- are you saying it doesn't exist? There is no nuclear program?
Larijani: Well we have a very extensive nuclear program but not to the direction of producing arms. Our nuclear project is very extensive, very advanced. We are number one in the Middle East but we are not pursuing the nuclear armament for two basic reasons.
Number one there is a Fatwa by Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader and it is against the Islamic jurisprudence to build and use mass destructing weapons. It is Haram we call it, unlawful.
And secondly, it doesn't add to our security. It is more liability than asset for us. Our military muscle is strong enough to repel or to deter any imminent threat and this is basically very important achievement.
MSNBC: Richard Haass, put this into perspective for us. What the reports were saying and what this gentleman is saying.
Haass: Well quite frankly it is impossible to take the Iranian denial seriously. They are preposterous. The International Atomic Energy Agency taking information from all the member states in the United Nations have put together a comprehensive and extraordinarily damning report.
And what there is, is a pattern, not a single incident, a pattern over years of Iranian program to move in the direction of developing nuclear weapons.
We see a procurement mechanism to gain access to all sorts of equipment, we see all sorts of undeclared efforts to produce nuclear material now up to 20 percent well on its way to what it needs to produce a weapon, most important there is now serious evidence about the Iranian testing of the implosive device that would actually be the heart of the nuclear weapon.
So the idea that the Iranians have all these underground and undeclared facilities, that they have been misleading the International Atomic Energy Agency for years, the idea they're doing this- this oil rich country in order to produce electricity? If you believe that you seriously have to believe in the tooth fairy.
MSNBC: Sir this doesn't sound like preposterous, little pieces of information that were roaming together randomly.
Larijani: Well the whole scenes of allegation is produced and initiated by the United States. It seems there is a good machinery to produce perpetual allegation against Iran, it is not only one case.
I am telling you exactly that there are no secret programs in our nuclear program and development. Iran's transparency is far ahead of United States, far ahead of UK, far ahead of France and incomparable to Israel which is a renegade state in the sense of NPT.
Barnicle: So you allow inspectors to just come into Iran.
Larijani: The inspectors are coming to Iran periodically, the cameras are there 24 hours. This is quite obvious.
Haass: But the whole concept the way this works, just when you talk about inspectors, let's just be clear, I am sure if everyone watching this will understand, the entire international nuclear inspection effort depends upon the willingness of the country in question to cooperate fully.
This is a gentlemen's agreement. They declare their facilities that are involved in the nuclear business then the inspectors come in and look at them. If they do not declare facilities the inspectors don't give a chance and the problem is this is a gentlemen's agreement in a world where not every country is a gentleman.
So Iran quite frankly has undeclared facilities and undeclared programs which the inspectors had not had access to and the reason we only know about it is that member states, not simply the United States sir, but many, many member states of the United Nations have provided independent information to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which by the way you know and I know is not controlled by the United States.
We have fundamental differences with this agency over the years including over Iraq. We had fundamental differences and we've also had differences over Iran where we the United States felt, this agency was not being nearly tough enough. So now they have come in with an extraordinarily damning report and Iranian officials can dismiss it.
MSNBC: So if this is a gentlemen's agreement, the gentlemen certainly don't agree and sir, you seem very confident and almost as if it's funny it's interesting because we interviewed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about this about a year ago, off camera, and he too seemed very comfortable about his position which is similar to yours.
And if you are so comfortable with your position about the lack of nuclear armament and the facilities that the IAEA is talking about, why not let inspectors completely come in? Open the door let them come in and see what you have.
Larijani: Well the mechanism that the gentleman addressed is not complete because first of all there is no single secret installment or activity which is concealed from the agency.
Secondly, two years ago we asked the agency tell us all the questions you have and he managed to put to us six groups of questions. The questions were raised by themselves not dictated by us. So one by one groups of inspectors came to Iran and we cleared them up and there is official letters from them this group has been finished then we moved to another one.
Well it doesn't make sense that every morning somebody says we guess there is some secret things done there. There should be foundation for this allegation. What do you mean the door should be open? They should ask where do you want to inspect? Did they want to inspect my bedroom or other places? I mean it doesn't make sense.
Barnicle: A few moments ago when you mentioned the nuclear programs of other nations I detected a definite edge in your voice when you mentioned the state of Israel. Do you fear an attack from the state of Israel on your nuclear facilities?
Larijani: Well I am beyond the fear. What is the difference between us and Israel? Israel has a bomb, not a member of NPT; it doesn't disclose anything to agency, nothing wrong with it. You see what the double standard is in here.
We are member of NPT, they periodically come to Iran, their cameras are there, we don't have the weapon then the whole pressure is put on us. No, not at all. We don't fear any attack from anyone. We take it serious in our calculation but we don't fear. There is a difference between that.
Mitchum: Given your tone again Sir when you talk about Israel, just a second ago why shouldn't we suspect that there would be ambitions for Iran to join the club of which Israel is a part with the nuclear arms?
Larijani: We are very advanced in the nuclear technology which is a matter of pride for us and that gentleman mentioned that we have plenty of gas and oil with all good calculations, the age of this is up to 20-25 period, 25 years from now.
It means that if we don't have it, then we should beg in front of the Western countries to light our houses and we know how bad they are treating us in this area. We are right now very happy that we have the first power plant, we know how to make the fuel. We already have more than 25 percent share of sodalite and erudite they don't give us a bit of this fuel that we need, even the twenty percent that we needed for Tehran.
Haass: It's important to keep in mind we are not talking about an established democracy that treats its own people with respect, we are talking about a country also that is the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. So this is obvious and understandable concern about what Iran is doing.
Larijani: In terms of record I think United States of America is the largest and the greatest country supporting terrorism. The records of terrorist activity which is supported by the tax money of these people is enormous, I can go one by one.
Barnicle: Wait a minute. This is a free country. And part of our gift is we have the liberty and the freedom to say anything and to sound foolish, to sound absurd, to sound smart. That's absurd saying that America is the biggest terrorist nation in the world.
My question to you Sir is, you seem like a really nice guy, alright, why doesn't your country be a better neighbor?
Larijani: We have fantastic relations with all of our neighbors...
Barnicle: Really? [laughing]
Larijani: Definitely, but the policy of demonizing Iran, a very important policy which is pursued in the region- well it has its own benefit.
Barnicle But it's just in little things, like the American tourists cross the border, supposedly cross the border, you grab them, you scoop them, you hold them for months on end. Why?
Larijani: This is a very simple question I answered before; suppose the security of your people...
Barnicle You're here...
Larijani: No, I'm here with visa- It's quite different. [Suppose] The security of the United States' people, on a patrol with Mexico elsewhere they pick 3 Iranians and ask them why are you here? They say well we are just walking in the desert.
Well, with the whole hostility and suspicion which is between the two countries, you are in here to blow up somewhere definitely they will be put into jail for years if not in Guantanamo, they bring them somewhere else.
It took a lot of time that we convince- I was working on this case because they were like me from ... Berkeley. I talked with their families, managed to contact between them and their families when they were arrested- for their families to come to Iran to take the suspicion away.
This is very natural for security of people to suspect a cross bordering which is in the most volatile regional area of Iran- in which there is daily shooting over there.
Barnicle Ok. They're going to blow up the desert. What is the root? What do you think is the root of Iranian paranoia towards the United States and towards many of its neighbors?
What is the root of this paranoia? Is it the fear that we find out about your nuclear program?
Larijani: We don't have any paranoia about our neighbors. We are very suspicious of American paranoia with us. The question is what is wrong with Iran that this persistent hostility...
Barnicle: You have a track record of international terrorism.
Larijani: This is not true. We are ourselves the victim of international terrorism- terrorism in the area. Let me ask you, who was helping Al-Qaida and Taliban for years while we were at war with them in Afghanistan? The United States of America.
The money from the United States was pouring to Al-Qaida and Taliban- the idea was we should curb Iran by another religious front. Is it correct?
Haass: No it's not correct. The United States did support the Mujahidin; obviously in order to get rid of the Soviet... to say that the United States supported Al-Qaida is again preposterous- the fact is that Iran is supporting terrorism in Lebanon, it's supporting groups like Hezbollah, groups like Hamas; it is involved in Iraq; it is involved in Afghanistan.
Iran has basically become a regional power that is trying to destabilize many countries, trying to make them in some ways heavily influenced by Tehran and that is simply a fact of life- which again is one of the reasons the world is so concerned about Iranian nuclear program.
How do we know Iran will not become even more aggressive? How do we know that nuclear materials will not end in the hands of a group like Hezbollah? What do we see about Iran's track record that would lead us to believe that Iran in any way would be responsible with nuclear material?
This is a genuine concern and if you dismiss it as laughable Sir you are seriously underestimating not simply the American, not simply the Israeli, but I would suggest the world's concern over the direction your government is heading.
Larijani: The disastrous thing is the blind policy of the United States in supporting carte blanche renegade Israel which is the source of all tension in the region. If you call Hezbollah and Hamas terrorist groups- they are fighting to be given the permission to live. What about Israel?
Israel is involved in government sponsored terrorism. Kills anybody who thinks that it's not correct and deprives millions of people from basic tenures of life. 60 years of atrocity in that area is supported carte blanche by the US, this is even against the basic interests of that nation- they don't know it.
Mitchum:Sir do you recognize the right of Israel to exist?
Larijani: We recognize the rights of Jews, Christians and Muslims to live together in peace and tranquility- to create a racist regime in the middle of a land put the others out is like creating a small colony for the blacks and leave the rest for the whites.
Mitchum: Thank you for the answer.
Barnicle: The answer is no.
Larijani: No, the answer is not no. We respect any decision by Palestinians. We are not in a position to tell them what kind of state they [should] have. But they should be given the chance to decide.
MSNBC:This has been fascinating and a great picture window into the choices that Americans make when they're choosing their president and also a sense of what our Secretary of State and what our diplomats have to confront in dealing with when they're going out into the world and working with other countries.
It is extremely complicated and often conversations feel like they're going in circles because it's very hard to develop a common understanding or even a place where you can start engaging and I think this was an example of that. Mohammad Javad Larijani, thank you for coming on the show this morning.
24:19
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Toronto Protest Rally Against Saudi Invasion on YEMEN - 19 Apr 2015 - English
Saudi attack on Yemen condemned in Toronto: Peace and justice loving Canadians have not been swayed by the nasty propaganda of the Saudi regime and its supporters in the west that their attack on...
Saudi attack on Yemen condemned in Toronto: Peace and justice loving Canadians have not been swayed by the nasty propaganda of the Saudi regime and its supporters in the west that their attack on Yemen is justified. Instead, hundreds of people braved strong winds to denounce the illegitimate Saudi regime for its equally illegitimate war on the poor people of Yemen. There were also demands to put the Saudi rulers on trial for war crimes.
Chanting slogans against the Banu Saud as well as their masters in Washington DC, the protesters demanded an immediate halt to attacks on the Yemeni people that have killed more than 2,600 civilians so far.
They also demanded that humanitarian aid be provided to the people of whom more than 120,000 (according to UN figures) have been displaced from their homes since the Saudis and their allies launched their war of aggression on March 26.
There were also repeated calls for putting Saudi rulers on trial for war crimes since Yemen has not attacked Saudi Arabia.
Further, it is not the people of Yemen that have attacked Saudi Arabia, but the illegitimate regime of the Najdi Bedouins that has attacked the poorest Arab country in the region.
Speakers included Ken Stone from the Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War, Sid Lacombe of the Canadian Peace Alliance, Dave Mckwee of the Toronto Coalition to the Stop the War, Zafar Bangash Director Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought and Maulana Zaki Bakri of Al Mahdi Centre.
Protest Rally was organized by the Canadian Peace Alliance and Toronto Coalition to Stop the war and supported by many Christian, Jewish and Islamic groups.
More...
Description:
Saudi attack on Yemen condemned in Toronto: Peace and justice loving Canadians have not been swayed by the nasty propaganda of the Saudi regime and its supporters in the west that their attack on Yemen is justified. Instead, hundreds of people braved strong winds to denounce the illegitimate Saudi regime for its equally illegitimate war on the poor people of Yemen. There were also demands to put the Saudi rulers on trial for war crimes.
Chanting slogans against the Banu Saud as well as their masters in Washington DC, the protesters demanded an immediate halt to attacks on the Yemeni people that have killed more than 2,600 civilians so far.
They also demanded that humanitarian aid be provided to the people of whom more than 120,000 (according to UN figures) have been displaced from their homes since the Saudis and their allies launched their war of aggression on March 26.
There were also repeated calls for putting Saudi rulers on trial for war crimes since Yemen has not attacked Saudi Arabia.
Further, it is not the people of Yemen that have attacked Saudi Arabia, but the illegitimate regime of the Najdi Bedouins that has attacked the poorest Arab country in the region.
Speakers included Ken Stone from the Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War, Sid Lacombe of the Canadian Peace Alliance, Dave Mckwee of the Toronto Coalition to the Stop the War, Zafar Bangash Director Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought and Maulana Zaki Bakri of Al Mahdi Centre.
Protest Rally was organized by the Canadian Peace Alliance and Toronto Coalition to Stop the war and supported by many Christian, Jewish and Islamic groups.
3:30
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[19 Dec 2013] 67 Percent of Americans think going to war in Afghanistan was wrong - English
A new opinion poll shows that most Americans disapprove of their country\'s invasion of Afghanistan.
According to the Associated Press poll, 57 percent of Americans said the U-S move was wrong...
A new opinion poll shows that most Americans disapprove of their country\'s invasion of Afghanistan.
According to the Associated Press poll, 57 percent of Americans said the U-S move was wrong in the first place. 53 percent of the respondents also said the pace of U-S withdrawal from Afghanistan is too slow. The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the nine-eleven attacks of 2001 in New York. At least three-thousand-four-hundred and four foreign troops have so far been killed in the country, nearly 23-hundred of them are American. Other polls have also shown in recent years that the war is one of the most unpopular US military expeditions abroad in American history.
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A new opinion poll shows that most Americans disapprove of their country\'s invasion of Afghanistan.
According to the Associated Press poll, 57 percent of Americans said the U-S move was wrong in the first place. 53 percent of the respondents also said the pace of U-S withdrawal from Afghanistan is too slow. The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the nine-eleven attacks of 2001 in New York. At least three-thousand-four-hundred and four foreign troops have so far been killed in the country, nearly 23-hundred of them are American. Other polls have also shown in recent years that the war is one of the most unpopular US military expeditions abroad in American history.
7:02
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[14 Jan 2014] In Egypt, at least 5 anti-government protesters are killed during a referendum - English
At least seven people are killed in anti-government rallies across Egypt, as the country undertakes its first voting since the army\'s ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi in July.
Over a...
At least seven people are killed in anti-government rallies across Egypt, as the country undertakes its first voting since the army\'s ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi in July.
Over a dozen others have also been injured in several cities. There were also clashes in front of an interior ministry building in Alexandria. Meanwhile, security forces have stormed the campus of the al-Mansoura University in the city with armored vehicles, and used live ammunition and gas canisters against protesting students. This is the first day of a two-day national vote on the country\'s new constitution, drafted by the army-backed interim government. Under the draft text, the formation of religious political parties is banned. Critics say the new charter only favors the army. If approved, it will replace the current constitution which was passed under Morsi. A coalition led by his Muslim Brotherhood movment has boycotted the referendum.
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Description:
At least seven people are killed in anti-government rallies across Egypt, as the country undertakes its first voting since the army\'s ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi in July.
Over a dozen others have also been injured in several cities. There were also clashes in front of an interior ministry building in Alexandria. Meanwhile, security forces have stormed the campus of the al-Mansoura University in the city with armored vehicles, and used live ammunition and gas canisters against protesting students. This is the first day of a two-day national vote on the country\'s new constitution, drafted by the army-backed interim government. Under the draft text, the formation of religious political parties is banned. Critics say the new charter only favors the army. If approved, it will replace the current constitution which was passed under Morsi. A coalition led by his Muslim Brotherhood movment has boycotted the referendum.
2:31
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[29 Jan 2014] Iran government finding ways to end air pollution - English
Iran's transportation and fuel center is teaming with the country's traffic police, department of motor vehicles and Iran's Environmental Protection Organization (IEPO) to remove aged vehicles to...
Iran's transportation and fuel center is teaming with the country's traffic police, department of motor vehicles and Iran's Environmental Protection Organization (IEPO) to remove aged vehicles to assist in solving the country's air pollution crisis. According to TIME Magazine Iran has 4 cities named as the top ten most polluted cities in the world. As air pollution continues to be an issue in Iran, government organizations have teamed up to solve this catastrophe for good. The goal is to remove vehicles aged private automobiles, taxis, passenger busses and trucks 20 years and older because they fail vehicle emission testing which is the core foundation for air pollution. PTC (Iran's transportation and fuel center estimates there are 1,200,000 aged vehicles throughout Iran. According to Iran's Environmental Protection Organization over 70% of air pollution in Iran especially in the capital Tehran which populates close to 14,000,000 is a direct cause of these aged vehicles.) In addition there are close to 9 million motorcycles in Iran of which 3 million are over aged. In the past 9 months close to 300,000 automobiles, busses and trucks and 600,000 motorcycles have been taken off the streets. The government is also offering a low interest rate loan for residents to turn in their aged vehicles and purchase brand new automobiles. The government is giving taxi drivers a loan of almost $7,000 while bus and truck drivers can get a loan of $20,000 and $50,000 respectively. Also according to IEPO Iran petroleum factories will only produce fuel based on Euro 4 standards by the end of March 2015. Currently Iran is importing Euro 4 standard fuel till it becomes fully efficient.
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Description:
Iran's transportation and fuel center is teaming with the country's traffic police, department of motor vehicles and Iran's Environmental Protection Organization (IEPO) to remove aged vehicles to assist in solving the country's air pollution crisis. According to TIME Magazine Iran has 4 cities named as the top ten most polluted cities in the world. As air pollution continues to be an issue in Iran, government organizations have teamed up to solve this catastrophe for good. The goal is to remove vehicles aged private automobiles, taxis, passenger busses and trucks 20 years and older because they fail vehicle emission testing which is the core foundation for air pollution. PTC (Iran's transportation and fuel center estimates there are 1,200,000 aged vehicles throughout Iran. According to Iran's Environmental Protection Organization over 70% of air pollution in Iran especially in the capital Tehran which populates close to 14,000,000 is a direct cause of these aged vehicles.) In addition there are close to 9 million motorcycles in Iran of which 3 million are over aged. In the past 9 months close to 300,000 automobiles, busses and trucks and 600,000 motorcycles have been taken off the streets. The government is also offering a low interest rate loan for residents to turn in their aged vehicles and purchase brand new automobiles. The government is giving taxi drivers a loan of almost $7,000 while bus and truck drivers can get a loan of $20,000 and $50,000 respectively. Also according to IEPO Iran petroleum factories will only produce fuel based on Euro 4 standards by the end of March 2015. Currently Iran is importing Euro 4 standard fuel till it becomes fully efficient.
Anger over Pakistani support-English
Pakistan has agreed to support the king against the protestors
ONE Middle Eastern intervention makes the headlines every day. The other barely rates a mention. The first is ostensibly aimed at...
Pakistan has agreed to support the king against the protestors
ONE Middle Eastern intervention makes the headlines every day. The other barely rates a mention. The first is ostensibly aimed at protecting civilians and at facilitating change, the second at safeguarding the status quo.
Libya’s Muammar Qadhafi has been told he must go. Bahrain’s ruling Al Khalifa family, on the other hand, must stay. Some Arabs, one could be forgiven for assuming, are worthier of democracy and civil rights than others.
Yet the degree of hypocrisy may not be as great as it seems. After all, while the future of Tunisia and Egypt remains unwritten, there can be little reason to doubt that the US and its allies would prefer to preserve the basic structures of the Ben Ali and Mubarak regimes, albeit with new figureheads and, if possible, less visible signs of oppression and the odd concession to pluralism.
From their point of view, the ideal outcome in Bahrain would be similar: a few nods in the direction of cosmetic reform to placate the restive segments of society, but not much more than that — and certainly nothing that could jeopardise Bahrain’s crucial strategic relationship with the US, especially its status as a home for the Fifth Fleet. The trouble, of course, is the impossibility of rearrangements that could be passed off as regime change.
At best the prime minister, in situ for four decades, could be replaced. But he is the king’s uncle, and even if he could be persuaded, without occasioning a family split, to step aside, his successor would inevitably be another Al Khalifa.
That US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton felt obliged earlier this month to mildly berate the regime in Manama for its transgressions against mostly peaceful protesters was obviously in large part a consequence of not wishing the contrast with western actions in Libya to seem too stark. It is highly unlikely that the decision by Saudi Arabia and the UAE to send in troops was taken without Washington’s imprimatur, given that both are effectively American satrapies in geo-strategic terms.
The foreign troops, which are officially supposed to guard strategic installations, rather than assist in ‘crowd control’, were evidently despatched under a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) agreement dating back to Saddam Hussein’s neighbour-threatening rhetoric in 1990, which preceded the invasion of Kuwait. (His stance was thoroughly embarrassing at the time for oil-rich states that had during the previous decade supported Iraq in its war against Iran.)
That was, however, a joint defence pact among the Gulf potentates, to the effect that the violation of any GCC state’s sovereignty would be construed as aggression against all. Internal unrest did not figure in their calculations. Bahrain does not face any external threat, although there can be little doubt its emissaries have, in private discussions, conjured up the bogey of a threat from Iran.
Tehran’s domestic and foreign policies are often indefensible, but cables from Bahrain-based US diplomats over recent years, released by WikiLeaks, suggest it hasn’t lately been going out of its way to interfere in Bahrain. The Gulf state’s majority Shia population resents the almost exclusively Sunni regime because of irrefutable instances of discrimination rather than because of imprecations from Iran.
Given that at least 70 per cent of Bahrainis are Shias, it is hardly surprising that the majority of those who are economically disadvantaged fall in the same category. But their exclusion from privilege is not just a matter of demographics.
For instance, in order to keep out Bahraini Shias from the security forces, the government regularly recruits troops from abroad — notably from Yemen and Pakistan. And whereas the value of public representation can be judged by the fact that a royally nominated senate can overrule the elected lower house, even so the constitutional arrangements sanctioning the latter preclude the possibility of a Shia majority.
It inevitably follows that the monarchy’s supporters are mostly Sunni and its opponents mostly Shia, and even though the protests launched last month weren’t, on the face of it, sectarian in nature, casting them in that light tends to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Bahrain does not differ from its Gulf neighbours only in a demographic sense: it’s also relatively less well endowed with natural resources, and therefore poorer in per capita terms. And it has been rocked by popular unrest more frequently.
Referring to an uprising in the mid-1950s, Prof Fred Halliday noted in Arabia Without Sultans: “The British realised that Bahrain had a more advanced and therefore dangerous political character than any other Gulf country. Because the oil revenue and level of production was so much lower than in Kuwait, they had been unable to turn the indigenous population into a parasitic class with an enslaved migrant proletariat underneath. Their response was intensified repression, and a tightening of control by the Al Khalifa family.”
Notwithstanding the differences, however, Bahrain’s neighbours realise that if the Al Khalifas are toppled the Al Sauds, Al Nahyans and Al Jabers could follow. The marriage of tribal feudalism and modern capitalism cannot forever endure, but efforts will no doubt be made to preserve it for as long as petroleum remains crucial to meeting western energy needs.
In terms of totalitarian tactics, the Al Sauds in particular are more than a match for Qadhafi and his sons. But don’t expect any push for democracy in Saudi Arabia. Pressure for often intangible and invariably more or less meaningless reforms is at far as it will go.
Bahrain falls in the same basket, essentially. Were the situation to become too fraught, the US would probably begin disentangling itself from its intricate defence links with the troubled kingdom. In the interests of advancing potentially democratic interests, it would make much more sense to do so right away. But don’t hold your breath.
The Yemeni regime, meanwhile, will also continue, for as long as it is feasible, to enjoy the benefit of the doubt. Syria, on the other hand, is a much more likely candidate for the Libyan treatment.
More...
Description:
Pakistan has agreed to support the king against the protestors
ONE Middle Eastern intervention makes the headlines every day. The other barely rates a mention. The first is ostensibly aimed at protecting civilians and at facilitating change, the second at safeguarding the status quo.
Libya’s Muammar Qadhafi has been told he must go. Bahrain’s ruling Al Khalifa family, on the other hand, must stay. Some Arabs, one could be forgiven for assuming, are worthier of democracy and civil rights than others.
Yet the degree of hypocrisy may not be as great as it seems. After all, while the future of Tunisia and Egypt remains unwritten, there can be little reason to doubt that the US and its allies would prefer to preserve the basic structures of the Ben Ali and Mubarak regimes, albeit with new figureheads and, if possible, less visible signs of oppression and the odd concession to pluralism.
From their point of view, the ideal outcome in Bahrain would be similar: a few nods in the direction of cosmetic reform to placate the restive segments of society, but not much more than that — and certainly nothing that could jeopardise Bahrain’s crucial strategic relationship with the US, especially its status as a home for the Fifth Fleet. The trouble, of course, is the impossibility of rearrangements that could be passed off as regime change.
At best the prime minister, in situ for four decades, could be replaced. But he is the king’s uncle, and even if he could be persuaded, without occasioning a family split, to step aside, his successor would inevitably be another Al Khalifa.
That US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton felt obliged earlier this month to mildly berate the regime in Manama for its transgressions against mostly peaceful protesters was obviously in large part a consequence of not wishing the contrast with western actions in Libya to seem too stark. It is highly unlikely that the decision by Saudi Arabia and the UAE to send in troops was taken without Washington’s imprimatur, given that both are effectively American satrapies in geo-strategic terms.
The foreign troops, which are officially supposed to guard strategic installations, rather than assist in ‘crowd control’, were evidently despatched under a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) agreement dating back to Saddam Hussein’s neighbour-threatening rhetoric in 1990, which preceded the invasion of Kuwait. (His stance was thoroughly embarrassing at the time for oil-rich states that had during the previous decade supported Iraq in its war against Iran.)
That was, however, a joint defence pact among the Gulf potentates, to the effect that the violation of any GCC state’s sovereignty would be construed as aggression against all. Internal unrest did not figure in their calculations. Bahrain does not face any external threat, although there can be little doubt its emissaries have, in private discussions, conjured up the bogey of a threat from Iran.
Tehran’s domestic and foreign policies are often indefensible, but cables from Bahrain-based US diplomats over recent years, released by WikiLeaks, suggest it hasn’t lately been going out of its way to interfere in Bahrain. The Gulf state’s majority Shia population resents the almost exclusively Sunni regime because of irrefutable instances of discrimination rather than because of imprecations from Iran.
Given that at least 70 per cent of Bahrainis are Shias, it is hardly surprising that the majority of those who are economically disadvantaged fall in the same category. But their exclusion from privilege is not just a matter of demographics.
For instance, in order to keep out Bahraini Shias from the security forces, the government regularly recruits troops from abroad — notably from Yemen and Pakistan. And whereas the value of public representation can be judged by the fact that a royally nominated senate can overrule the elected lower house, even so the constitutional arrangements sanctioning the latter preclude the possibility of a Shia majority.
It inevitably follows that the monarchy’s supporters are mostly Sunni and its opponents mostly Shia, and even though the protests launched last month weren’t, on the face of it, sectarian in nature, casting them in that light tends to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Bahrain does not differ from its Gulf neighbours only in a demographic sense: it’s also relatively less well endowed with natural resources, and therefore poorer in per capita terms. And it has been rocked by popular unrest more frequently.
Referring to an uprising in the mid-1950s, Prof Fred Halliday noted in Arabia Without Sultans: “The British realised that Bahrain had a more advanced and therefore dangerous political character than any other Gulf country. Because the oil revenue and level of production was so much lower than in Kuwait, they had been unable to turn the indigenous population into a parasitic class with an enslaved migrant proletariat underneath. Their response was intensified repression, and a tightening of control by the Al Khalifa family.”
Notwithstanding the differences, however, Bahrain’s neighbours realise that if the Al Khalifas are toppled the Al Sauds, Al Nahyans and Al Jabers could follow. The marriage of tribal feudalism and modern capitalism cannot forever endure, but efforts will no doubt be made to preserve it for as long as petroleum remains crucial to meeting western energy needs.
In terms of totalitarian tactics, the Al Sauds in particular are more than a match for Qadhafi and his sons. But don’t expect any push for democracy in Saudi Arabia. Pressure for often intangible and invariably more or less meaningless reforms is at far as it will go.
Bahrain falls in the same basket, essentially. Were the situation to become too fraught, the US would probably begin disentangling itself from its intricate defence links with the troubled kingdom. In the interests of advancing potentially democratic interests, it would make much more sense to do so right away. But don’t hold your breath.
The Yemeni regime, meanwhile, will also continue, for as long as it is feasible, to enjoy the benefit of the doubt. Syria, on the other hand, is a much more likely candidate for the Libyan treatment.
3:46
|
Iran marks 23rd passing away anniv. of Imam Khomeini - English
The 23rd anniversary of the passing away of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran Imam Khomeini.
Iranians from all walks of life gathered at his mausoleum southern Tehran to mark the...
The 23rd anniversary of the passing away of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran Imam Khomeini.
Iranians from all walks of life gathered at his mausoleum southern Tehran to mark the occasion.
Multitudes of mourners, among them Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians as well as foreign guests, gathered at Imam Khomeini\\\'s mausoleum to pay respect to a man, who changed history by overthrowing the Shah-regime back in 1979.
leader of Iran\\\'s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei addressing a large crowd of mourners in a keynote speech hailed the role of the founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini in restoring national dignity to the Iranian nation. He said Imam Khomeini set the stage for the progress and prosperity of the country. Elsewhere in his remarks Ayatollah Khamenei said the U-S and its allies are exaggerating the issue of Tehran\\\'s nuclear program and that the U-S-led sanctions against Iran have been counterproductive.
Meanwhile, the leader rejected Israeli threats of military strike against Iran as a sign of the regime\\\'s weakness and warned of the repercussions of any wrong action.
Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the recent revolutions in the region and said the revolutionary nations are seeking dignity, freedom and social justice through Islamic values. He cautioned against plots by the U-S and its allies to undermine the wave of Islamic awakening that is sweeping across the region.
As the leader of the Islamic revolution Ayatollah Khamenei has once said Imam Khomeini was a reality and reality never dies.
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Description:
The 23rd anniversary of the passing away of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran Imam Khomeini.
Iranians from all walks of life gathered at his mausoleum southern Tehran to mark the occasion.
Multitudes of mourners, among them Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians as well as foreign guests, gathered at Imam Khomeini\\\'s mausoleum to pay respect to a man, who changed history by overthrowing the Shah-regime back in 1979.
leader of Iran\\\'s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei addressing a large crowd of mourners in a keynote speech hailed the role of the founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini in restoring national dignity to the Iranian nation. He said Imam Khomeini set the stage for the progress and prosperity of the country. Elsewhere in his remarks Ayatollah Khamenei said the U-S and its allies are exaggerating the issue of Tehran\\\'s nuclear program and that the U-S-led sanctions against Iran have been counterproductive.
Meanwhile, the leader rejected Israeli threats of military strike against Iran as a sign of the regime\\\'s weakness and warned of the repercussions of any wrong action.
Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the recent revolutions in the region and said the revolutionary nations are seeking dignity, freedom and social justice through Islamic values. He cautioned against plots by the U-S and its allies to undermine the wave of Islamic awakening that is sweeping across the region.
As the leader of the Islamic revolution Ayatollah Khamenei has once said Imam Khomeini was a reality and reality never dies.
2:13
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[05 June 13] Civilian casualties on rise in Afghanistan - English
More violence in Afghanistan. A roadside bomb blast has claimed the lives of several people in Afghanistan\'s western province of Farah. Also on Monday, nearly two dozen civilians including women...
More violence in Afghanistan. A roadside bomb blast has claimed the lives of several people in Afghanistan\'s western province of Farah. Also on Monday, nearly two dozen civilians including women and children died in separate explosions in eastern provinces of Laghman and Paktia.
The afghan president Hamid Karzai has strongly condemned the incidents. In a statement Karzai said such attacks were carried out by Quote \"the enemies of the people of Afghanistan\".
Taliban militants usually take the blame for the attacks in the war-torn country. Also foreign troops as well as their military operations and airstrikes are held responsible for the rising civilian casualties in the country.
According to a UN report released in February, more than 2,750 people were killed and over 4,800 injured in conflict-related violence in Afghanistan in 2012 alone.
Amin Alemi, Press TV, Kabul
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Description:
More violence in Afghanistan. A roadside bomb blast has claimed the lives of several people in Afghanistan\'s western province of Farah. Also on Monday, nearly two dozen civilians including women and children died in separate explosions in eastern provinces of Laghman and Paktia.
The afghan president Hamid Karzai has strongly condemned the incidents. In a statement Karzai said such attacks were carried out by Quote \"the enemies of the people of Afghanistan\".
Taliban militants usually take the blame for the attacks in the war-torn country. Also foreign troops as well as their military operations and airstrikes are held responsible for the rising civilian casualties in the country.
According to a UN report released in February, more than 2,750 people were killed and over 4,800 injured in conflict-related violence in Afghanistan in 2012 alone.
Amin Alemi, Press TV, Kabul
2:40
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[01 Dec 2013] Egypt panel finished voting on draft charter, sends to interim president - English
Egypt\'s 50-member committee tasked with writing the country\'s new constitution finishes voting on the amended national charter.
Egypt\'s former foreign minister Amr Mussa-- who heads the...
Egypt\'s 50-member committee tasked with writing the country\'s new constitution finishes voting on the amended national charter.
Egypt\'s former foreign minister Amr Mussa-- who heads the constitution panel-- says the draft will be given to interim president Adly Mansour on Tuesday. The approval comes despite nationwide protests by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi. Among many others, the panel has approved a controversial article that allows civilians to be tried in military courts. The new draft also bans the formation of parties based on religious grounds. It also specifies that the defense minister must be appointed in agreement with the military. Based on the new charter, procedures for the first election, either presidential or parliamentary, must begin between 30 to 90 days after the adoption of the constitution. Egypt\'s interim authorities suspended the previous constitution written during Morsi after his removal from power on July 3.
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Description:
Egypt\'s 50-member committee tasked with writing the country\'s new constitution finishes voting on the amended national charter.
Egypt\'s former foreign minister Amr Mussa-- who heads the constitution panel-- says the draft will be given to interim president Adly Mansour on Tuesday. The approval comes despite nationwide protests by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi. Among many others, the panel has approved a controversial article that allows civilians to be tried in military courts. The new draft also bans the formation of parties based on religious grounds. It also specifies that the defense minister must be appointed in agreement with the military. Based on the new charter, procedures for the first election, either presidential or parliamentary, must begin between 30 to 90 days after the adoption of the constitution. Egypt\'s interim authorities suspended the previous constitution written during Morsi after his removal from power on July 3.
3:07
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[13 Dec 2013] Iran dissatisfied with the slow pace of nuclear talks in Vienna - English
Iran says it is dissatisfied with the slow pace of progress of the talks over the country\'s nuclear energy program in Vienna.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also referred to the...
Iran says it is dissatisfied with the slow pace of progress of the talks over the country\'s nuclear energy program in Vienna.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also referred to the new US sanctions imposed on a number of Iranian companies and individuals, saying the measures prompted the Iranian expert team to return home for more consultation. Araqchi also said the sanctions violate the spirit of the recent deal on Iran\'s nuclear energy program. Washington has denied that the new punitive measures has violated the deal. Under the Geneva agreement, new sanctions will have to be stopped for a six-month period and previous sanctions partially eased.
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Description:
Iran says it is dissatisfied with the slow pace of progress of the talks over the country\'s nuclear energy program in Vienna.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also referred to the new US sanctions imposed on a number of Iranian companies and individuals, saying the measures prompted the Iranian expert team to return home for more consultation. Araqchi also said the sanctions violate the spirit of the recent deal on Iran\'s nuclear energy program. Washington has denied that the new punitive measures has violated the deal. Under the Geneva agreement, new sanctions will have to be stopped for a six-month period and previous sanctions partially eased.
5:20
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[21 Feb 2014] Student protester killed in Egypt Minya province - English
At least one Egyptian protester has been killed in an anti-government demonstration in the center of the country.
Officials say the 18-year-old student was shot and killed by the security forces...
At least one Egyptian protester has been killed in an anti-government demonstration in the center of the country.
Officials say the 18-year-old student was shot and killed by the security forces in the city of Deir Mawas in Minya province. The demonstration, organized by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, was held to commemorate Egypt\'s Student Day and denounce a decision to delay the start of the academic year. The demonstrators were also angry about the possibility that army chief Marshal Sisi may run for president. Similar demonstrations were also held in Alexandria, Monufia, Ismailiyah, Suez, and Cairo. The security forces fired tear gas and birdshot at protesters in those cities.
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Description:
At least one Egyptian protester has been killed in an anti-government demonstration in the center of the country.
Officials say the 18-year-old student was shot and killed by the security forces in the city of Deir Mawas in Minya province. The demonstration, organized by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, was held to commemorate Egypt\'s Student Day and denounce a decision to delay the start of the academic year. The demonstrators were also angry about the possibility that army chief Marshal Sisi may run for president. Similar demonstrations were also held in Alexandria, Monufia, Ismailiyah, Suez, and Cairo. The security forces fired tear gas and birdshot at protesters in those cities.
3:54
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[28th July 2015] Saudi Arabia denounces Iran’s “aggressive” statement against Bahrain - English
The Saudi foreign minister has denounced as aggressive a statement by Iran, which had accused Bahrain of stocking tensions in the region.
Adel Jubeir made the comment at a joint a joint news...
The Saudi foreign minister has denounced as aggressive a statement by Iran, which had accused Bahrain of stocking tensions in the region.
Adel Jubeir made the comment at a joint a joint news conference with EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini. He said the remarks were unacceptable for his country. The reaction came after Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham rejected a claim by Manama accusing Tehran of involvement in smuggling arms to the tiny kingdom. She said Bahrain is seeking to destabilize the region through such accusations. Afkham also called on Manama to pay attention to the root causes of its problems instead. Saudi Arabia has been playing a key role in the crackdown on protesters in Bahrain since February 20-11. In another front, Riyadh also started its deadly war on Yemen in late March, which has resulted in a massive civilian death toll and still continues to claim lives in the impoverished nation.
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Description:
The Saudi foreign minister has denounced as aggressive a statement by Iran, which had accused Bahrain of stocking tensions in the region.
Adel Jubeir made the comment at a joint a joint news conference with EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini. He said the remarks were unacceptable for his country. The reaction came after Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham rejected a claim by Manama accusing Tehran of involvement in smuggling arms to the tiny kingdom. She said Bahrain is seeking to destabilize the region through such accusations. Afkham also called on Manama to pay attention to the root causes of its problems instead. Saudi Arabia has been playing a key role in the crackdown on protesters in Bahrain since February 20-11. In another front, Riyadh also started its deadly war on Yemen in late March, which has resulted in a massive civilian death toll and still continues to claim lives in the impoverished nation.
4:10
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[21 Nov 2013] Pakistan condemns US strike in Khybar Pakhtunkhwa province - English
Pakistani officials have strongly condemned a deadly US drone attack in the country\'s north-west.
Pakistan\'s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that such attacks are a violation of the...
Pakistani officials have strongly condemned a deadly US drone attack in the country\'s north-west.
Pakistan\'s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that such attacks are a violation of the country\'s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It also said the airstrikes have negative impacts on Islamabad\'s efforts to bring peace to the country. The statement was issued after a US drone attack on a seminary killed at least six people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The US carries out assassination drone strikes in several Muslim countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Somalia. It claims they target militants but many civilians have lost their lives so far in the air raids.
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Description:
Pakistani officials have strongly condemned a deadly US drone attack in the country\'s north-west.
Pakistan\'s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that such attacks are a violation of the country\'s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It also said the airstrikes have negative impacts on Islamabad\'s efforts to bring peace to the country. The statement was issued after a US drone attack on a seminary killed at least six people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The US carries out assassination drone strikes in several Muslim countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Somalia. It claims they target militants but many civilians have lost their lives so far in the air raids.
4:27
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The West's Democracy Is Blatant Hypocrisy | Agha Rahimpour Azghadi | Farsi Sub English
Is there any government in any corner of the world which allows the opponents of its constitution to come to power?
How many countries let the people decide the principles of its system?
What...
Is there any government in any corner of the world which allows the opponents of its constitution to come to power?
How many countries let the people decide the principles of its system?
What happens to those who do not abide by the rules of a country?
And are those same rules constitutionalized by the vote of the people?
Besides, does Britain have a written constitution?
And are the Northern and West European countries which make bold claims about democracy and freedom and human rights, actually republics?
Are the officials of these phoney governments elected by the people?
Furthermore, what is the situation of freedom in the so-called liberal country of France?
Given that liberalism declares freedom of clothing, why are thousands of Muslim French girls with Hijab expelled from schools, universities and practically, everywhere else?
Why has the liberal French government, which claims to believe in freedom of clothing, banned the Hijab – when the Hijab is also a piece of clothing?
Additionally, has America – which makes grand declarations of freedom and liberty, and is called the land of the free – ever put its constitution to the vote of the people?
Which is the one and only country in the world that has let the people vote for the principle of the system and put its constitution to the vote of the people?
And finally, can such a system, and such a republic that has been completely chosen by its people, be uprooted by these fake, dishonest, hypocritical, and oppressive Western regimes?
Ustad Rahimpour Azghadi pulls no punches as he presents facts and proves that ‘The West\\\'s Democracy Is Blatant Hypocrisy.’
More...
Description:
Is there any government in any corner of the world which allows the opponents of its constitution to come to power?
How many countries let the people decide the principles of its system?
What happens to those who do not abide by the rules of a country?
And are those same rules constitutionalized by the vote of the people?
Besides, does Britain have a written constitution?
And are the Northern and West European countries which make bold claims about democracy and freedom and human rights, actually republics?
Are the officials of these phoney governments elected by the people?
Furthermore, what is the situation of freedom in the so-called liberal country of France?
Given that liberalism declares freedom of clothing, why are thousands of Muslim French girls with Hijab expelled from schools, universities and practically, everywhere else?
Why has the liberal French government, which claims to believe in freedom of clothing, banned the Hijab – when the Hijab is also a piece of clothing?
Additionally, has America – which makes grand declarations of freedom and liberty, and is called the land of the free – ever put its constitution to the vote of the people?
Which is the one and only country in the world that has let the people vote for the principle of the system and put its constitution to the vote of the people?
And finally, can such a system, and such a republic that has been completely chosen by its people, be uprooted by these fake, dishonest, hypocritical, and oppressive Western regimes?
Ustad Rahimpour Azghadi pulls no punches as he presents facts and proves that ‘The West\\\'s Democracy Is Blatant Hypocrisy.’
Video Tags:
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[English Translation] Noroz Message President Ahmadinejad - Farwardin 1391
President: Supporting Iran's National Production on Government's Agenda
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a message on the occasion of the new Iranian year on...
President: Supporting Iran's National Production on Government's Agenda
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a message on the occasion of the new Iranian year on Tuesday, stressed that support for national production is high on the agenda of the government this year.
In a nationwide address on the state-run TV, President Ahmadinejad congratulated the nation on the advent of the spring season and Nowrouz (marking the start of the Iranian new year).
"Like previous years, support for national production, exports, capital and labor is on the government agenda for this year," President Ahmadinejad stated.
The president lauded the Iranian nation's progress in various economic, scientific, industrial, technological and political fields and vowed that Iran would continue on the same path at a higher pace in the new year.
Ahmadinejad stressed that the country should be developed through the thoughts and efforts of the Iranian nation.
He further expressed the hope that the new year would bring further prosperity for the people of the country.
Also on Tuesday, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei named the new Iranian year as the "Year of National Production, Supporting Iranian Labor and Capital", and once again underlined the importance of efforts to bolster the country's economic progress.
In a televised address on the occasion of the advent of the Iranian New Year, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei extends his congratulatory message in the early hours of the Persian calendar year of 1391.
Ayatollah Khamenei said Economic Jihad, which was the slogan of the previous year, is never-ending, adding that one important aspect of economic issues is domestic production.
The Leader said if domestic production prospers, most of the enemies' efforts will undoubtedly fail.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the prosperity of national production is the key to resolving the problems of inflation and unemployment and will strengthen domestic economy.
More...
Description:
President: Supporting Iran's National Production on Government's Agenda
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a message on the occasion of the new Iranian year on Tuesday, stressed that support for national production is high on the agenda of the government this year.
In a nationwide address on the state-run TV, President Ahmadinejad congratulated the nation on the advent of the spring season and Nowrouz (marking the start of the Iranian new year).
"Like previous years, support for national production, exports, capital and labor is on the government agenda for this year," President Ahmadinejad stated.
The president lauded the Iranian nation's progress in various economic, scientific, industrial, technological and political fields and vowed that Iran would continue on the same path at a higher pace in the new year.
Ahmadinejad stressed that the country should be developed through the thoughts and efforts of the Iranian nation.
He further expressed the hope that the new year would bring further prosperity for the people of the country.
Also on Tuesday, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei named the new Iranian year as the "Year of National Production, Supporting Iranian Labor and Capital", and once again underlined the importance of efforts to bolster the country's economic progress.
In a televised address on the occasion of the advent of the Iranian New Year, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei extends his congratulatory message in the early hours of the Persian calendar year of 1391.
Ayatollah Khamenei said Economic Jihad, which was the slogan of the previous year, is never-ending, adding that one important aspect of economic issues is domestic production.
The Leader said if domestic production prospers, most of the enemies' efforts will undoubtedly fail.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the prosperity of national production is the key to resolving the problems of inflation and unemployment and will strengthen domestic economy.
2:03
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[21 Oct 2013] israeli drones violate Lebanese airspace - English
Several israeli drones have violated Lebanon\'s airspace and flown over the country in flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
According to the Lebanese Army...
Several israeli drones have violated Lebanon\'s airspace and flown over the country in flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
According to the Lebanese Army Command, the warplanes broke the sound barrier over the southern Lebanese town of Naqoura. They also released heat balloons over the shores of the town of Tyre within Lebanon\'s territorial waters. Israel violates Lebanon\'s airspace on an almost daily basis, claiming the flights serve surveillance purposes. Lebanon\'s government, the Hezbollah resistance movement, and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon have repeatedly condemned the overflights, saying they are in clear violation of the country\'s sovereignty. UN Security Council Resolution 1701 calls on Israel to respect Lebanon\'s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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Description:
Several israeli drones have violated Lebanon\'s airspace and flown over the country in flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
According to the Lebanese Army Command, the warplanes broke the sound barrier over the southern Lebanese town of Naqoura. They also released heat balloons over the shores of the town of Tyre within Lebanon\'s territorial waters. Israel violates Lebanon\'s airspace on an almost daily basis, claiming the flights serve surveillance purposes. Lebanon\'s government, the Hezbollah resistance movement, and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon have repeatedly condemned the overflights, saying they are in clear violation of the country\'s sovereignty. UN Security Council Resolution 1701 calls on Israel to respect Lebanon\'s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
3:29
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[22 Oct 2013] israeli flights over Lebanon violate UN Resolution 1701 - English
Several israeli drones have violated Lebanon\'s airspace and flown over the country in flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. According to the Lebanese Army Command,...
Several israeli drones have violated Lebanon\'s airspace and flown over the country in flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. According to the Lebanese Army Command, the warplanes broke the sound barrier over the southern Lebanese town of Naqoura. They also released heat balloons over the shores of the town of Tyre within Lebanon\'s territorial waters. Israel violates Lebanon\'s airspace on an almost daily basis, claiming the flights serve surveillance purposes. Lebanon\'s government, the Hezbollah resistance movement, and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon have repeatedly condemned the overflights, saying they are in clear violation of the country\'s sovereignty. UN Security Council Resolution 1701 calls on Israel to respect Lebanon\'s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
More...
Description:
Several israeli drones have violated Lebanon\'s airspace and flown over the country in flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. According to the Lebanese Army Command, the warplanes broke the sound barrier over the southern Lebanese town of Naqoura. They also released heat balloons over the shores of the town of Tyre within Lebanon\'s territorial waters. Israel violates Lebanon\'s airspace on an almost daily basis, claiming the flights serve surveillance purposes. Lebanon\'s government, the Hezbollah resistance movement, and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon have repeatedly condemned the overflights, saying they are in clear violation of the country\'s sovereignty. UN Security Council Resolution 1701 calls on Israel to respect Lebanon\'s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
23:37
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[08 Nov 2013] Islam and Life - Muslims concern for Syria sovereignty - English
The world\'s attention is on Syria; a country whose sovereignty is being attacked by western powers and Arab states.
The country is an important one for Muslims worldwide, but not just because of...
The world\'s attention is on Syria; a country whose sovereignty is being attacked by western powers and Arab states.
The country is an important one for Muslims worldwide, but not just because of its location amongst other Muslim-majority countries, but because of its religious and political importance throughout history.
It may also be one of a few Muslim-majority countries left that has not been engulfed by a Saudi-led Takfiri culture.
Should Muslims idly wait for a handful of leaders to continue harming Syria\'s sovereignty or should Muslims actively try to protect it.
This week\'s Islam & Life asks: Why should Muslims in Europe be concerned about protecting Syria\'s sovereignty?
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Description:
The world\'s attention is on Syria; a country whose sovereignty is being attacked by western powers and Arab states.
The country is an important one for Muslims worldwide, but not just because of its location amongst other Muslim-majority countries, but because of its religious and political importance throughout history.
It may also be one of a few Muslim-majority countries left that has not been engulfed by a Saudi-led Takfiri culture.
Should Muslims idly wait for a handful of leaders to continue harming Syria\'s sovereignty or should Muslims actively try to protect it.
This week\'s Islam & Life asks: Why should Muslims in Europe be concerned about protecting Syria\'s sovereignty?