4:47
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[Clip] The Last Preparation before the Reappearance of the Saviour | Agha Alireza Panahian 2019 Farsi sub English
The Last Preparation before the Reappearance of the Saviour
Agha Alireza Panahian 2019
The last preparation needed before the Reappearance is for the managers of the society to be corrected....
The Last Preparation before the Reappearance of the Saviour
Agha Alireza Panahian 2019
The last preparation needed before the Reappearance is for the managers of the society to be corrected. Because, the Imam of the Time’s (‘a.j.) government and his reappearance involve managing the society. The Imam will not come just to pray. You know this. Do you think if people are unworthy, the Imam will bring angels or 313 people from the sky?
He won’t say, “You don’t need to understand what management is. You don’t need to understand the difference between a good manager and a bad manager at all. I’ll choose a manager for you myself.”
If this is the way it will be, then I’m sorry, but was humankind a plaything up until now?! He could have come sooner. “Be miserable for a while. Now, from today, we have decided for you to be prosperous!” Why do some people think like a cartoon or a legend?! The Imam of the Time’s (‘a.j.) government and his reappearance involve managing the society. If the prophets wanted to take us to Heaven like sheep, they didn’t need to go through so much trouble!
For example, when the people didn’t understand something, the Prophet could have said, “You don’t need to do anything. I’ll fix it myself! Dear Ali, come here tonight so that we can plan! Kill these two. Bring those two. Slap those two! Done!” The next day, “People come to pray. Everything is fixed! Done!”
It’s impossible that we don’t understand what righteous managing is and then 313 righteous managers govern us, and we deserve for them to be our masters!
Once, some people decided to kill the prophet! The trustworthy angel Gabriel exposed them and said, “They’ll come in front of you tonight to kill you.” The Prophet told Hudhayfah and a few other people to come to increase the number of his guards since some wanted to murder him. They increased the number of guards. Those people were exposed and caught.
Hudhayfah said, “O Prophet, we should kill them! They wanted to kill a prophet!” The Prophet (s) said, “No, let them go.” They returned to Medina. Hudhayfah asked, “Shall we kill them now? We’re not in the desert anymore!” The Prophet (s) said, “No.” “At least let’s announce it so that they will be exposed!” “No.” “If they stay, they will do the same thing after you!” The Prophet (s) gave an answer, which in brief was, “People should understand who these are themselves, even without me disclosing them!”
Are we awaiting the Reappearance? The people of the world should realize that these 313 Helpers are the most deserving, even without Imam Mahdi introducing them! Why are they the most deserving?! Why is their behaviour worthy?! Why are others besides them unworthy?! Why is any other method wrong! People should know these things for the Reappearance to happen! This is the needed preparation for the Reappearance.
“If we don’t want to become a manager, must we still understand management?” Yes! That’s it. Otherwise, managers will turn you into a plaything by acting populistic. Do you know when humankind will deserve to have 313 rulers on earth? When they distinguish the difference between just and worthy rulers, and unworthy rulers.
[From the series of speeches under the topic of “The Last Preparation before the Reappearance of the Saviour, Correcting Management in Family and Society.” Muharram 1441.]
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Description:
The Last Preparation before the Reappearance of the Saviour
Agha Alireza Panahian 2019
The last preparation needed before the Reappearance is for the managers of the society to be corrected. Because, the Imam of the Time’s (‘a.j.) government and his reappearance involve managing the society. The Imam will not come just to pray. You know this. Do you think if people are unworthy, the Imam will bring angels or 313 people from the sky?
He won’t say, “You don’t need to understand what management is. You don’t need to understand the difference between a good manager and a bad manager at all. I’ll choose a manager for you myself.”
If this is the way it will be, then I’m sorry, but was humankind a plaything up until now?! He could have come sooner. “Be miserable for a while. Now, from today, we have decided for you to be prosperous!” Why do some people think like a cartoon or a legend?! The Imam of the Time’s (‘a.j.) government and his reappearance involve managing the society. If the prophets wanted to take us to Heaven like sheep, they didn’t need to go through so much trouble!
For example, when the people didn’t understand something, the Prophet could have said, “You don’t need to do anything. I’ll fix it myself! Dear Ali, come here tonight so that we can plan! Kill these two. Bring those two. Slap those two! Done!” The next day, “People come to pray. Everything is fixed! Done!”
It’s impossible that we don’t understand what righteous managing is and then 313 righteous managers govern us, and we deserve for them to be our masters!
Once, some people decided to kill the prophet! The trustworthy angel Gabriel exposed them and said, “They’ll come in front of you tonight to kill you.” The Prophet told Hudhayfah and a few other people to come to increase the number of his guards since some wanted to murder him. They increased the number of guards. Those people were exposed and caught.
Hudhayfah said, “O Prophet, we should kill them! They wanted to kill a prophet!” The Prophet (s) said, “No, let them go.” They returned to Medina. Hudhayfah asked, “Shall we kill them now? We’re not in the desert anymore!” The Prophet (s) said, “No.” “At least let’s announce it so that they will be exposed!” “No.” “If they stay, they will do the same thing after you!” The Prophet (s) gave an answer, which in brief was, “People should understand who these are themselves, even without me disclosing them!”
Are we awaiting the Reappearance? The people of the world should realize that these 313 Helpers are the most deserving, even without Imam Mahdi introducing them! Why are they the most deserving?! Why is their behaviour worthy?! Why are others besides them unworthy?! Why is any other method wrong! People should know these things for the Reappearance to happen! This is the needed preparation for the Reappearance.
“If we don’t want to become a manager, must we still understand management?” Yes! That’s it. Otherwise, managers will turn you into a plaything by acting populistic. Do you know when humankind will deserve to have 313 rulers on earth? When they distinguish the difference between just and worthy rulers, and unworthy rulers.
[From the series of speeches under the topic of “The Last Preparation before the Reappearance of the Saviour, Correcting Management in Family and Society.” Muharram 1441.]
3:43
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[Clip] An Attitude, which God Dislikes in People | Agha Alireza Panahian 2019 Farsi Sub English
An Attitude, which God Dislikes in People
God has introduced people as being ungrateful and thankless, meaning they are very ungrateful. People are ungrateful beings. If two people are sitting...
An Attitude, which God Dislikes in People
God has introduced people as being ungrateful and thankless, meaning they are very ungrateful. People are ungrateful beings. If two people are sitting next to each other in a taxi, or in a gathering for breaking the fast, and one asks, “What’s new?” they start to talk ungratefully. They list all the problems, one by one.
Yes, these problems exist. But, praise the Lord, you are healthy, and God has given you a long life with dignity. There is safety and other blessings in society, yet a person states the problems first. The culture of ungratefulness is a culture in which people see the empty half of the glass, even if just the top of the glass is empty.
Such an attitude exists in people. Some people have sunk deeply into this attitude. They get upset, depressed, and angry too. This attitude of being ungrateful has become very ingrained. They consider being ungrateful to be something very serious. You tell them, “Sir! Remember all of your blessings. Be a little happy because of them! Was it good if you had cancer or something now?”
I am coming here after going to visit two people. One was in the hospital and one at home due to accidents. In a moment, a healthy youth was stricken with such a situation. We should thank God. We have gone on trips many times without being hurt. God dislikes this attitude in us very much. In conclusion, if God wants to highlight a fault in people, it’s ungratefulness.
This verse may be strange to you. Many people have never heard it. That’s because they don’t usually make a poster out of this verse. But, you should. It’s an admonishment. It says, “Perish the human! How unthankful he is!” (Qur’an 80:17) People would ask the Messenger of God (s), who was crying all the time, \"Why do you bother yourself so much?\" You are the dearest to God. He’d say, “I’m afraid I won’t thank Him enough.” This means, he worried he may be unthankful.
Our situation is clear! We should evaluate each of our attitudes to see if there is ungratefulness in it. Ungratefulness is like bad weather. It’s like Autumn, which causes the leaves to fall. It’s like a chill, which is very annoying. Ungratefulness definitely accompanies all sins. We have to be very careful of this attitude.
More...
Description:
An Attitude, which God Dislikes in People
God has introduced people as being ungrateful and thankless, meaning they are very ungrateful. People are ungrateful beings. If two people are sitting next to each other in a taxi, or in a gathering for breaking the fast, and one asks, “What’s new?” they start to talk ungratefully. They list all the problems, one by one.
Yes, these problems exist. But, praise the Lord, you are healthy, and God has given you a long life with dignity. There is safety and other blessings in society, yet a person states the problems first. The culture of ungratefulness is a culture in which people see the empty half of the glass, even if just the top of the glass is empty.
Such an attitude exists in people. Some people have sunk deeply into this attitude. They get upset, depressed, and angry too. This attitude of being ungrateful has become very ingrained. They consider being ungrateful to be something very serious. You tell them, “Sir! Remember all of your blessings. Be a little happy because of them! Was it good if you had cancer or something now?”
I am coming here after going to visit two people. One was in the hospital and one at home due to accidents. In a moment, a healthy youth was stricken with such a situation. We should thank God. We have gone on trips many times without being hurt. God dislikes this attitude in us very much. In conclusion, if God wants to highlight a fault in people, it’s ungratefulness.
This verse may be strange to you. Many people have never heard it. That’s because they don’t usually make a poster out of this verse. But, you should. It’s an admonishment. It says, “Perish the human! How unthankful he is!” (Qur’an 80:17) People would ask the Messenger of God (s), who was crying all the time, \"Why do you bother yourself so much?\" You are the dearest to God. He’d say, “I’m afraid I won’t thank Him enough.” This means, he worried he may be unthankful.
Our situation is clear! We should evaluate each of our attitudes to see if there is ungratefulness in it. Ungratefulness is like bad weather. It’s like Autumn, which causes the leaves to fall. It’s like a chill, which is very annoying. Ungratefulness definitely accompanies all sins. We have to be very careful of this attitude.
81:54
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Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah - Speech - August 14 2020 (Post Beirut Explosion / UAE-\'Israel\' Relations) - English V
Important points of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah Speech
14-08-2020
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
The Resistance in Lebanon is not a complementary element to existence, it is the one crucial element of...
Important points of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah Speech
14-08-2020
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
The Resistance in Lebanon is not a complementary element to existence, it is the one crucial element of our existence and protection.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
I will speak about the new peace treaty between the UAE and israel. There has also been talk of links israel has had to the explosion in Lebanon. I will tackle this then speak on domestic issues in Lebanon.
Sayyed #Nasrallah:
The Zionists targeted a Hezbollah personality in Syria, martyr, Ali Kamal Mohsen. This is part of our \"punishment\" for aiding in Syria. This has left them waiting on the border on a leg and a half. I tell them to keep waiting. Our strategy has not changed.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
What the UAE has done is considered an election promotion for Trump and Netanyahu. Those 2 are losing their popularity. Netanyahu awaits his lawsuit on corruption...
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
We should not be surprised if more countries sign such treaties. Trump will milk those countries of their honor and dignity for the sake of his troubled friend, Netanyahu, the same way he milked them of their money before.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
Those countries will do anything to please America, and America says, \"Please israel and we are satisfied.\"
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
This act is strongly condemned. It is a betrayal to Islam and Arabism. But I tell the Palestinians and the people of the Resistance not to feel distraught, for those hypocrites need to be exposed. \"Lest you hate a thing when it is good for you.\"
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
There were several theories on the causes of the Beirut explosion. One being that it was a planned attack, and the other being that it was a result of negligence and irresponsibility.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
Many theories were raised, but the mere fact of leaving fireworks and other flammable material in this manner is negligence, but also a crime!
Sayyed #Nasrallah:
Many were quick to blame Hezbollah and accuse us of knowing that israel was planning this. They claimed that we knew and that we would not respond had this been an attack. Hezbollah would not leave an attack on a single person, let alone an attack this enormous
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
If israel really was behind this incident, then the participation of the FBI in the investigations will be for the sake of covering up any evidence against israel. We are Lebanese too, and we do not trust the FBI. The Lebanese people need answers.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
If this was a planned attack, whoever planned it was not betting on the attack itself, but on its outcome. There was a huge campaign aiming to overthrow the entire system.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
At the time the Lebanese people needed every bit of help they could get, the media immediately took advantage of the situation to feed their agendas, push for a civil war, overthrow the presidency, parliament, and entire system.
Sayyed #Nasrallah:
There were certain political groups in Lebanon, serving foreign agendas, who working hard on igniting strife. They cannot expect someone with a history like president Aoun, who did not surrender before threats of getting his house bombed, to simply surrender now.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
I have to thank PM Hassan Diab and every minister in his council who agreed on taking on the responsibility despite all the odds and remaining firm despite all the obstacles.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
The coming government should be supported by all political parties. Its priorities should be reform, rebuilding after the port explosion, electricity, environment, public schools, the economic crisis...
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
The government should insist on the investigations in the port explosion.
This government cannot be a neutral one. All of us understand the reality of the Lebanese society. We do not believe in the existence of a neutral individual in Lebanon.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
Anyone calling for a neutral government is only trying to waste time. We all know what works and doesn\'t work in the country. Anyways, I am only putting this out there for the people to know.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
Those (members of parliament) who resigned during those difficult times dared to throw accusations at the ones who chose to still carry their responsibilities.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
If you want to abandon your responsibilities, quit politics. You cannot weasel out now and abandon your responsibilities when it is your policies that led the country to its current situation.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
There was a huge campaign targeted at the people of the Resistance. I tell you all to remain patient. Remain furious, but remain patient, for we might need this rage one day.
Sayyed #Nasrallah:
On the 18th, the ICJ will issue its judgment (on the Rafiq Hariri assassination case). We do not acknowledge this court & if they were to blame any of our personnel, we will back them up because we insist of their innocence. We need to remain patient at those times.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
At the end, I want to stress on the importance of abiding by all the necessary measures and instructions that have to do with the coronavirus. The situation is getting worse and our hospitals cannot withstand the pressure.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
We never know what might happen in the future or what new events might occur in the Zionist entity. Some would claim that Hezbollah is worried or perplexed. We are calm, collected, and certain of everything.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah
speaking of the nature of the Ashura commemoration, avoiding gatherings, and ensuring social distancing.
End
More...
Description:
Important points of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah Speech
14-08-2020
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
The Resistance in Lebanon is not a complementary element to existence, it is the one crucial element of our existence and protection.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
I will speak about the new peace treaty between the UAE and israel. There has also been talk of links israel has had to the explosion in Lebanon. I will tackle this then speak on domestic issues in Lebanon.
Sayyed #Nasrallah:
The Zionists targeted a Hezbollah personality in Syria, martyr, Ali Kamal Mohsen. This is part of our \"punishment\" for aiding in Syria. This has left them waiting on the border on a leg and a half. I tell them to keep waiting. Our strategy has not changed.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
What the UAE has done is considered an election promotion for Trump and Netanyahu. Those 2 are losing their popularity. Netanyahu awaits his lawsuit on corruption...
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
We should not be surprised if more countries sign such treaties. Trump will milk those countries of their honor and dignity for the sake of his troubled friend, Netanyahu, the same way he milked them of their money before.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
Those countries will do anything to please America, and America says, \"Please israel and we are satisfied.\"
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
This act is strongly condemned. It is a betrayal to Islam and Arabism. But I tell the Palestinians and the people of the Resistance not to feel distraught, for those hypocrites need to be exposed. \"Lest you hate a thing when it is good for you.\"
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
There were several theories on the causes of the Beirut explosion. One being that it was a planned attack, and the other being that it was a result of negligence and irresponsibility.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
Many theories were raised, but the mere fact of leaving fireworks and other flammable material in this manner is negligence, but also a crime!
Sayyed #Nasrallah:
Many were quick to blame Hezbollah and accuse us of knowing that israel was planning this. They claimed that we knew and that we would not respond had this been an attack. Hezbollah would not leave an attack on a single person, let alone an attack this enormous
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
If israel really was behind this incident, then the participation of the FBI in the investigations will be for the sake of covering up any evidence against israel. We are Lebanese too, and we do not trust the FBI. The Lebanese people need answers.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
If this was a planned attack, whoever planned it was not betting on the attack itself, but on its outcome. There was a huge campaign aiming to overthrow the entire system.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
At the time the Lebanese people needed every bit of help they could get, the media immediately took advantage of the situation to feed their agendas, push for a civil war, overthrow the presidency, parliament, and entire system.
Sayyed #Nasrallah:
There were certain political groups in Lebanon, serving foreign agendas, who working hard on igniting strife. They cannot expect someone with a history like president Aoun, who did not surrender before threats of getting his house bombed, to simply surrender now.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
I have to thank PM Hassan Diab and every minister in his council who agreed on taking on the responsibility despite all the odds and remaining firm despite all the obstacles.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
The coming government should be supported by all political parties. Its priorities should be reform, rebuilding after the port explosion, electricity, environment, public schools, the economic crisis...
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
The government should insist on the investigations in the port explosion.
This government cannot be a neutral one. All of us understand the reality of the Lebanese society. We do not believe in the existence of a neutral individual in Lebanon.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
Anyone calling for a neutral government is only trying to waste time. We all know what works and doesn\'t work in the country. Anyways, I am only putting this out there for the people to know.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
Those (members of parliament) who resigned during those difficult times dared to throw accusations at the ones who chose to still carry their responsibilities.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
If you want to abandon your responsibilities, quit politics. You cannot weasel out now and abandon your responsibilities when it is your policies that led the country to its current situation.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
There was a huge campaign targeted at the people of the Resistance. I tell you all to remain patient. Remain furious, but remain patient, for we might need this rage one day.
Sayyed #Nasrallah:
On the 18th, the ICJ will issue its judgment (on the Rafiq Hariri assassination case). We do not acknowledge this court & if they were to blame any of our personnel, we will back them up because we insist of their innocence. We need to remain patient at those times.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
At the end, I want to stress on the importance of abiding by all the necessary measures and instructions that have to do with the coronavirus. The situation is getting worse and our hospitals cannot withstand the pressure.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah:
We never know what might happen in the future or what new events might occur in the Zionist entity. Some would claim that Hezbollah is worried or perplexed. We are calm, collected, and certain of everything.
Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah
speaking of the nature of the Ashura commemoration, avoiding gatherings, and ensuring social distancing.
End
4:59
|
[Clip] Ali Reza Panahian\'s conversation with a young man whose death was certain | Farsi sub English
A young man came to me and said, “Haj Agha, I have a problem and I want to talk to you.” I said, “Go ahead.” So we talked together. He said, “My first problem is that my death is certain....
A young man came to me and said, “Haj Agha, I have a problem and I want to talk to you.” I said, “Go ahead.” So we talked together. He said, “My first problem is that my death is certain. Because of a problem, I will certainly pass away.” I said, “No, with God’s grace. The length of one’s life is in God’s hands. Many have had the worst disease...” He said, “No, this is different.”
Maybe it was my first time meeting a person who was passing away. I was wondering, “So he won’t be alive shortly?” It was a strange feeling. He said, “I’ve accepted this. In the beginning, it was very hard to accept this truth. One morning when I woke up, I told myself, ‘You’re going to die. Live for now. Go out. Work. Talk. Communicate with people. You’ll eventually die!’ So I got up and started living. After that, when someone bothered me, I wouldn’t get upset. I would say, ‘I’m dying! I wasn’t bothered at all. I wasn’t jealous. I would say, ‘I don’t want anything. Let others collect these things.’ If a car with a bride and groom passed by, I was happy for them like their mothers. [I would say,] ‘Aww, it’s their wedding. I hope they’ll be happy.’ I would pray for young people like older people do. If a person stepped on me to move up, I would say, ‘It’s fine. Let him take it.’ If I helped someone, I wasn’t trying to become known because I wouldn’t be alive that long to benefit from such fame. I’ve become very relaxed. I don’t see any badness. My understanding of good words has increased.”
He mentioned these things one by one. I felt he was talking about the pious people’s features that are mentioned in Nahj al-Balaghah. I said, “I see.” He said, “If I pass away, will God accept these from me?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “But I’ve become like this due to my thinking of death.” I asked, “Don’t you believe in God?” He said, “Yes! I do. But I haven’t become better because of that. I love God very much too. God is the only one that I have now. No one will remain for me. But death is what has corrected me. Is this ok? Won’t they tell me, ‘When you found out you’re dying you corrected yourself’?”
I said, “No, the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (as), said, ‘Death is enough to advise one.’ You were advised and corrected yourself.” [He said,] “Thank you. I’ll go.” [I said,] “Wait! Let’s become friends. I’ve found a real person.” He said, “No, I don’t want to put you out.” “No, sit down. I want to talk with you more. What’s your illness?” “I’m not ill.” “But you said you’ll certainly die.” “I said I’ll certainly die, but I didn’t say that I’m sick.” “What? What do you mean that you’ll certainly die?” “I’ve asked if there’s anyone who can help me so that I won’t die and they said no.” “So when?” “One day, 1000 days, 30,000 days from now. I don’t know.”
I thought a little and saw that I’ll die too - either in a day or a thousand days… I said, “So you’re not sick.” “No.” How many days from now will you die?
===================================
Follow us:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Panahianen/...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/PanahianEN/...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PanahianEN
Telegram: https://telegram.me/Panahianen/
The link for the book \"How to Pray a Good Prayer,\" written by Ali Reza Panahian:
http://amazon.com/author/panahian
==============================
More...
Description:
A young man came to me and said, “Haj Agha, I have a problem and I want to talk to you.” I said, “Go ahead.” So we talked together. He said, “My first problem is that my death is certain. Because of a problem, I will certainly pass away.” I said, “No, with God’s grace. The length of one’s life is in God’s hands. Many have had the worst disease...” He said, “No, this is different.”
Maybe it was my first time meeting a person who was passing away. I was wondering, “So he won’t be alive shortly?” It was a strange feeling. He said, “I’ve accepted this. In the beginning, it was very hard to accept this truth. One morning when I woke up, I told myself, ‘You’re going to die. Live for now. Go out. Work. Talk. Communicate with people. You’ll eventually die!’ So I got up and started living. After that, when someone bothered me, I wouldn’t get upset. I would say, ‘I’m dying! I wasn’t bothered at all. I wasn’t jealous. I would say, ‘I don’t want anything. Let others collect these things.’ If a car with a bride and groom passed by, I was happy for them like their mothers. [I would say,] ‘Aww, it’s their wedding. I hope they’ll be happy.’ I would pray for young people like older people do. If a person stepped on me to move up, I would say, ‘It’s fine. Let him take it.’ If I helped someone, I wasn’t trying to become known because I wouldn’t be alive that long to benefit from such fame. I’ve become very relaxed. I don’t see any badness. My understanding of good words has increased.”
He mentioned these things one by one. I felt he was talking about the pious people’s features that are mentioned in Nahj al-Balaghah. I said, “I see.” He said, “If I pass away, will God accept these from me?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “But I’ve become like this due to my thinking of death.” I asked, “Don’t you believe in God?” He said, “Yes! I do. But I haven’t become better because of that. I love God very much too. God is the only one that I have now. No one will remain for me. But death is what has corrected me. Is this ok? Won’t they tell me, ‘When you found out you’re dying you corrected yourself’?”
I said, “No, the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (as), said, ‘Death is enough to advise one.’ You were advised and corrected yourself.” [He said,] “Thank you. I’ll go.” [I said,] “Wait! Let’s become friends. I’ve found a real person.” He said, “No, I don’t want to put you out.” “No, sit down. I want to talk with you more. What’s your illness?” “I’m not ill.” “But you said you’ll certainly die.” “I said I’ll certainly die, but I didn’t say that I’m sick.” “What? What do you mean that you’ll certainly die?” “I’ve asked if there’s anyone who can help me so that I won’t die and they said no.” “So when?” “One day, 1000 days, 30,000 days from now. I don’t know.”
I thought a little and saw that I’ll die too - either in a day or a thousand days… I said, “So you’re not sick.” “No.” How many days from now will you die?
===================================
Follow us:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Panahianen/...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/PanahianEN/...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PanahianEN
Telegram: https://telegram.me/Panahianen/
The link for the book \"How to Pray a Good Prayer,\" written by Ali Reza Panahian:
http://amazon.com/author/panahian
==============================
3:52
|
[Clip] See your good points | Agha Ali Reza Panahian | Farsi Sub English
I don’t want to be far from Imam Ali (as) in Heaven.
Follow us:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Panahianen/ ...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/PanahianEN/...
Twitter:...
I don’t want to be far from Imam Ali (as) in Heaven.
Follow us:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Panahianen/ ...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/PanahianEN/...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PanahianEN
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==============================
We should tell everyone, “See your good points, so that you may gain energy to move forward.” When they say not to see your good points since you will become arrogant, this means if you see some goodness in yourself and stop. This is bad. But if you see your good points and gain energy to move forward, this is a beneficial self-awareness. Actually the peak of self-awareness is not seeing our bad points; it’s seeing our good points. Be so drowned in seeing your good points that you feel you can’t live without reaching the peak. You should honor yourself very much.
Imam Ali (as) said, «مَن کَرُمَت نفسُهُ هانَت علیهِ الشَّهَوات» “If someone honors himself, carnal desires will become contemptible to him.” [He’ll say,] “What’s this?! This isn’t right for my status.” The peak of self-awareness is for a person to understand his value. What is one of the good points we have right now? We should truly honor ourselves for this. One truly becomes excited when he sees this goodness. It is that we are not jealous of the Friends of God. We feel an affection for them. We are not arrogant toward them; we are humble and sympathetic toward them. This is very important!
My friends, if we look carefully at ourselves to see what it is we want, we’ll weep day and night because we are far from the Imam of the Time (aj). We’ll weep day and night begging God, “Don’t let my house be far from the house of the Commander of the Faithful (as) in Heaven.” This is what we want. This is a part of us. We don’t say, “Unfortunately, this tendency is not very strong in me.” This exists within you! How can I tell you this? You already have this!
The Arafah Supplication talks more about thanking God for His blessings than asking for forgiveness for our bad points. This is surprising! Imam Husayn (as) is drowned in this. If one gets close to Imam Husayn (as), the Imam will start showing that person his goodness. You participate in Imam Husayn’s (as) mourning ceremony wearing a black shirt. Then he starts. He’ll say, “See how good you are. You love me. You cry for me. See how good you are!” He increases your energy and uplifts your spirits. We should tell everyone, “See your good points, so that you may gain energy to move forward.”
Actually the peak of self-awareness is not seeing our bad points; it’s seeing our good points.
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I don’t want to be far from Imam Ali (as) in Heaven.
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We should tell everyone, “See your good points, so that you may gain energy to move forward.” When they say not to see your good points since you will become arrogant, this means if you see some goodness in yourself and stop. This is bad. But if you see your good points and gain energy to move forward, this is a beneficial self-awareness. Actually the peak of self-awareness is not seeing our bad points; it’s seeing our good points. Be so drowned in seeing your good points that you feel you can’t live without reaching the peak. You should honor yourself very much.
Imam Ali (as) said, «مَن کَرُمَت نفسُهُ هانَت علیهِ الشَّهَوات» “If someone honors himself, carnal desires will become contemptible to him.” [He’ll say,] “What’s this?! This isn’t right for my status.” The peak of self-awareness is for a person to understand his value. What is one of the good points we have right now? We should truly honor ourselves for this. One truly becomes excited when he sees this goodness. It is that we are not jealous of the Friends of God. We feel an affection for them. We are not arrogant toward them; we are humble and sympathetic toward them. This is very important!
My friends, if we look carefully at ourselves to see what it is we want, we’ll weep day and night because we are far from the Imam of the Time (aj). We’ll weep day and night begging God, “Don’t let my house be far from the house of the Commander of the Faithful (as) in Heaven.” This is what we want. This is a part of us. We don’t say, “Unfortunately, this tendency is not very strong in me.” This exists within you! How can I tell you this? You already have this!
The Arafah Supplication talks more about thanking God for His blessings than asking for forgiveness for our bad points. This is surprising! Imam Husayn (as) is drowned in this. If one gets close to Imam Husayn (as), the Imam will start showing that person his goodness. You participate in Imam Husayn’s (as) mourning ceremony wearing a black shirt. Then he starts. He’ll say, “See how good you are. You love me. You cry for me. See how good you are!” He increases your energy and uplifts your spirits. We should tell everyone, “See your good points, so that you may gain energy to move forward.”
Actually the peak of self-awareness is not seeing our bad points; it’s seeing our good points.
5:26
|
[Clip] How to be influenced by the Qur’an | Ali Reza Panahian | Farsi Sub English
Some people don’t even bat an eye!
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==============================
The first, most common, important, influential, valuable, effective psychological effect of the verses of the Qur’an is the induction of God\'s greatness in the heart of His servant. What will be the result of this? The result is one feeling small and humble, and one becoming crushed before the greatness of God. From then on, pleasure, enlightenment, mercy, kindness and everything good can be tasted. If someone reads the Qur\'an like this, he won’t abandon the Qur\'an anymore and will become fond of it. Try it.
The first of God’s attributes that you must pay attention to in order for your soul to become corrected, and so that light, mercy and the doors to all beauties will be opened to you, is God’s greatness. Do you know what the result of this will be? When you recite the Qur\'an, it is as if you are attending a workshop that inspires God’s greatness in your soul!
This is not like listening to a speech, which is about exercising and the human anatomy for instance. They say, “This is an arm muscle. Repeating this move 20 times brings about these changes.” But you have not exercised. But if you actually go to a gym, you will start exercising, sweating and strengthening your muscles. When you recite the Qur’an, it is as if you have gone to a gym and are practicing with God’s attribute of greatness. This is very surprising and important! This is the first action that helps build up the human soul. If this is true, it’s very important. It’s a key point.
The first feeling that one must find with respect to God is feeling humble and small before God. [You say,] “I’m your little one.” After saying this, you start loving God too. Let’s not run before we can walk! We cannot love God unless we become small before Him. We must first become small before Him. We should pay attention to the Qur’an. You prostrate before God [when praying]. Have you noticed this? Have you noticed that you bow down? Have you noticed that you put your face on the dust? Why don’t you bat an eye at this?
What I am talking about has been mentioned in the Qur’an too. “Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, you would certainly have seen it falling down, splitting asunder because of its fear of Allah.” [Qur’an 59:21] What is meant by “falling down, splitting asunder” is that it would have become small and crushed.
Have you seen how when some people are arguing they say, “You’re nothing to me”? This means you’re very small. “Splitting asunder” means it becomes small and crushed. O God, crush us. And who can understand the pleasure of becoming crushed by reciting the verses of the Qur\'an? The way to become fond of the Qur’an is to become crushed with it. But sometimes we don’t even bat an eye. An example is when a person is cursed but doesn’t even bat an eye. The Qur’an is crushing you. Be affected by it and see how enjoyable it is.
Write this phrase I’m saying a hundred times tonight! Become crushed with the verses of the Qur’an and see how enjoyable it is. You don’t need to write it more than a hundred times! We will remember it. Become crushed with the verses of the Qur’an and see how enjoyable it is. This does not need much spiritual wayfaring. You will become fond of the Qur’an.
#AliRezaPanahian
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Some people don’t even bat an eye!
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==============================
The first, most common, important, influential, valuable, effective psychological effect of the verses of the Qur’an is the induction of God\'s greatness in the heart of His servant. What will be the result of this? The result is one feeling small and humble, and one becoming crushed before the greatness of God. From then on, pleasure, enlightenment, mercy, kindness and everything good can be tasted. If someone reads the Qur\'an like this, he won’t abandon the Qur\'an anymore and will become fond of it. Try it.
The first of God’s attributes that you must pay attention to in order for your soul to become corrected, and so that light, mercy and the doors to all beauties will be opened to you, is God’s greatness. Do you know what the result of this will be? When you recite the Qur\'an, it is as if you are attending a workshop that inspires God’s greatness in your soul!
This is not like listening to a speech, which is about exercising and the human anatomy for instance. They say, “This is an arm muscle. Repeating this move 20 times brings about these changes.” But you have not exercised. But if you actually go to a gym, you will start exercising, sweating and strengthening your muscles. When you recite the Qur’an, it is as if you have gone to a gym and are practicing with God’s attribute of greatness. This is very surprising and important! This is the first action that helps build up the human soul. If this is true, it’s very important. It’s a key point.
The first feeling that one must find with respect to God is feeling humble and small before God. [You say,] “I’m your little one.” After saying this, you start loving God too. Let’s not run before we can walk! We cannot love God unless we become small before Him. We must first become small before Him. We should pay attention to the Qur’an. You prostrate before God [when praying]. Have you noticed this? Have you noticed that you bow down? Have you noticed that you put your face on the dust? Why don’t you bat an eye at this?
What I am talking about has been mentioned in the Qur’an too. “Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, you would certainly have seen it falling down, splitting asunder because of its fear of Allah.” [Qur’an 59:21] What is meant by “falling down, splitting asunder” is that it would have become small and crushed.
Have you seen how when some people are arguing they say, “You’re nothing to me”? This means you’re very small. “Splitting asunder” means it becomes small and crushed. O God, crush us. And who can understand the pleasure of becoming crushed by reciting the verses of the Qur\'an? The way to become fond of the Qur’an is to become crushed with it. But sometimes we don’t even bat an eye. An example is when a person is cursed but doesn’t even bat an eye. The Qur’an is crushing you. Be affected by it and see how enjoyable it is.
Write this phrase I’m saying a hundred times tonight! Become crushed with the verses of the Qur’an and see how enjoyable it is. You don’t need to write it more than a hundred times! We will remember it. Become crushed with the verses of the Qur’an and see how enjoyable it is. This does not need much spiritual wayfaring. You will become fond of the Qur’an.
#AliRezaPanahian
6:29
|
What is Faith | Agha Ali Reza Panahiyan | Farsi Sub English
I’m not infatuated with anyone but God.
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I’m not infatuated with anyone but God.
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==============================
What is faith? Faith is something that eliminates your useless entanglements and makes you ready to understand this point that the only thing worth living for is the excitement of getting close to God. How close have I become to Him?
Our likings and fears are keeping us busy. These don’t let us see our high goal in life, which is getting close to God. What does faith do? Faith wants to give us peace of mind so that we can abandon the games they have designed for our minds and our hearts’ entertainments. It keeps you safe in calamities and fears. It keeps you safe from the harms of the sweet points in life! Do you know what is one of the harms of this sweetness? When you experience this sweetness, you’ll be repelled by it afterwards. This is one of its harms.
[One might think,] “Having too much calm is not good either! If I’m too calm, I won’t work anymore. If I’m too calm, where will I experience excitements? People want a life with excitement. But by talking about faith, you are calming everything down. The excitement of marriage! Thinking about what will happen! The excitement of having a relationship. Excitement…”
But God says, “These excitements are not enough for you. I’m not against excitements. I want to give you a deeper excitement.” People pay money to be in an exciting atmosphere. One says, “If we don’t have such excitements, we’ll rot.” He’s right. One cannot live without excitements. But what does God say? He says, “I want to give you a deeper excitement.” Nothing will remain from these excitements for you afterwards, and you’ll feel upset. And they’re not useful for you. What happens? You became rich? You used all your money. What was added to you? And you’re bored by these too.
One says, “I’ve seen this show before and I’m tired of it. Couldn’t we go to a different show?” “I’ve seen this movie before.” “I’ve gone to this amusement park before.” So he goes to do something else. He is constantly trying different things. People say, “Islam is against us having excitements.” But Islam is against our wrong lifestyle. Islam has announced many relations are unlawful. Why? They have some sort of excitement, but Islam says, “Why do you waste yourself for such excitements? You won’t gain anything afterwards. Instead, have a serious excitement.
Pure Lady Fatimah Zahra (as) would pray in such a way that she experienced spiritual excitement and its effects could be seen in her appearance. Even if we have the best worldly life, we won’t have such excitements even once a year. The spiritual excitements are without harms, but those excitements have many harms. Spiritual excitements are useful, but those excitements are harmful. Spiritual excitements are eternal.
I confess to you that I don’t believe in a god whom when one goes to him for the second time, it feels like the first time again [in terms of enjoyment]. I don’t believe in such a god. God is not like this. It is said in the traditions that on the eve before Fridays, the Friends of God receive a new understanding of God. Their new understanding is such that when they look back, it’s as if they didn’t know God before. But such a thing doesn’t happen in our lives even once! See what excitement they experience.
What does having faith do? It takes away false excitements so that there is space for the main excitement. What is the name of that main excitement? “Getting close to God.” I want to get close to God. How should we communicate with God? The way is to have faith. Faith cuts your dependance on others. That is why the main dhikr of faith is«لا إله إلّا الله» [There is no god but Allah]. What does “Ilah [god]” mean? It means whoever you’re infatuated with.«لا إله إلّا الله» I’m not infatuated with anyone but God.
Faith gives a person this safety. Faith tells a person, “Forget the sweetness and bitterness of the world. You don’t want the small excitements from the sweetness of this world, nor do you want the useless fears. Let me give you safety.” Faith wants to give us peace of mind so that we can abandon the games they have designed for our minds and our hearts’ entertainments.
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I’m not infatuated with anyone but God.
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==============================
What is faith? Faith is something that eliminates your useless entanglements and makes you ready to understand this point that the only thing worth living for is the excitement of getting close to God. How close have I become to Him?
Our likings and fears are keeping us busy. These don’t let us see our high goal in life, which is getting close to God. What does faith do? Faith wants to give us peace of mind so that we can abandon the games they have designed for our minds and our hearts’ entertainments. It keeps you safe in calamities and fears. It keeps you safe from the harms of the sweet points in life! Do you know what is one of the harms of this sweetness? When you experience this sweetness, you’ll be repelled by it afterwards. This is one of its harms.
[One might think,] “Having too much calm is not good either! If I’m too calm, I won’t work anymore. If I’m too calm, where will I experience excitements? People want a life with excitement. But by talking about faith, you are calming everything down. The excitement of marriage! Thinking about what will happen! The excitement of having a relationship. Excitement…”
But God says, “These excitements are not enough for you. I’m not against excitements. I want to give you a deeper excitement.” People pay money to be in an exciting atmosphere. One says, “If we don’t have such excitements, we’ll rot.” He’s right. One cannot live without excitements. But what does God say? He says, “I want to give you a deeper excitement.” Nothing will remain from these excitements for you afterwards, and you’ll feel upset. And they’re not useful for you. What happens? You became rich? You used all your money. What was added to you? And you’re bored by these too.
One says, “I’ve seen this show before and I’m tired of it. Couldn’t we go to a different show?” “I’ve seen this movie before.” “I’ve gone to this amusement park before.” So he goes to do something else. He is constantly trying different things. People say, “Islam is against us having excitements.” But Islam is against our wrong lifestyle. Islam has announced many relations are unlawful. Why? They have some sort of excitement, but Islam says, “Why do you waste yourself for such excitements? You won’t gain anything afterwards. Instead, have a serious excitement.
Pure Lady Fatimah Zahra (as) would pray in such a way that she experienced spiritual excitement and its effects could be seen in her appearance. Even if we have the best worldly life, we won’t have such excitements even once a year. The spiritual excitements are without harms, but those excitements have many harms. Spiritual excitements are useful, but those excitements are harmful. Spiritual excitements are eternal.
I confess to you that I don’t believe in a god whom when one goes to him for the second time, it feels like the first time again [in terms of enjoyment]. I don’t believe in such a god. God is not like this. It is said in the traditions that on the eve before Fridays, the Friends of God receive a new understanding of God. Their new understanding is such that when they look back, it’s as if they didn’t know God before. But such a thing doesn’t happen in our lives even once! See what excitement they experience.
What does having faith do? It takes away false excitements so that there is space for the main excitement. What is the name of that main excitement? “Getting close to God.” I want to get close to God. How should we communicate with God? The way is to have faith. Faith cuts your dependance on others. That is why the main dhikr of faith is«لا إله إلّا الله» [There is no god but Allah]. What does “Ilah [god]” mean? It means whoever you’re infatuated with.«لا إله إلّا الله» I’m not infatuated with anyone but God.
Faith gives a person this safety. Faith tells a person, “Forget the sweetness and bitterness of the world. You don’t want the small excitements from the sweetness of this world, nor do you want the useless fears. Let me give you safety.” Faith wants to give us peace of mind so that we can abandon the games they have designed for our minds and our hearts’ entertainments.
8th Dua-E-Ramazan 2007-Tafseer-Urdu-Dubai
Let me have mercy on orphans,
Feed hungry,
spread peace,
company of noble minded,
o shelter of the hopeful!
God has ordered the powerful people of the society to take responsibility for the...
Let me have mercy on orphans,
Feed hungry,
spread peace,
company of noble minded,
o shelter of the hopeful!
God has ordered the powerful people of the society to take responsibility for the weak,esp those who are orphans
One who helps an orphan actually does it only for God,as an orphan is the helpless one and you get nothing in return ,,
Hadith:if someone put his hand on the head of the orphan with mercy,he gets the hasanat(rewards) comparable to the number of hairs that were covered!
Let me have the capablity to feed the people;
Most deserving are those who are not well fed already,if you dont get any such people deserving,look beyond your vicinity,,the point is not just feeding,but give a helping hand to those who are deprived,,
Make sure,that you are in the company with such pepople who are deprived,,
Todays world despite of having the best means of communications ever, has invented extreme ignorance among people personal affairs,,one who is rich,is not aware of the those who are sufferers,and those suffering, find them alone ,,,
when quran praises Alh ul Bait ,of their giving food in the way of God,,He says that they give sincerely in the way of God and expect nothing in return,,,
Let me spread peace,,
one of the greatness of the religion that it brings people closer thru the greeting of peace,,religion asks you to say salams to one another and say it with heart,,desire really from the botom of the heart that you really want to give somthing good to the other person,,let it not be only a ritual,,,rather make it really a live gift,,
Let me have the company of the who have great will power,
,,one who feels pleasure in carrying out the commands,,does not falls back,,
Imam Ali says if you sit with such peple you will learn greatness and they will be helpful as well,,
Once when we are thinking for the company of our kids ,this should be bore in mind as well,,,give them good company,,
sometimes we feel pleasure with those who are not very practicing,,but at the same time we say we want good company,,this means that we are decieving ourselves,,
it is the greatness of such great will- powered people,,that they will turn you same like them,,
If you wnat to chk your standards of your ethical status,,see your company,,,
O shelter of teh hopeful!!
More...
Description:
Let me have mercy on orphans,
Feed hungry,
spread peace,
company of noble minded,
o shelter of the hopeful!
God has ordered the powerful people of the society to take responsibility for the weak,esp those who are orphans
One who helps an orphan actually does it only for God,as an orphan is the helpless one and you get nothing in return ,,
Hadith:if someone put his hand on the head of the orphan with mercy,he gets the hasanat(rewards) comparable to the number of hairs that were covered!
Let me have the capablity to feed the people;
Most deserving are those who are not well fed already,if you dont get any such people deserving,look beyond your vicinity,,the point is not just feeding,but give a helping hand to those who are deprived,,
Make sure,that you are in the company with such pepople who are deprived,,
Todays world despite of having the best means of communications ever, has invented extreme ignorance among people personal affairs,,one who is rich,is not aware of the those who are sufferers,and those suffering, find them alone ,,,
when quran praises Alh ul Bait ,of their giving food in the way of God,,He says that they give sincerely in the way of God and expect nothing in return,,,
Let me spread peace,,
one of the greatness of the religion that it brings people closer thru the greeting of peace,,religion asks you to say salams to one another and say it with heart,,desire really from the botom of the heart that you really want to give somthing good to the other person,,let it not be only a ritual,,,rather make it really a live gift,,
Let me have the company of the who have great will power,
,,one who feels pleasure in carrying out the commands,,does not falls back,,
Imam Ali says if you sit with such peple you will learn greatness and they will be helpful as well,,
Once when we are thinking for the company of our kids ,this should be bore in mind as well,,,give them good company,,
sometimes we feel pleasure with those who are not very practicing,,but at the same time we say we want good company,,this means that we are decieving ourselves,,
it is the greatness of such great will- powered people,,that they will turn you same like them,,
If you wnat to chk your standards of your ethical status,,see your company,,,
O shelter of teh hopeful!!
President Ahmadinejad Interview Sept 08 with Democracy Now - Part 1 - English
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez,...
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president
President Ahmadinejad was interviewed recently in New York by Democracy Now
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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president
President Ahmadinejad was interviewed recently in New York by Democracy Now
President Ahmadinejad Interview Sept 08 with Democracy Now - Part 2 - English
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez,...
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president
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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president
President Ahmadinejad Interview Sept 08 with Democracy Now - Part 3 - English
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez,...
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president
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Description:
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president
[04] Marriage Ceremony - Family Issues 4 - English
H.I. Abbas Ayleya - Marriage Ceremony - Family Issues 4 - English. [abbasayleya.org]. Some of the topics discussed in this session are who to invite on the marriage ceremony if you are the host....
H.I. Abbas Ayleya - Marriage Ceremony - Family Issues 4 - English. [abbasayleya.org]. Some of the topics discussed in this session are who to invite on the marriage ceremony if you are the host. Which marriage to go to if you are invited by someone. What is allowed at a marriage ceremony if you are the host or if you are an attendee. Jurisprudential rulings regarding dancing and singing in marriage ceremonies. Jurisprudential rulings regarding taking photographs and movie recording at marriage ceremonies.
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H.I. Abbas Ayleya - Marriage Ceremony - Family Issues 4 - English. [abbasayleya.org]. Some of the topics discussed in this session are who to invite on the marriage ceremony if you are the host. Which marriage to go to if you are invited by someone. What is allowed at a marriage ceremony if you are the host or if you are an attendee. Jurisprudential rulings regarding dancing and singing in marriage ceremonies. Jurisprudential rulings regarding taking photographs and movie recording at marriage ceremonies.
Cynthia McKinney in an Israeli jail - English
As if we needed any more proof that the international media deliberately avoids exposing anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian injustices, its suspect behavior during recent days has sealed the case....
As if we needed any more proof that the international media deliberately avoids exposing anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian injustices, its suspect behavior during recent days has sealed the case.
Even as we were being force-fed minute details of Michael Jackson's colorful life along with endless speculation as to the true parentage of his children, a former U.S. Congresswomen and presidential candidate, Cynthia McKinney, was languishing in an Israeli jail.
Her 'crime' was boarding the Free Gaza Movement's aid vessel The Spirit of Humanity in Cyprus, in an effort to break Israel's cruel siege of Gaza, which even the U.S. President has condemned.
Like several of her sister vessels, The Spirit of Humanity was attacked by the Israeli Navy in international waters before being boarded by Israeli commandos and dragged along with its crew and passengers towards Israel.
Once there, 21 human rights advocates from the U.S., Britain, Ireland, Denmark, Jordan, Palestine and Yemen, including McKinney, Noble Laureate Mairead Maguire, and documentary filmmaker Adam Shapiro, were incarcerated.
Let's be realistic. If just about any other high-profile U.S. politician on any other mission had been detained within a cell block on foreign soil, the incident would have merited headlines.
However, McKinney's abduction went almost unnoticed. Not only was the story relegated to the back pages, if it ran at all, there was a corresponding absence of comment from Congress and the White House.
McKinney is now home after refusing to sign a statement in Hebrew that she was guilty of a violation, but the mainstream media is certainly not clamoring at her door for interviews.
As far as I can tell, her ordeal has mostly been covered by left-wing outlets such as Democracy Now or Middle East networks including Al Jazeera and Press TV.
A number of McKinney's supporters say the reason for the media blackout was the fact that she is a Black American. But, in fact, it's her cause that's the problem rather than her color.
My analysis is based on the lack of media coverage given to the Viva Palestina aid convoy of trucks and ambulances from London to Gaza, led by British Parliamentarian George Galloway.
The Herculean efforts of hundreds of ordinary Britons to deliver much-needed humanitarian supplies to war-torn Gaza earlier this year was a non-event as far as the media was concerned until Galloway was barred from entering Canada as a result.
Unless you're a person who relentlessly digs on the internet, you probably are not aware that during McKinney's ordeal, Galloway, along with Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic, were meeting up with over 200 Americans in Cairo armed with $2 million (Dh7.35 million) that was raised in the U.S. to buy trucks and medical aid destined for Gaza.
The Egyptian English-language paper Al Ahram Weekly dubs this ""the largest grassroots medical relief effort for Gaza in U.S. history"" but once again, this doesn't merit column inches in either U.S. or European mainstream papers.
In a similar vein, is the way that the horrendous courtroom stabbing of 32-year-old Marwa Al Sherbini was considered inconsequential by the German media until it elicited angry protests in her hometown of Alexandria.
There are so many aspects to this story, which should have been emblazoned across front pages.
First of all it was a blatant race crime, which Germany is normally sensitive about. Second, it begs questions concerning court security.
What were armed officers doing when Marwa was stabbed 18 times and why was her husband shot when he attempted to protect his pregnant wife?
What kind of editors would bin reports of such a horrendous crime carried out in full view of the authorities? What were they thinking?
Purely coincidentally, I was sitting at a table with one of Marwa's uncles in an Alexandria coffee shop when he received a call on his mobile and had to dash off because of a ""family emergency"".
Today, this exceptionally close-knit family is devastated and hurt that the murder of one of their own wasn't initially treated with the weight the crime deserved.
Egyptians are outraged at Germany's disinterest and the inaction of their own foreign office. The numbers who attended her funeral, who gathered outside the German embassy in Cairo and who demonstrated in Cairo and Alexandria speak for themselves.
Because Marwa's dispute with her attacker was based on his objections to her Islamic headscarf, the death of the young pharmacist has become an emblem for the rights of Muslim women at a time when the French President is attempting to ban the burqa. Marwa loved life.
She didn't plan to become a martyr. But in the eyes of Egyptians calling for a mosque and a street in Alexandria to be renamed in her honor, she is a heroine.
If the U.S. and Europe are chronically supine when it comes to Muslim causes, then the governments and media throughout the Arab and Muslim world should embrace them clearly and loudly.
With anti-Muslim hate crimes on the rise, Muslims need a strong united voice on the international stage. Shame on the world's media that appears to be united only in its anti-Muslim bias!
Linda S. Heard is a specialist British writer on Middle East affairs.
(Source: Gulf News
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Description:
As if we needed any more proof that the international media deliberately avoids exposing anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian injustices, its suspect behavior during recent days has sealed the case.
Even as we were being force-fed minute details of Michael Jackson's colorful life along with endless speculation as to the true parentage of his children, a former U.S. Congresswomen and presidential candidate, Cynthia McKinney, was languishing in an Israeli jail.
Her 'crime' was boarding the Free Gaza Movement's aid vessel The Spirit of Humanity in Cyprus, in an effort to break Israel's cruel siege of Gaza, which even the U.S. President has condemned.
Like several of her sister vessels, The Spirit of Humanity was attacked by the Israeli Navy in international waters before being boarded by Israeli commandos and dragged along with its crew and passengers towards Israel.
Once there, 21 human rights advocates from the U.S., Britain, Ireland, Denmark, Jordan, Palestine and Yemen, including McKinney, Noble Laureate Mairead Maguire, and documentary filmmaker Adam Shapiro, were incarcerated.
Let's be realistic. If just about any other high-profile U.S. politician on any other mission had been detained within a cell block on foreign soil, the incident would have merited headlines.
However, McKinney's abduction went almost unnoticed. Not only was the story relegated to the back pages, if it ran at all, there was a corresponding absence of comment from Congress and the White House.
McKinney is now home after refusing to sign a statement in Hebrew that she was guilty of a violation, but the mainstream media is certainly not clamoring at her door for interviews.
As far as I can tell, her ordeal has mostly been covered by left-wing outlets such as Democracy Now or Middle East networks including Al Jazeera and Press TV.
A number of McKinney's supporters say the reason for the media blackout was the fact that she is a Black American. But, in fact, it's her cause that's the problem rather than her color.
My analysis is based on the lack of media coverage given to the Viva Palestina aid convoy of trucks and ambulances from London to Gaza, led by British Parliamentarian George Galloway.
The Herculean efforts of hundreds of ordinary Britons to deliver much-needed humanitarian supplies to war-torn Gaza earlier this year was a non-event as far as the media was concerned until Galloway was barred from entering Canada as a result.
Unless you're a person who relentlessly digs on the internet, you probably are not aware that during McKinney's ordeal, Galloway, along with Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic, were meeting up with over 200 Americans in Cairo armed with $2 million (Dh7.35 million) that was raised in the U.S. to buy trucks and medical aid destined for Gaza.
The Egyptian English-language paper Al Ahram Weekly dubs this ""the largest grassroots medical relief effort for Gaza in U.S. history"" but once again, this doesn't merit column inches in either U.S. or European mainstream papers.
In a similar vein, is the way that the horrendous courtroom stabbing of 32-year-old Marwa Al Sherbini was considered inconsequential by the German media until it elicited angry protests in her hometown of Alexandria.
There are so many aspects to this story, which should have been emblazoned across front pages.
First of all it was a blatant race crime, which Germany is normally sensitive about. Second, it begs questions concerning court security.
What were armed officers doing when Marwa was stabbed 18 times and why was her husband shot when he attempted to protect his pregnant wife?
What kind of editors would bin reports of such a horrendous crime carried out in full view of the authorities? What were they thinking?
Purely coincidentally, I was sitting at a table with one of Marwa's uncles in an Alexandria coffee shop when he received a call on his mobile and had to dash off because of a ""family emergency"".
Today, this exceptionally close-knit family is devastated and hurt that the murder of one of their own wasn't initially treated with the weight the crime deserved.
Egyptians are outraged at Germany's disinterest and the inaction of their own foreign office. The numbers who attended her funeral, who gathered outside the German embassy in Cairo and who demonstrated in Cairo and Alexandria speak for themselves.
Because Marwa's dispute with her attacker was based on his objections to her Islamic headscarf, the death of the young pharmacist has become an emblem for the rights of Muslim women at a time when the French President is attempting to ban the burqa. Marwa loved life.
She didn't plan to become a martyr. But in the eyes of Egyptians calling for a mosque and a street in Alexandria to be renamed in her honor, she is a heroine.
If the U.S. and Europe are chronically supine when it comes to Muslim causes, then the governments and media throughout the Arab and Muslim world should embrace them clearly and loudly.
With anti-Muslim hate crimes on the rise, Muslims need a strong united voice on the international stage. Shame on the world's media that appears to be united only in its anti-Muslim bias!
Linda S. Heard is a specialist British writer on Middle East affairs.
(Source: Gulf News
Imam Khomeini: Tone of Criticism differs from the tone of Conspiracy - Persian sub English
Imam Khomeini\\\\\\\'s(RA) speech explaining the difference between the tone of Criticism and the tone of Conspiracy. May this distinction be realized by some who are damaging the Islamic...
Imam Khomeini\\\\\\\'s(RA) speech explaining the difference between the tone of Criticism and the tone of Conspiracy. May this distinction be realized by some who are damaging the Islamic Government system in Iran today. So-called \\\\\\\"sincere\\\\\\\" leaders of Iran who are supporting and bringing violent protesters on the streets of Iran must realize the damage they are causing to \\\\\\\"the only\\\\\\\" Islamic Government System in the world. These leaders and their supporters be very clear that regardless of their positive contribution (if any) in the past in building this Islamic Government System in Iran, they will be remembered as a black mark on the history of Iran by the future generations if they do not renew their allegience with the Leader of Islamic Revolution Imam Khamenei (HA). Like any other system, positive criticism always play a vital role in improving the affairs of that system. Although opposing a ligitimate system without solid proof can only be qualified as a conspiracy. The law, the checks and balances of the system, and various departments in the governmental structure have declared the Iran Elections to be valid. At top of everything, the Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatullah Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei (HA) has announced the legitimacy of these elections and called the protests to be illegal. ***** After all this, if any so-called leader supports these illegal protests and does not openly call the protesters to halt their illegal demonstrations, he is declaring it loud and clear that this leader is against the Islamic establishment, all the governmental departments, and Wali-e-Faqih Sayyed Ali Khamenei. If that\\\\\\\'s the case, all the followers of Wali-e-Faqih are against that leader. **** NOBODY IS ABOVE THE LAW AND ABOVE THE SYSTEM!!!
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Imam Khomeini\\\\\\\'s(RA) speech explaining the difference between the tone of Criticism and the tone of Conspiracy. May this distinction be realized by some who are damaging the Islamic Government system in Iran today. So-called \\\\\\\"sincere\\\\\\\" leaders of Iran who are supporting and bringing violent protesters on the streets of Iran must realize the damage they are causing to \\\\\\\"the only\\\\\\\" Islamic Government System in the world. These leaders and their supporters be very clear that regardless of their positive contribution (if any) in the past in building this Islamic Government System in Iran, they will be remembered as a black mark on the history of Iran by the future generations if they do not renew their allegience with the Leader of Islamic Revolution Imam Khamenei (HA). Like any other system, positive criticism always play a vital role in improving the affairs of that system. Although opposing a ligitimate system without solid proof can only be qualified as a conspiracy. The law, the checks and balances of the system, and various departments in the governmental structure have declared the Iran Elections to be valid. At top of everything, the Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatullah Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei (HA) has announced the legitimacy of these elections and called the protests to be illegal. ***** After all this, if any so-called leader supports these illegal protests and does not openly call the protesters to halt their illegal demonstrations, he is declaring it loud and clear that this leader is against the Islamic establishment, all the governmental departments, and Wali-e-Faqih Sayyed Ali Khamenei. If that\\\\\\\'s the case, all the followers of Wali-e-Faqih are against that leader. **** NOBODY IS ABOVE THE LAW AND ABOVE THE SYSTEM!!!
4:51
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The Illusion - The Diamond Empire - English
"The Diamond Empire" is a documentary produced by Media Education Foundation in 1994. To purchase conflict-free diamonds or not, that is not the question. It is actually to re-think if we...
"The Diamond Empire" is a documentary produced by Media Education Foundation in 1994. To purchase conflict-free diamonds or not, that is not the question. It is actually to re-think if we need diamonds at all to feel happy about ourselves or express our love toward others? More regulations on diamond trade - to purchase only certified diamonds - would only inflate its demand and reinforce the monopoly of De Beers and its likes. Even if somehow we manage to address the problem of "scarcity" by dismembering the diamond cartel and etc., would that solve the problem? If today we address diamond scarcity somehow, tomorrow the hearts-with-illness will desire for some other “precious” metal or material. Instead of De Beers, you will have some other unscrupulous, profit-driven company doing similar exploitation. This is not to suggest that people don't engage in political activism, pressuring politicians and companies through protests and boycotts. Just that doing that won’t be enough. What is needed is a deep cultural shift in how people think and desire and somehow re-orient the focus away from the rat race for bigger, better, faster, and more that you see in almost all parts of the world - those in the middle and upper classes that can afford such luxuries and among the working and poor classes who can't afford but their hearts long for these luxuries, and if tomorrow they become rich, they would join the rat race with similar enthusiasm.
More...
Description:
"The Diamond Empire" is a documentary produced by Media Education Foundation in 1994. To purchase conflict-free diamonds or not, that is not the question. It is actually to re-think if we need diamonds at all to feel happy about ourselves or express our love toward others? More regulations on diamond trade - to purchase only certified diamonds - would only inflate its demand and reinforce the monopoly of De Beers and its likes. Even if somehow we manage to address the problem of "scarcity" by dismembering the diamond cartel and etc., would that solve the problem? If today we address diamond scarcity somehow, tomorrow the hearts-with-illness will desire for some other “precious” metal or material. Instead of De Beers, you will have some other unscrupulous, profit-driven company doing similar exploitation. This is not to suggest that people don't engage in political activism, pressuring politicians and companies through protests and boycotts. Just that doing that won’t be enough. What is needed is a deep cultural shift in how people think and desire and somehow re-orient the focus away from the rat race for bigger, better, faster, and more that you see in almost all parts of the world - those in the middle and upper classes that can afford such luxuries and among the working and poor classes who can't afford but their hearts long for these luxuries, and if tomorrow they become rich, they would join the rat race with similar enthusiasm.
5:14
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On Gandhi and Non-Violence - Norman Finkelstein - English
University of Alberta on January 22 2009. Chanting "peace, peace, non-violence, non-violence" is sometimes used to de-legitimize armed resistance as irrational and unjustifiably violent....
University of Alberta on January 22 2009. Chanting "peace, peace, non-violence, non-violence" is sometimes used to de-legitimize armed resistance as irrational and unjustifiably violent. It takes attention away from the whole history of Israeli atrocities by focusing too much on - and even blaming at times - the victims for responding with violence in defense. Same goes for the case of Lebanon. The "peace, peace" slogans at times neglect the fact that the international community has failed to deliver any positive results in the last sixty years.
I think the resistance in Palestine as well as Lebanon would also prefer non-violence over violence. The difference really is on the question of 'efficacy' of violent vs. non-violent tactics. The Iranian Revolution of 1979 was largely non-violent. Even scholars of non-violent movements acknowledge that fact.
The distinction between principle and tactic is important here. We would be arguing on a very different level if some peace activist believes in non-violence as a principle - that militant resistance is always wrong. (Even Gandhi made exceptions to that principle!)
But if it is a matter of tactic with non-violence as the preferred method, then the implication is that if legit resistance-s choose militant tactics in Palestine or Lebanon, their actions should not be looked down upon by peace activists. Also since it is a matter of tactic (not principle), tomorrow the resistance-s may very well decide to become non-violent, if they feel that time has changed and the international community is more responsive to non-violent tactics and can actually do something to address their grievances.
More...
Description:
University of Alberta on January 22 2009. Chanting "peace, peace, non-violence, non-violence" is sometimes used to de-legitimize armed resistance as irrational and unjustifiably violent. It takes attention away from the whole history of Israeli atrocities by focusing too much on - and even blaming at times - the victims for responding with violence in defense. Same goes for the case of Lebanon. The "peace, peace" slogans at times neglect the fact that the international community has failed to deliver any positive results in the last sixty years.
I think the resistance in Palestine as well as Lebanon would also prefer non-violence over violence. The difference really is on the question of 'efficacy' of violent vs. non-violent tactics. The Iranian Revolution of 1979 was largely non-violent. Even scholars of non-violent movements acknowledge that fact.
The distinction between principle and tactic is important here. We would be arguing on a very different level if some peace activist believes in non-violence as a principle - that militant resistance is always wrong. (Even Gandhi made exceptions to that principle!)
But if it is a matter of tactic with non-violence as the preferred method, then the implication is that if legit resistance-s choose militant tactics in Palestine or Lebanon, their actions should not be looked down upon by peace activists. Also since it is a matter of tactic (not principle), tomorrow the resistance-s may very well decide to become non-violent, if they feel that time has changed and the international community is more responsive to non-violent tactics and can actually do something to address their grievances.
2:47
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Holy Quran - Surah al Aadiyat, Surah No 100 - Arabic sub English sub Urdu
This is a ‘meccan’ surah. In a tradition from the Holy Prophet (saw) it is said that the reward for reciting surah Aadiyat is equivalent to ten times the number who are present in...
This is a ‘meccan’ surah. In a tradition from the Holy Prophet (saw) it is said that the reward for reciting surah Aadiyat is equivalent to ten times the number who are present in Arafah and Muzdalifa at the time of Hajj. Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (as) has said that those people who recite surah Aadiyat everyday, will be counted from the companions of Ameerul Mu’mineen (as) and it has also been narrated that reciting this surah daily carries the reward of reciting the entire Qur’an. If a person has many creditors, recitation of this surah will help clear his debts. If recited by a person in fear, this surah brings him to safety; if recited by a hungry person, it helps in his finding sustenance; if recited by a thirsty person, his thirst will be quenched.
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Description:
This is a ‘meccan’ surah. In a tradition from the Holy Prophet (saw) it is said that the reward for reciting surah Aadiyat is equivalent to ten times the number who are present in Arafah and Muzdalifa at the time of Hajj. Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (as) has said that those people who recite surah Aadiyat everyday, will be counted from the companions of Ameerul Mu’mineen (as) and it has also been narrated that reciting this surah daily carries the reward of reciting the entire Qur’an. If a person has many creditors, recitation of this surah will help clear his debts. If recited by a person in fear, this surah brings him to safety; if recited by a hungry person, it helps in his finding sustenance; if recited by a thirsty person, his thirst will be quenched.
[ENGLISH][22Sep11] President Ahmadinejad Speech at UN General Assembly
Address by H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad President of the Islamic Republic of Iran before the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
New York 22 September 2011
In the Name of...
Address by H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad President of the Islamic Republic of Iran before the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
New York 22 September 2011
In the Name of God, the Compassionate
The Merciful
All praise be to Allah, the lord of the Universe, and peace and blessing be upon our Master and prophet, Mohammad, and his pure household, his noble companions and on all divine messengers.
‘Oh, God, hasten the arrival of Imam al-Mahdi and grant him good health and victory, and make us his followers and all those who attest to his rightfulness.’
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am grateful to the Almighty Allah who granted me, once more, the opportunity to appear before this world assembly. I have the pleasure to express my sincere thanks to H.E. Joseph Deiss, president of the sixty-fifth session for his tremendous efforts during his tenure. I also would like to congratulate H.E Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser on his election as the president of sixty-sixth session of the United Nations and wish him all success.
Let me seize the moment to pay tribute to all those who lost their lives in the past year, particularly to the victims of tragic famine in Somalia and the devastating flood in Pakistan. I urge everyone to increase their assistance and aid to the affected populations in these countries.
Over the past years, I spoke about different global issues, and the need to introduce fundamental changes in the current international order.
- Today, considering the international developments, I will try to analyze the present situation from a different angle.
- As you all know the dominance and superiority of human beings over other creatures, lie in the very nature and the truth of humankind.
which is a divine gift and a manifestation of the divine spirit embodying:
- Faith in God, who is the ever-lasting creator and planner of the entire universe.
- Showing compassion to others, generosity, justice-seeking, and having integrity both in words and in deeds.
- The quest for dignity to reach the pinnacles of perfection, the aspiration to elevate one’s material and spiritual status, and the longing to realize liberty;
- Defying oppression, corruption, and discrimination in contrast to supporting the oppressed.
- Seeking happiness, and lasting prosperity and security for all.
- These are some of the manifestations of common divine and human attributes which can clearly be seen in the historical aspirations of human beings as reflected in the heritage of our search for art and literary works both in prose and poetry, and in the socio-cultural and political movements of human beings in the course of history.
- All divine prophets and social reformers invited human beings to tread on this righteous path.
- God has given dignity to humankind to elevate his status to assume his successor role on Earth.
Dear Colleagues and friends:
- It is vividly clear that despite all historical achievements, including creation of the United-Nations, that was a product of untiring struggles and efforts of free-minded and justice-seeking individuals as well as the international cooperation, human societies are yet far from fulfilling their noble desires and aspirations.
- Most nations of the world are unhappy with the current international circumstances.
- And despite the general longing and aspiration to promote peace, progress, and fraternity, wars, mass-murder, widespread poverty, and socioeconomic and political crises continue to infringe upon the rights and sovereignty of nations, leaving behind irreparable damage worldwide;
- Approximately, three billion people of the world live on less than 2.5 dollars a day, and over a billion people even live without having even one sufficient meal on a daily basis;
- Forty-percent of the poorest world populations only share five percent of the global income, while twenty percent of the richest people share seventy-five percent of the total global income.
- More than twenty thousand innocent and destitute children die every day in the world because of poverty.
- Eighty percent of financial resources in the United States are controlled by ten percent of its population, while only twenty percent of these resources belong to the ninety percent of the population.
- What are the causes and reasons behind these inequalities? How can bone remedy such injustice?
- Those who dominate and run centers of global economic power put the blame on people’s aspiration for religion and the pursuit of the path of divine prophets or the weakness of nations and the ill-performance of a number of groups or individuals. They claim that only their views, approaches or prescriptions can save the humanity and the world economy.
Dear Colleagues and friends
- Don’t you think that the root cause of the problems must be sought in the prevailing international order, or the way the world is governed?
I would like to draw your kind attention to the following questions:
- Who abducted forcefully tens of millions of people from their homes in Africa and other regions of the world during the dark period of slavery, making them a victim of their materialistic greed?
- Who imposed colonialism for over four centuries upon this world? Who occupied lands and massively plundered resources of other nations, destroyed talents, and alienated languages, cultures and identities of nations?
- Who triggered the first and second world wars, that left seventy millions killed and hundreds of millions injured or homeless. Who created the wars in Korean peninsula and in Vietnam?
- Who imposed, through deceits and hypocrisy, the Zionists and over sixty years of war, homelessness, terror and mass murder on the Palestinian people and on countries of the region?
- Who imposed and supported for decades military dictatorship and totalitarian regimes on Asian, African, and Latin American nations.
- Who used atomic bomb against defenseless people, and stockpiled thousands of warheads in their arsenals?
- Whose economies rely on waging wars and selling arms?
- Who provoked and encouraged Saddam Hussein to invade and impose an eight-year war on Iran, and who assisted and equipped him to deploy chemical weapons against our cities and our people.
- Who used the mysterious September 11 incident as a pretext to attack Afghanistan and Iraq - killing, injuring, and displacing millions in two countries- with the ultimate goal of bringing into its domination the Middle-East and its oil resources?
- Who abolished the Breton Woods system and printed trillions of dollars without the backing of gold reserves or equivalent currency? A move that triggered inflation worldwide and was intended to prey on the economic gains of other nations.
- What country’s military spending exceeds annually a thousand billion dollars, more than the military budgets of all countries of the world combined?
- Which governments are the most indebted ones in the world?
- Who dominates the policy-making establishments of the world economy?
- Who are responsible for the world economic recession, and are imposing its consequences on America, Europe and the world in general?
- Which governments are ever ready to drop thousands of bombs on other countries, but ponder and hesitate to send a bit of food aid to famine-stricken people in Somalia or in other places?
- Who are the ones dominating the Security Council which is ostensibly responsible to safeguard the international security?
- There exist tens of other similar questions and of course, the answers are clear.
- The majority of nations and governments of the world have had no role in the creation of the current global crises, and as a matter of fact were themselves the victims of such policies.
- It is as lucid as daylight that the same slave masters and colonial powers that once instigated the two world wars have caused widespread miseries and disorder with far-reaching effects across the globe since then.
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
- Do these arrogant powers really have the competence and ability to run or govern the world, or is it acceptable that they call themselves as the sole defender of freedom, democracy, and human rights, while they militarily attack and occupy other countries?
- Can the flower of democracy blossom from NATO’s missiles, bombs or, guns?
Ladies and Gentlemen;
- If some European countries still use the Holocaust, after six decades, as the excuse to pay fine or ransom to the Zionists, should it not be an obligation upon the slave masters or colonial powers to pay reparations to the affected nations?
- If the damage and losses of the period of slavery and colonialism were indeed compensated, what would happen to the manipulators and behind-the-scene political powers in the United States and in Europe? Will there remain any gaps between the North and the South?
- If only half of military expenditures of the United States and its allies in NATO is cut to help solve the economic problems in their own countries will they be witnessing any symptom of the economic crisis?
- What would happen, if the same amount is allocated to poor nations?
- What is the justification for the presence of hundreds of US military and intelligence bases in different parts of the world, including 268 bases in Germany, 124 in Japan, 87 in South Korea, 83 in Italy, 45 in the United-Kingdom, and 21 in Portugal? Does this mean anything other than military occupation?
- Don’t the bombs deployed in the said bases undermine the security of other nations?
Ladies and Gentlemen
- The main question is the quest for the root cause of such attitudes?
- The prime reason should be sought in the beliefs and tendencies of the establishment.
- Assemblies of people in contradiction with the inner human instincts and disposition, who also have no faith in God and in the path of the divine prophets, replace their lust for power and materialistic ends with heavenly values.
- To them, only power and wealth prevail, and every attempt must bring into focus these sinister goals.
- Oppressed nations have no hope to restore or protect their legitimate rights against these powers.
- These powers seek their progress, prosperity and dignity through the poverty, humiliation and annihilation of others.
- They consider themselves superior to others enjoying special privileges or concessions. They have no respect for others and easily violate the rights of all nations and governments.
- They proclaim themselves as the indisputable custodians of all governments and nations through intimidation, recourse to threat and force, and the abuse of international mechanisms. They simply break all the internationally-recognized and regulations.
- They insist on imposing their lifestyle and beliefs on others.
- They officially support racism.
- They weaken countries through military intervention, and destroy their infrastructures, in order to plunder their resources by making them all the more dependent.
- They sow the seeds of hate and hostility among nations and people of different pursuits, in order to prevent them from fulfilling their goals of development and progress.
- All cultures, identities, lives, values and wealth of nations, women, youth, families, families as well as the wealth of nations are sacrificed by their hegemonic tendencies and the inclination to enslave and captivate others.
- Hypocrisy and deceit are allowed to secure their interests and imperialistic goals. Drug- trafficking and killing of innocent human beings are also allowed in pursuit of such diabolic goals. Despite NATO’s presence in the occupied Afghanistan, there has been a dramatic increase in the production of illicit drugs there.
- They tolerate no question or criticism, and instead of presenting a reason for their violations, they always put themselves in the position of a claimant.
- By using their imperialistic media network which is under the influence of colonialism they threaten anyone who questions the Holocaust, and September 11 with sanctions and military action.
- Last year, when the need to form a fact-finding team to undertake a thorough investigation concerning the hidden elements involved in September 11 incident was brought up- an idea which is also endorsed by all independent governments and nations as well as by the majority in the United States-, my country and myself came under pressure and threats by the government of the United States.
- Instead of assigning a fact-finding team, they killed the main perpetrator and threw his body into the sea.
- Would it not have been reasonable to bring to justice and try openly the main perpetrator of the incident in order to identify the elements behind the safe space provided for the invading aircraft to attack the twin world trade towers?
- Why should it not have been allowed to bring him into trial to help recognize those who launched terrorist groups and brought wars and other miseries into the region?
- Is there any classified information that must be kept secret?
- They view Zionism as a sacred notion or ideology and any question concerning its very foundation and history is condemned by them as an unforgivable sin. However they endorse and allow sacrileges and insult against beliefs of other divine religions.
Dear Colleagues and Friends.
- Real freedom, justice, dignity, well being, and lasting security are the rights of all nations.
- These values can neither be achieved by reliance on the current inefficient system of world governance, nor through the intervention of the world arrogant powers and the gun barrels of NATO forces.
- These values could only be realized under independence and recognition of others’ right and through harmony and cooperation.
- Is there any way to address the problems and challenges besetting the world by using the prevailing international mechanisms or tools to help humanity achieve the long-standing aspiration of peace, security and equality?
- All those who tried to introduce reforms whilst preserving the existing norms and tendencies have failed. The valuable efforts made by the Non-Aligned movement and Group 77 and 15 as well as by some prominent individuals have failed to bring fundamental changes.
- Governance and management of the world entail fundamental reforms.
- What has to be done now?
Dear Colleagues and Friends
- Efforts must be made with a firm resolve and through collective cooperation to map out a new plan, on the basis of principles and the very foundation of human universal values such as Monotheism, justice, freedom, love and the quest for happiness.
- The idea of creation of the United Nations remains a great and historical achievement of mankind. Its importance must be appreciated and its capacities must be used to the extent possible for our noble goals.
- We should not allow the organization which is the reflection of the collective will and shared aspiration of the community of nations, to deviate from its main course and play into the hands of the world powers.
- Conducive ground must be prepared to ensure collective participation and involvement of nations in an effort to promote lasting peace and security.
- Shared and collective management of the world must be achieved in its true sense, and based on the underlying principles enshrined in the international law; and justice must serve as the criterion and the basis for all international decisions or actions.
- All of us should acknowledge the fact that there is no other way than the shared and collective management of the world in order to put an end to the present disorders, tyranny, and discriminations worldwide.
- This is indeed the sole way to prosperity and welfare of human society which is an established and vivid truth.
- While acknowledging the above truth, one should note that it is not enough and that we must have further faith in that and spare no effort toward its realization.
Dear Colleagues and Friends
- Shared and collective management of the world is the legitimate right of all nations, and we as their representatives, have an obligation to defend their rights. Although some powers continuously try to frustrate all international efforts, aimed at promoting collective cooperation, we must, however, strengthen our belief in achieving the perceived goal of establishing a shared and collective cooperation to run the world.
- The United Nations was created to make possible effective participation of all nations in international decision-making processes.
- We all know that this goal has not yet been fulfilled because of the absence of justice in the current management structures and mechanisms of the UN.
- The composition of the Security Council is unjust and inequitable. Therefore, changes and restructuring of the United Nations are considered as the basic demands of the nations that must be addressed by the General Assembly.
- During last year session, I emphasized the importance of this issue and called for the designation of this decade as the decade of shared and collective Global Management.
- I would like now to reiterate my proposal and I am sure that through international cooperation diligent and efforts of committed world leaders or governments and through insistence on justice and the support of all other nations, we can expedite the building of a common bright future.
- This movement is certainly on the rightful path of creation with the assurance of promising future for humanity.
- A future that will be built when humanity initiates to trend the path of the divine prophets and the righteous the under the leadership of Imam al-Mahdi, the Ultimate Savior of mankind and the inheritor to all divine messengers, leaders and to the pure generation of our great Prophet.
- Creation of a supreme and ideal society with the arrival of a perfect human being, who is a true and sincere lover of all human beings, is the guaranteed promise of Allah.
- He will come with Jesus Christ to lead the freedom and justice lovers to eradicate tyranny and discrimination, and promote knowledge, peace, justice freedom and love across the world. He will present to every single individual all the beauties of the world and all good things which bring happiness for humankind.
- Today nations have been awakened and with the increase in public awareness, they no longer succumb to oppressions and discriminations.
- The world is now witnessing more than ever, the widespread awakening in Islamic lands, in Asia, Europe, and America. These movements are ever expanding everyday their specter and influence to pursue the realization of justice, freedom and the creation of a better tomorrow.
- Our great nation stands ready to join hands with other nations to march on this beautiful path in harmony and in line with the shared aspirations of mankind.
- Let us salute love, freedom, justice, knowledge, and the bright future that awaits humankind.
More...
Description:
Address by H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad President of the Islamic Republic of Iran before the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
New York 22 September 2011
In the Name of God, the Compassionate
The Merciful
All praise be to Allah, the lord of the Universe, and peace and blessing be upon our Master and prophet, Mohammad, and his pure household, his noble companions and on all divine messengers.
‘Oh, God, hasten the arrival of Imam al-Mahdi and grant him good health and victory, and make us his followers and all those who attest to his rightfulness.’
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am grateful to the Almighty Allah who granted me, once more, the opportunity to appear before this world assembly. I have the pleasure to express my sincere thanks to H.E. Joseph Deiss, president of the sixty-fifth session for his tremendous efforts during his tenure. I also would like to congratulate H.E Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser on his election as the president of sixty-sixth session of the United Nations and wish him all success.
Let me seize the moment to pay tribute to all those who lost their lives in the past year, particularly to the victims of tragic famine in Somalia and the devastating flood in Pakistan. I urge everyone to increase their assistance and aid to the affected populations in these countries.
Over the past years, I spoke about different global issues, and the need to introduce fundamental changes in the current international order.
- Today, considering the international developments, I will try to analyze the present situation from a different angle.
- As you all know the dominance and superiority of human beings over other creatures, lie in the very nature and the truth of humankind.
which is a divine gift and a manifestation of the divine spirit embodying:
- Faith in God, who is the ever-lasting creator and planner of the entire universe.
- Showing compassion to others, generosity, justice-seeking, and having integrity both in words and in deeds.
- The quest for dignity to reach the pinnacles of perfection, the aspiration to elevate one’s material and spiritual status, and the longing to realize liberty;
- Defying oppression, corruption, and discrimination in contrast to supporting the oppressed.
- Seeking happiness, and lasting prosperity and security for all.
- These are some of the manifestations of common divine and human attributes which can clearly be seen in the historical aspirations of human beings as reflected in the heritage of our search for art and literary works both in prose and poetry, and in the socio-cultural and political movements of human beings in the course of history.
- All divine prophets and social reformers invited human beings to tread on this righteous path.
- God has given dignity to humankind to elevate his status to assume his successor role on Earth.
Dear Colleagues and friends:
- It is vividly clear that despite all historical achievements, including creation of the United-Nations, that was a product of untiring struggles and efforts of free-minded and justice-seeking individuals as well as the international cooperation, human societies are yet far from fulfilling their noble desires and aspirations.
- Most nations of the world are unhappy with the current international circumstances.
- And despite the general longing and aspiration to promote peace, progress, and fraternity, wars, mass-murder, widespread poverty, and socioeconomic and political crises continue to infringe upon the rights and sovereignty of nations, leaving behind irreparable damage worldwide;
- Approximately, three billion people of the world live on less than 2.5 dollars a day, and over a billion people even live without having even one sufficient meal on a daily basis;
- Forty-percent of the poorest world populations only share five percent of the global income, while twenty percent of the richest people share seventy-five percent of the total global income.
- More than twenty thousand innocent and destitute children die every day in the world because of poverty.
- Eighty percent of financial resources in the United States are controlled by ten percent of its population, while only twenty percent of these resources belong to the ninety percent of the population.
- What are the causes and reasons behind these inequalities? How can bone remedy such injustice?
- Those who dominate and run centers of global economic power put the blame on people’s aspiration for religion and the pursuit of the path of divine prophets or the weakness of nations and the ill-performance of a number of groups or individuals. They claim that only their views, approaches or prescriptions can save the humanity and the world economy.
Dear Colleagues and friends
- Don’t you think that the root cause of the problems must be sought in the prevailing international order, or the way the world is governed?
I would like to draw your kind attention to the following questions:
- Who abducted forcefully tens of millions of people from their homes in Africa and other regions of the world during the dark period of slavery, making them a victim of their materialistic greed?
- Who imposed colonialism for over four centuries upon this world? Who occupied lands and massively plundered resources of other nations, destroyed talents, and alienated languages, cultures and identities of nations?
- Who triggered the first and second world wars, that left seventy millions killed and hundreds of millions injured or homeless. Who created the wars in Korean peninsula and in Vietnam?
- Who imposed, through deceits and hypocrisy, the Zionists and over sixty years of war, homelessness, terror and mass murder on the Palestinian people and on countries of the region?
- Who imposed and supported for decades military dictatorship and totalitarian regimes on Asian, African, and Latin American nations.
- Who used atomic bomb against defenseless people, and stockpiled thousands of warheads in their arsenals?
- Whose economies rely on waging wars and selling arms?
- Who provoked and encouraged Saddam Hussein to invade and impose an eight-year war on Iran, and who assisted and equipped him to deploy chemical weapons against our cities and our people.
- Who used the mysterious September 11 incident as a pretext to attack Afghanistan and Iraq - killing, injuring, and displacing millions in two countries- with the ultimate goal of bringing into its domination the Middle-East and its oil resources?
- Who abolished the Breton Woods system and printed trillions of dollars without the backing of gold reserves or equivalent currency? A move that triggered inflation worldwide and was intended to prey on the economic gains of other nations.
- What country’s military spending exceeds annually a thousand billion dollars, more than the military budgets of all countries of the world combined?
- Which governments are the most indebted ones in the world?
- Who dominates the policy-making establishments of the world economy?
- Who are responsible for the world economic recession, and are imposing its consequences on America, Europe and the world in general?
- Which governments are ever ready to drop thousands of bombs on other countries, but ponder and hesitate to send a bit of food aid to famine-stricken people in Somalia or in other places?
- Who are the ones dominating the Security Council which is ostensibly responsible to safeguard the international security?
- There exist tens of other similar questions and of course, the answers are clear.
- The majority of nations and governments of the world have had no role in the creation of the current global crises, and as a matter of fact were themselves the victims of such policies.
- It is as lucid as daylight that the same slave masters and colonial powers that once instigated the two world wars have caused widespread miseries and disorder with far-reaching effects across the globe since then.
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
- Do these arrogant powers really have the competence and ability to run or govern the world, or is it acceptable that they call themselves as the sole defender of freedom, democracy, and human rights, while they militarily attack and occupy other countries?
- Can the flower of democracy blossom from NATO’s missiles, bombs or, guns?
Ladies and Gentlemen;
- If some European countries still use the Holocaust, after six decades, as the excuse to pay fine or ransom to the Zionists, should it not be an obligation upon the slave masters or colonial powers to pay reparations to the affected nations?
- If the damage and losses of the period of slavery and colonialism were indeed compensated, what would happen to the manipulators and behind-the-scene political powers in the United States and in Europe? Will there remain any gaps between the North and the South?
- If only half of military expenditures of the United States and its allies in NATO is cut to help solve the economic problems in their own countries will they be witnessing any symptom of the economic crisis?
- What would happen, if the same amount is allocated to poor nations?
- What is the justification for the presence of hundreds of US military and intelligence bases in different parts of the world, including 268 bases in Germany, 124 in Japan, 87 in South Korea, 83 in Italy, 45 in the United-Kingdom, and 21 in Portugal? Does this mean anything other than military occupation?
- Don’t the bombs deployed in the said bases undermine the security of other nations?
Ladies and Gentlemen
- The main question is the quest for the root cause of such attitudes?
- The prime reason should be sought in the beliefs and tendencies of the establishment.
- Assemblies of people in contradiction with the inner human instincts and disposition, who also have no faith in God and in the path of the divine prophets, replace their lust for power and materialistic ends with heavenly values.
- To them, only power and wealth prevail, and every attempt must bring into focus these sinister goals.
- Oppressed nations have no hope to restore or protect their legitimate rights against these powers.
- These powers seek their progress, prosperity and dignity through the poverty, humiliation and annihilation of others.
- They consider themselves superior to others enjoying special privileges or concessions. They have no respect for others and easily violate the rights of all nations and governments.
- They proclaim themselves as the indisputable custodians of all governments and nations through intimidation, recourse to threat and force, and the abuse of international mechanisms. They simply break all the internationally-recognized and regulations.
- They insist on imposing their lifestyle and beliefs on others.
- They officially support racism.
- They weaken countries through military intervention, and destroy their infrastructures, in order to plunder their resources by making them all the more dependent.
- They sow the seeds of hate and hostility among nations and people of different pursuits, in order to prevent them from fulfilling their goals of development and progress.
- All cultures, identities, lives, values and wealth of nations, women, youth, families, families as well as the wealth of nations are sacrificed by their hegemonic tendencies and the inclination to enslave and captivate others.
- Hypocrisy and deceit are allowed to secure their interests and imperialistic goals. Drug- trafficking and killing of innocent human beings are also allowed in pursuit of such diabolic goals. Despite NATO’s presence in the occupied Afghanistan, there has been a dramatic increase in the production of illicit drugs there.
- They tolerate no question or criticism, and instead of presenting a reason for their violations, they always put themselves in the position of a claimant.
- By using their imperialistic media network which is under the influence of colonialism they threaten anyone who questions the Holocaust, and September 11 with sanctions and military action.
- Last year, when the need to form a fact-finding team to undertake a thorough investigation concerning the hidden elements involved in September 11 incident was brought up- an idea which is also endorsed by all independent governments and nations as well as by the majority in the United States-, my country and myself came under pressure and threats by the government of the United States.
- Instead of assigning a fact-finding team, they killed the main perpetrator and threw his body into the sea.
- Would it not have been reasonable to bring to justice and try openly the main perpetrator of the incident in order to identify the elements behind the safe space provided for the invading aircraft to attack the twin world trade towers?
- Why should it not have been allowed to bring him into trial to help recognize those who launched terrorist groups and brought wars and other miseries into the region?
- Is there any classified information that must be kept secret?
- They view Zionism as a sacred notion or ideology and any question concerning its very foundation and history is condemned by them as an unforgivable sin. However they endorse and allow sacrileges and insult against beliefs of other divine religions.
Dear Colleagues and Friends.
- Real freedom, justice, dignity, well being, and lasting security are the rights of all nations.
- These values can neither be achieved by reliance on the current inefficient system of world governance, nor through the intervention of the world arrogant powers and the gun barrels of NATO forces.
- These values could only be realized under independence and recognition of others’ right and through harmony and cooperation.
- Is there any way to address the problems and challenges besetting the world by using the prevailing international mechanisms or tools to help humanity achieve the long-standing aspiration of peace, security and equality?
- All those who tried to introduce reforms whilst preserving the existing norms and tendencies have failed. The valuable efforts made by the Non-Aligned movement and Group 77 and 15 as well as by some prominent individuals have failed to bring fundamental changes.
- Governance and management of the world entail fundamental reforms.
- What has to be done now?
Dear Colleagues and Friends
- Efforts must be made with a firm resolve and through collective cooperation to map out a new plan, on the basis of principles and the very foundation of human universal values such as Monotheism, justice, freedom, love and the quest for happiness.
- The idea of creation of the United Nations remains a great and historical achievement of mankind. Its importance must be appreciated and its capacities must be used to the extent possible for our noble goals.
- We should not allow the organization which is the reflection of the collective will and shared aspiration of the community of nations, to deviate from its main course and play into the hands of the world powers.
- Conducive ground must be prepared to ensure collective participation and involvement of nations in an effort to promote lasting peace and security.
- Shared and collective management of the world must be achieved in its true sense, and based on the underlying principles enshrined in the international law; and justice must serve as the criterion and the basis for all international decisions or actions.
- All of us should acknowledge the fact that there is no other way than the shared and collective management of the world in order to put an end to the present disorders, tyranny, and discriminations worldwide.
- This is indeed the sole way to prosperity and welfare of human society which is an established and vivid truth.
- While acknowledging the above truth, one should note that it is not enough and that we must have further faith in that and spare no effort toward its realization.
Dear Colleagues and Friends
- Shared and collective management of the world is the legitimate right of all nations, and we as their representatives, have an obligation to defend their rights. Although some powers continuously try to frustrate all international efforts, aimed at promoting collective cooperation, we must, however, strengthen our belief in achieving the perceived goal of establishing a shared and collective cooperation to run the world.
- The United Nations was created to make possible effective participation of all nations in international decision-making processes.
- We all know that this goal has not yet been fulfilled because of the absence of justice in the current management structures and mechanisms of the UN.
- The composition of the Security Council is unjust and inequitable. Therefore, changes and restructuring of the United Nations are considered as the basic demands of the nations that must be addressed by the General Assembly.
- During last year session, I emphasized the importance of this issue and called for the designation of this decade as the decade of shared and collective Global Management.
- I would like now to reiterate my proposal and I am sure that through international cooperation diligent and efforts of committed world leaders or governments and through insistence on justice and the support of all other nations, we can expedite the building of a common bright future.
- This movement is certainly on the rightful path of creation with the assurance of promising future for humanity.
- A future that will be built when humanity initiates to trend the path of the divine prophets and the righteous the under the leadership of Imam al-Mahdi, the Ultimate Savior of mankind and the inheritor to all divine messengers, leaders and to the pure generation of our great Prophet.
- Creation of a supreme and ideal society with the arrival of a perfect human being, who is a true and sincere lover of all human beings, is the guaranteed promise of Allah.
- He will come with Jesus Christ to lead the freedom and justice lovers to eradicate tyranny and discrimination, and promote knowledge, peace, justice freedom and love across the world. He will present to every single individual all the beauties of the world and all good things which bring happiness for humankind.
- Today nations have been awakened and with the increase in public awareness, they no longer succumb to oppressions and discriminations.
- The world is now witnessing more than ever, the widespread awakening in Islamic lands, in Asia, Europe, and America. These movements are ever expanding everyday their specter and influence to pursue the realization of justice, freedom and the creation of a better tomorrow.
- Our great nation stands ready to join hands with other nations to march on this beautiful path in harmony and in line with the shared aspirations of mankind.
- Let us salute love, freedom, justice, knowledge, and the bright future that awaits humankind.
3:50
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زهرة الاستقبال The Flower Reception - for Ayatullah Khamenei - Farsi sub English sub Arabic
\\\\\\\'Send Blessings upon Muhammad, the Representative of Mahdi has come\\\\\\\' (ENG Subs)
Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei and the Flower Reception Opening Quote translation:...
\\\\\\\'Send Blessings upon Muhammad, the Representative of Mahdi has come\\\\\\\' (ENG Subs)
Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei and the Flower Reception Opening Quote translation: \\\\\\\"If we want to attain the hereafter, then (know that) our hereafter is (by being) with the Guardian of our Affairs, the Representative of the Proof (Imam Mahdi), may Allah hasten his reappearance. Even further, if we want the best of this world and its honour and dignity, then we will not attain it except by being with the Guardian of the Affairs, and if it were not for a man named Rohollah Al-Musawi Al-Khomeini, the Resistance in Lebanon would not have existed, and after him, if it were not for a man named Ali Al-Husseini Al-Khamenei, the Resistance would not have continued. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (may God protect him). القائد السيد علي الخامنئي وزهرة الاستقبال
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\\\\\\\'Send Blessings upon Muhammad, the Representative of Mahdi has come\\\\\\\' (ENG Subs)
Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei and the Flower Reception Opening Quote translation: \\\\\\\"If we want to attain the hereafter, then (know that) our hereafter is (by being) with the Guardian of our Affairs, the Representative of the Proof (Imam Mahdi), may Allah hasten his reappearance. Even further, if we want the best of this world and its honour and dignity, then we will not attain it except by being with the Guardian of the Affairs, and if it were not for a man named Rohollah Al-Musawi Al-Khomeini, the Resistance in Lebanon would not have existed, and after him, if it were not for a man named Ali Al-Husseini Al-Khamenei, the Resistance would not have continued. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (may God protect him). القائد السيد علي الخامنئي وزهرة الاستقبال
Molana Aqeel ul Gharavi on Islam and Terrorism - Urdu
On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people:...
On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land. (The Holy Quran 5:32)
Murder of an individual has been compared to "killing all humanity", in order to lay emphasis on the establishment of peace and harmony on the earth.
Keeping this verse and the preceding verse in view the conduct of the so-called followers of the Holy Prophet has to be condemned and cursed, who, immediately after his departure from this world, raided the house of Ali and Fatimah's and set it on fire; and afterwards killed Imam Hasan, and murdered Imam Husayn together with other members of the holy house and their friends and followers, and put to death all the holy Imams in the progeny of the Holy Prophet till the last Imam Muhammad al Mahdi had to go from among them by the command of Allah. Besides this the followers of the holy Imams had been persecuted and murdered by the khalifatul muslimin and their agents in every age, and still the persecution and killing continue.
In the time of the first caliph, Khalid bin Walid killed Malik ibn Nuwayra, raped his wife, and murdered all the men, women and children of his tribe in one single night and burned their bodies to cook food for his army. To ridicule the divine declaration in these verses all these atrocities were described as the result of khata al ijtihadi (error of judgement) so as to set the pattern which despot after despot followed to annihilate the descendants of the Holy Prophet and their followers.
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On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land. (The Holy Quran 5:32)
Murder of an individual has been compared to "killing all humanity", in order to lay emphasis on the establishment of peace and harmony on the earth.
Keeping this verse and the preceding verse in view the conduct of the so-called followers of the Holy Prophet has to be condemned and cursed, who, immediately after his departure from this world, raided the house of Ali and Fatimah's and set it on fire; and afterwards killed Imam Hasan, and murdered Imam Husayn together with other members of the holy house and their friends and followers, and put to death all the holy Imams in the progeny of the Holy Prophet till the last Imam Muhammad al Mahdi had to go from among them by the command of Allah. Besides this the followers of the holy Imams had been persecuted and murdered by the khalifatul muslimin and their agents in every age, and still the persecution and killing continue.
In the time of the first caliph, Khalid bin Walid killed Malik ibn Nuwayra, raped his wife, and murdered all the men, women and children of his tribe in one single night and burned their bodies to cook food for his army. To ridicule the divine declaration in these verses all these atrocities were described as the result of khata al ijtihadi (error of judgement) so as to set the pattern which despot after despot followed to annihilate the descendants of the Holy Prophet and their followers.
Improving One-s Salaat and Dua - English Presentation
Most of us do realize that our performances of ‘salaat’ (prayers) and dua (supplications) are not of quality they should be. However, we do not make attempts to correct the...
Most of us do realize that our performances of ‘salaat’ (prayers) and dua (supplications) are not of quality they should be. However, we do not make attempts to correct the situation. Though Shaitan does play an important role in diverting us from making serious attempts in this regard, we can hardly escape the responsibility of taking concrete steps to correct ourselves.
One of the strangest issues that confounds us and is somewhat unique to our community is the fact the most us ‘recite’ our prayers and supplications rather than ‘pray’ or ‘supplicate’. There is probably no other community in the world, most of whose adherents do not understand what they say in their prayers, supplications or even while reading their holy book. But many in our community reach their ripe old ages diligently reciting their salaat, dua and the Holy Qu’ran without ever understanding a word of it! While there is no denying that there are sawaab (rewards) for mere recitation of these, it is astonishing that it never occurs to us that we should make some attempt to understand what we recite.
If we do make an attempt to understand what we recite surely the spiritual experience of prayer and supplication will be far more refreshing and uplifting.
Here are some tips to improve the quality of one’s salaat (prayers) and dua (supplications) to bring about greater spiritual upliftment and increased rewards in this world and the Hereafter.
1.First and foremost know and realize that you are able to recite salaat and dua due to the supreme sacrifices of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and the Holy Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) who, to bring to us these Divine Blessings, have faced enormous trials and tribulations and with the exception of the Imam of Our Time (a.t.f.s.) were eventually martyred. Most notably, do remember the supreme sacrifice of the Greatest Martyr of Mankind, Imam Husain (a.s.) and his companions who faced the toughest trials, captivity and martyrdom, without which let alone this blessing of salaat, Islam itself would not have reached us.
2.Keep yourself free of mental and physical fatigue whilst praying. Keep your mind free of worldly worries, evil thoughts, and ideas.
3.Plan what verses/duas you are going to recite.
4.If you do not understand Arabic, learn the meaning of what you recite in your Prayer. Better still, start learning Arabic- it is the language the Almighty Allah (swt) has addressed us in through the Holy Qu’ran. The least we can do is try to understand what the Almighty Allah (swt) is telling us.
5.Remind yourself that engaging in prayers offers you an opportunity to release from the tension of the world. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has said that ‘in prayer was placed the comfort of his eyes’. Therefore cherish the opportunity to remove the burdens of the world from your shoulders.
6.Use your prayer to remain focused on your mission in life, which is to bring your entire being to serve only Allah (swt)
7.Use your prayer as a source of strength, inspiration and enthusiasm of your life and activities.
8.Fulfill all your personal needs before you commence your prayer, for e.g., thirst, hunger and calls of nature.
9.Do not procrastinate and do not let the time of salaat lapse without your having performed the obligatory salaat. Know that we pray because Allah (swt) is worthy of and deserves your worship and this is besides the fact that we can earn sawaab (reward) by praying and save ourselves from the azaab (punishment) of avoiding prayers.
10.Pray in pure physical state. Perform wudhu with attention, care and perfection. Although the whole earth is a Masjid or a place of worship, choose a place that is clean.
11.Pray in an environment free of noise and one where there is no distraction.If that is not possible try not allow your attention to be diverted from your prayers.
12.Adorn yourself with clean and respectable clothes.
13.Assess your mental readiness for prayers before its commencement, during the various postures, after each rakaat and ultimately at the end.
14.Pray with humility both in your mental state and in your physical manner. Realize that you are before the All-Powerful and humble your entire being before Him.
15.Pray with hope and awe.
16.Remind yourself continually that you are talking to the most important ‘One’ in your life- your Creator and Sustainer. He is Omnipresent. You are before Him, facing Him and you are involved in a dialogue with Him.
17.Commence your prayer by seeking Allah’s help and protection from the influence of the cursed Shaitan.
18.Lower your gaze while praying and do not allow the physical environment to distract you.
19.On each occasion that you recite the sifat (attributes) of Allah (swt) in ruku and sajdah (prostration), consider how indebted you are and how grateful you should be to Allah (swt) and express your true emotions.
20.Utilize the occasion of sajdah to make additional dua to Allah (swt). The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: “A servant is nearest to his Lord when he is in sajdah, so increase your supplication when in sajdah”. There are many duas recommended by the Holy Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) for this purpose.
21.Pray as it is your last prayer. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said: “When you stand up to pray, perform your prayer as if it were your last prayer”.
22.After each salaat do ask Allah (swt) for fulfillment of your legitimate desires and wishes. Such a salaat earns the pleasure of Allah (swt). And of course, do not harbor desires and wishes that are not legitimate.
23.It is only an expression of gratitude that you send salutations to Imam Husain (a.s.), the other Martyrs of Karbala and those who suffered the following trials of captivity. Therefore, include and appropriate Ziayarat with your salaat and duas.
More...
Description:
Most of us do realize that our performances of ‘salaat’ (prayers) and dua (supplications) are not of quality they should be. However, we do not make attempts to correct the situation. Though Shaitan does play an important role in diverting us from making serious attempts in this regard, we can hardly escape the responsibility of taking concrete steps to correct ourselves.
One of the strangest issues that confounds us and is somewhat unique to our community is the fact the most us ‘recite’ our prayers and supplications rather than ‘pray’ or ‘supplicate’. There is probably no other community in the world, most of whose adherents do not understand what they say in their prayers, supplications or even while reading their holy book. But many in our community reach their ripe old ages diligently reciting their salaat, dua and the Holy Qu’ran without ever understanding a word of it! While there is no denying that there are sawaab (rewards) for mere recitation of these, it is astonishing that it never occurs to us that we should make some attempt to understand what we recite.
If we do make an attempt to understand what we recite surely the spiritual experience of prayer and supplication will be far more refreshing and uplifting.
Here are some tips to improve the quality of one’s salaat (prayers) and dua (supplications) to bring about greater spiritual upliftment and increased rewards in this world and the Hereafter.
1.First and foremost know and realize that you are able to recite salaat and dua due to the supreme sacrifices of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and the Holy Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) who, to bring to us these Divine Blessings, have faced enormous trials and tribulations and with the exception of the Imam of Our Time (a.t.f.s.) were eventually martyred. Most notably, do remember the supreme sacrifice of the Greatest Martyr of Mankind, Imam Husain (a.s.) and his companions who faced the toughest trials, captivity and martyrdom, without which let alone this blessing of salaat, Islam itself would not have reached us.
2.Keep yourself free of mental and physical fatigue whilst praying. Keep your mind free of worldly worries, evil thoughts, and ideas.
3.Plan what verses/duas you are going to recite.
4.If you do not understand Arabic, learn the meaning of what you recite in your Prayer. Better still, start learning Arabic- it is the language the Almighty Allah (swt) has addressed us in through the Holy Qu’ran. The least we can do is try to understand what the Almighty Allah (swt) is telling us.
5.Remind yourself that engaging in prayers offers you an opportunity to release from the tension of the world. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has said that ‘in prayer was placed the comfort of his eyes’. Therefore cherish the opportunity to remove the burdens of the world from your shoulders.
6.Use your prayer to remain focused on your mission in life, which is to bring your entire being to serve only Allah (swt)
7.Use your prayer as a source of strength, inspiration and enthusiasm of your life and activities.
8.Fulfill all your personal needs before you commence your prayer, for e.g., thirst, hunger and calls of nature.
9.Do not procrastinate and do not let the time of salaat lapse without your having performed the obligatory salaat. Know that we pray because Allah (swt) is worthy of and deserves your worship and this is besides the fact that we can earn sawaab (reward) by praying and save ourselves from the azaab (punishment) of avoiding prayers.
10.Pray in pure physical state. Perform wudhu with attention, care and perfection. Although the whole earth is a Masjid or a place of worship, choose a place that is clean.
11.Pray in an environment free of noise and one where there is no distraction.If that is not possible try not allow your attention to be diverted from your prayers.
12.Adorn yourself with clean and respectable clothes.
13.Assess your mental readiness for prayers before its commencement, during the various postures, after each rakaat and ultimately at the end.
14.Pray with humility both in your mental state and in your physical manner. Realize that you are before the All-Powerful and humble your entire being before Him.
15.Pray with hope and awe.
16.Remind yourself continually that you are talking to the most important ‘One’ in your life- your Creator and Sustainer. He is Omnipresent. You are before Him, facing Him and you are involved in a dialogue with Him.
17.Commence your prayer by seeking Allah’s help and protection from the influence of the cursed Shaitan.
18.Lower your gaze while praying and do not allow the physical environment to distract you.
19.On each occasion that you recite the sifat (attributes) of Allah (swt) in ruku and sajdah (prostration), consider how indebted you are and how grateful you should be to Allah (swt) and express your true emotions.
20.Utilize the occasion of sajdah to make additional dua to Allah (swt). The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: “A servant is nearest to his Lord when he is in sajdah, so increase your supplication when in sajdah”. There are many duas recommended by the Holy Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) for this purpose.
21.Pray as it is your last prayer. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said: “When you stand up to pray, perform your prayer as if it were your last prayer”.
22.After each salaat do ask Allah (swt) for fulfillment of your legitimate desires and wishes. Such a salaat earns the pleasure of Allah (swt). And of course, do not harbor desires and wishes that are not legitimate.
23.It is only an expression of gratitude that you send salutations to Imam Husain (a.s.), the other Martyrs of Karbala and those who suffered the following trials of captivity. Therefore, include and appropriate Ziayarat with your salaat and duas.
Why I became Shia Muslim convert to Shia-Muhammad al-Tijani al-Samawi X Sunni Alim Persian Sub English
The Term \"Shia\" in Quran and Hadith
The word \"Shia\" means \"followers; members of party\". As such, the term \"Shia\" alone has no negative or positive...
The Term \"Shia\" in Quran and Hadith
The word \"Shia\" means \"followers; members of party\". As such, the term \"Shia\" alone has no negative or positive meaning unless we specify the leader of the party. If one is a Shia (follower) of the most righteous servants, then there is nothing wrong with being Shia, specially if the leader of such party has been assigned by Allah. On the other hand, if one becomes the Shia a tyrant or a wrong-doer, he shall meet with the fate of his leader. In fact, Quran indicates that on the day of Judgment people will come in groups, and each group has its leader in front of it. Allah, to whom belong Might and Majesty, said:
One day We shall call every group of people by their respective Imams. (Quran 17:71)
In the day of judgment, the destiny of the \"followers\" of each group highly depends on the destiny of his Imam (provided that they really followed that Imam). Allah mentioned in Quran that there are two types of Imams. Some Imams are those who invite people to Hell fire. They are tyrannical leaders of each era (like Pharaoh, etc.):
And We made them (but) Imams inviting to the Fire; and on the Day of Judgment no help shall they find. In this world We continued to curse them; and on the Day of Judgment they will be among the hateful. (Quran 28:41-42).
Certainly, being the members of the parties of such Satanic Imams has been severely denounced in Quran, and the followers of such parties will meet the fate of their leaders. However, Quran also reminds that there are Imams who are appointed by Allah as Guides for the mankind:
\"And We ASSIGNED from among them some Imams who GUIDE by Our authority since they were patient and believed firmly in Our Signs.\" (Quran 32:24)
Certainly, the true followers (Shia) of these Imams will be the real prosperous on the day of resurrection. Thus being a Shia does not mean anything, unless we know the Shia of whom. Allah mentioned in Quran that Some of His righteous servants were Shia of His other righteous servants. An example was Prophet Abraham who was mentioned in Quran specifically as the Shia of Noah:
\"And most surely Abraham was among the Shia of him (i.e., Noah)\" (Quran 37:83)
\"And he (Moses) went into the city at a time when people (of the city) were not watching, so he found therein two men fighting, one being of his Shia and the other being his enemy, and the one who was of his Shia cried out to him for help against the one who was of his enemy\" (Quran 28:15)
In the above verse of Quran, one is named the Shia of Moses (AS) and the other one is named the enemy of Moses, and the people at that time were either the Shia or the enemy of Moses (AS). Thus Shia is an official word used by Allah in His Quran for His high rank prophets as well as their followers. Do you want to say Prophet Abraham was sectarian? How about Prophet Noah and Prophet Moses?
If somebody calls himself a Shia, it is not due to any sectarianism, nor any innovation. It is because Quran has used the phrase for some of His best servants. The above verses that I mentioned in support of Shia, has used this term singular form (i.e., one group of followers). This means that it has special meaning, such as: THE Shia of Noah (AS), THE Shia of Moses (AS). Also in the History of Islam, Shia has been specially used for the \"followers of Ali\". The first individual who used this term was the Messenger of Allah himself:
The Messenger of Allah said to Ali: \"Glad tiding O Ali! Verily you and your companions and your Shia (followers) will be in Paradise.\"
Sunni references:
1.Fadha\'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p655
2.Hilyatul Awliyaa, by Abu Nu\'aym, v4, p329
3.Tarikh, by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi, v12, p289
4.al-Awsat, by al-Tabarani
5.Majma\' al-Zawa\'id, by al-Haythami, v10, pp 21-22
6.al-Darqunti, who said this tradition has been transmitted via numerous authorities.
7.al-Sawa\'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami , Ch. 11, section 1, p247
Thus the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) used to say the phrase of \"Shia of Ali\". This phrase is not something invented later! Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF) said that the TRUE followers of imam Ali will go to Paradise, and this is a great felicity. Also Jabir Ibn Abdillah al-Ansari narrated that:
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: \"The Shia of Ali are the real victorious in the day of resurrection/rising\"
Sunni references:
al-Manaqib Ahmad, as mentioned in:
1.Yanabi al-Mawaddah, by al-Qundoozi al-Hanafi, p62
2.Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthoor, by al-Hafidh Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, who quotes the tradition as follows: \"We were with the Holy Prophet when Ali came towards us. The Holy Prophet said: He and his Shia will aquire salvation on the day of judgment.
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Description:
The Term \"Shia\" in Quran and Hadith
The word \"Shia\" means \"followers; members of party\". As such, the term \"Shia\" alone has no negative or positive meaning unless we specify the leader of the party. If one is a Shia (follower) of the most righteous servants, then there is nothing wrong with being Shia, specially if the leader of such party has been assigned by Allah. On the other hand, if one becomes the Shia a tyrant or a wrong-doer, he shall meet with the fate of his leader. In fact, Quran indicates that on the day of Judgment people will come in groups, and each group has its leader in front of it. Allah, to whom belong Might and Majesty, said:
One day We shall call every group of people by their respective Imams. (Quran 17:71)
In the day of judgment, the destiny of the \"followers\" of each group highly depends on the destiny of his Imam (provided that they really followed that Imam). Allah mentioned in Quran that there are two types of Imams. Some Imams are those who invite people to Hell fire. They are tyrannical leaders of each era (like Pharaoh, etc.):
And We made them (but) Imams inviting to the Fire; and on the Day of Judgment no help shall they find. In this world We continued to curse them; and on the Day of Judgment they will be among the hateful. (Quran 28:41-42).
Certainly, being the members of the parties of such Satanic Imams has been severely denounced in Quran, and the followers of such parties will meet the fate of their leaders. However, Quran also reminds that there are Imams who are appointed by Allah as Guides for the mankind:
\"And We ASSIGNED from among them some Imams who GUIDE by Our authority since they were patient and believed firmly in Our Signs.\" (Quran 32:24)
Certainly, the true followers (Shia) of these Imams will be the real prosperous on the day of resurrection. Thus being a Shia does not mean anything, unless we know the Shia of whom. Allah mentioned in Quran that Some of His righteous servants were Shia of His other righteous servants. An example was Prophet Abraham who was mentioned in Quran specifically as the Shia of Noah:
\"And most surely Abraham was among the Shia of him (i.e., Noah)\" (Quran 37:83)
\"And he (Moses) went into the city at a time when people (of the city) were not watching, so he found therein two men fighting, one being of his Shia and the other being his enemy, and the one who was of his Shia cried out to him for help against the one who was of his enemy\" (Quran 28:15)
In the above verse of Quran, one is named the Shia of Moses (AS) and the other one is named the enemy of Moses, and the people at that time were either the Shia or the enemy of Moses (AS). Thus Shia is an official word used by Allah in His Quran for His high rank prophets as well as their followers. Do you want to say Prophet Abraham was sectarian? How about Prophet Noah and Prophet Moses?
If somebody calls himself a Shia, it is not due to any sectarianism, nor any innovation. It is because Quran has used the phrase for some of His best servants. The above verses that I mentioned in support of Shia, has used this term singular form (i.e., one group of followers). This means that it has special meaning, such as: THE Shia of Noah (AS), THE Shia of Moses (AS). Also in the History of Islam, Shia has been specially used for the \"followers of Ali\". The first individual who used this term was the Messenger of Allah himself:
The Messenger of Allah said to Ali: \"Glad tiding O Ali! Verily you and your companions and your Shia (followers) will be in Paradise.\"
Sunni references:
1.Fadha\'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p655
2.Hilyatul Awliyaa, by Abu Nu\'aym, v4, p329
3.Tarikh, by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi, v12, p289
4.al-Awsat, by al-Tabarani
5.Majma\' al-Zawa\'id, by al-Haythami, v10, pp 21-22
6.al-Darqunti, who said this tradition has been transmitted via numerous authorities.
7.al-Sawa\'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami , Ch. 11, section 1, p247
Thus the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) used to say the phrase of \"Shia of Ali\". This phrase is not something invented later! Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF) said that the TRUE followers of imam Ali will go to Paradise, and this is a great felicity. Also Jabir Ibn Abdillah al-Ansari narrated that:
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: \"The Shia of Ali are the real victorious in the day of resurrection/rising\"
Sunni references:
al-Manaqib Ahmad, as mentioned in:
1.Yanabi al-Mawaddah, by al-Qundoozi al-Hanafi, p62
2.Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthoor, by al-Hafidh Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, who quotes the tradition as follows: \"We were with the Holy Prophet when Ali came towards us. The Holy Prophet said: He and his Shia will aquire salvation on the day of judgment.
Why do we always PROTEST??? (Read Description) - All Languages
---------- The question is WHY DO WE PROTEST? ----------
* We PROTEST to announce disassociation from the ZALIMEEN
* We PROTEST to condemn oppression and give others the courage to condemn...
---------- The question is WHY DO WE PROTEST? ----------
* We PROTEST to announce disassociation from the ZALIMEEN
* We PROTEST to condemn oppression and give others the courage to condemn oppression
* We PROTEST to give courage to the oppressed that we are with them
* We PROTEST because if we do not, we will be considered amongst the Zalimeen (reference: Ziyarat e Ashura)
* We PROTEST to spread awareness in masses
* We PROTEST to put pressure on the Zalimeen and their supporters (it does make a difference)
* We PROTEST because it shows our strength
* We PROTEST because it unites us
* We PROTEST because it allows us to spread our ideology and our stances
* We PROTEST because it highlights an issue and brings others\' attention to it.
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE STATE OF PROTEST SINCE AFTER KARBALA. THIS IS HOW KARBALA HAS STAYED FRESH IN PEOPLE\'S MINDS AND SOULS.
---------- The REAL QUESTION is; IS PROTEST ENOUGH??? ----------
* The answer is NOOOOOOO.
* This is the bare minimum one can do. This is the first baby step.
* One must strive to fight against oppression in all forms.
* Evaluate your skills, energies, strengths, opportunities and see what you can do in addition.
* Discuss it with some brave, wise, ba-baseerat, senior brothers and ulama and see if it is in line with the teachings of Quran and Ahlulbayt (a.s).
* If it is, check to see if it applies in this time and age by looking at the direction that is being given by the Leader of the Muslim Ummah, Vali Amr Muslimeen.
Once it makes sense, thank Allah (s.w.t) and step forward to carry out your responsibilities. May Imam Al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s) guide us and show us the path.
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Description:
---------- The question is WHY DO WE PROTEST? ----------
* We PROTEST to announce disassociation from the ZALIMEEN
* We PROTEST to condemn oppression and give others the courage to condemn oppression
* We PROTEST to give courage to the oppressed that we are with them
* We PROTEST because if we do not, we will be considered amongst the Zalimeen (reference: Ziyarat e Ashura)
* We PROTEST to spread awareness in masses
* We PROTEST to put pressure on the Zalimeen and their supporters (it does make a difference)
* We PROTEST because it shows our strength
* We PROTEST because it unites us
* We PROTEST because it allows us to spread our ideology and our stances
* We PROTEST because it highlights an issue and brings others\' attention to it.
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE STATE OF PROTEST SINCE AFTER KARBALA. THIS IS HOW KARBALA HAS STAYED FRESH IN PEOPLE\'S MINDS AND SOULS.
---------- The REAL QUESTION is; IS PROTEST ENOUGH??? ----------
* The answer is NOOOOOOO.
* This is the bare minimum one can do. This is the first baby step.
* One must strive to fight against oppression in all forms.
* Evaluate your skills, energies, strengths, opportunities and see what you can do in addition.
* Discuss it with some brave, wise, ba-baseerat, senior brothers and ulama and see if it is in line with the teachings of Quran and Ahlulbayt (a.s).
* If it is, check to see if it applies in this time and age by looking at the direction that is being given by the Leader of the Muslim Ummah, Vali Amr Muslimeen.
Once it makes sense, thank Allah (s.w.t) and step forward to carry out your responsibilities. May Imam Al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s) guide us and show us the path.
54:32
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Ahmadinejad speech in the meeting of Supreme Leader with Government Officials - 24July12 - Farsi
حضرت آیتالله خامنهای رهبر معظم انقلاب اسلامی عصر روز 3 مرداد 1391 در ديدار مسئولان و كارگزاران نظام،...
حضرت آیتالله خامنهای رهبر معظم انقلاب اسلامی عصر روز 3 مرداد 1391 در ديدار مسئولان و كارگزاران نظام، آرمانگرايی همراه با واقعبينی را رمز حركت پيشرو ملت و نظام اسلامی در 32 سال اخير برشمردند و با تأكيد بر توانايیها و ظرفيتهای تعيينكنندهی ملت و نظام اسلامی، به تشريح ضرورتها و بايدها و نبايدهای مقابله با چالشهای پيچيدهی دشمنان پرداختند.
در ابتدای این دیدار، رئیسجمهور بر تعهد دولت به ارزشها، اصول و حقوق اساسی ملت نظیر توحید، عدالت، آزادی، كرامت مردم، پاكدستی، خدمتگزاری و پیشرفت كشور تأكید و گزارشی از عملكرد هفتسالهی دولت را در عرصههای مختلف بیان كرد.
آقای احمدینژاد با اشاره به قرار گرفتن ماهوارهی ایرانی در مدار و پیوستن كشورمان به باشگاه فضایی، تولید و تأمین سوخت رآكتورهای داخلی، فعالیت 11هزار دستگاه سانتریفیوژ در مجتمعهای غنیسازی و ساخت 20 رادیودارو، از سرعت چندبرابری رشد علمی كشورمان در مقایسه با رشد علمی جهان خبر داد و افزود: تقویت روحیهی امید و خودباوری بهویژه در میان جوانان، در صدر جهتگیریهای دولت است.
رئیسجمهور با بیان برخی آمارها و ارقام در طول هفت سال اخیر و مقایسه با گذشته، به هشتبرابر شدن تولیدات علمی بخش پزشكی، افزایش چهاربرابری سهم كشور در تولیدات علمی منطقه و رشد بیش از چهاربرابری مقالات علمیِ نمایهشده در مجلات معتبر بینالمللی در حوزهی وزارت علوم اشاره كرد و افزود: سهم ایران در تولید علم جهان از یكدهم درصد در سال 1357 به سهدهم درصد در سال 1384 و 1.2 درصد در سال 1390 رسیده است كه 12برابر افزایش را در طول هفت سال گذشته نشان میدهد.
آقای احمدینژاد در بخش دیگری از سخنان خود به پیشرفتهای كشور در حوزهی صنعت اشاره كرد و با یادآوری افزایش ظرفیت تولید در بخشهای مختلف گفت: ایران در بخش تولید خودرو در رتبهی سیزدهم، در تولید فولاد در رتبهی هفدهم و در تولید مس در رتبهی دهم جهان قرار دارد.
رئیسجمهور با بیان این كه سرمایهگذاری در بخش نفت و گاز از 21 هزار میلیارد تومان در سال 1384 به 110 هزار میلیارد تومان در سال 90 رسیده است، افزود: با بهرهبرداری از تمام فازهای پارس جنوبی، مشكل برداشت از مخازن مشترك نیز رفع میشود.
رئیسجمهور افزود: علاوه بر سرمایهگذاری 335 هزار میلیارد تومانی در حوزهی راه و شهرسازی، در هفت سال اخیر، شش میلیون و 719 هزار واحد مسكونی ساخته شده است.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1654
Supreme Leader Meets Government Officials
24/07/2012
Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution met Thursday evening with government officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Speaking at the meeting, which was also attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, His Eminence referred to the challenges that the Islamic Republic has faced since the victory of the Islamic Revolution - including the assassinations, the ethnic conflicts, the imposed war, the sanctions, the events that took place in Tir 1378 and the post-election turmoil in 1388 - and stated: "The massive capacities and capabilities of the Iranian nation helped the Islamic Republic to successfully confront all these challenges and to become more powerful at every stage."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the enemies of the Islamic Revolution are trying to show that the Iranian nation has reached a dead end, further adding: "They openly say that it is necessary to force the Iranian government officials to revise their calculations by intensifying pressures and sanctions, but looking at the existing realities causes us not only to avoid revising our calculations, but it also causes us to continue the path of the Iranian nation with more confidence."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution mentioned examples of the existing realities, saying: "One of the realities that should not be ignored is the opposition of a few arrogant governments to the Islamic Republic and their increasing and complex pressures on the Islamic Republic."
His Eminence added: "Relying on their powerful propaganda machine, these few arrogant governments that enjoy political, economic and media capabilities, are pretending to be the international community."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: "Of course, these few bullying governments have their own followers, but if America stops supporting them, they are nothing and they are not even taken into consideration in global calculations."
His Eminence added: "Another reality is that the enmity of these few arrogant governments towards the Islamic Republic is rooted in the essence of the Islamic system, but they are pretending that their confrontation with the Iranian nation is because of the nuclear issue and human rights."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated: "Of course, considering the absolutely dismal track record of America, Zionism, England and the other arrogant powers in human rights, nobody believes their lies."
Ayatollah Khamenei added: "The truth is that the Islamic Revolution of the Iranian nation freed this important country from the clutches of the arrogant powers and it caused increasing motivation and awakening in the world of Islam. For this reason, by harming the Islamic Republic, they are trying to teach others a lesson so that they do not follow the Islamic Republic as their role model."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the challenges faced by the Islamic Republic are not new and added: "At a certain stage, Iranian ships used to be targeted in the Persian Gulf and our oil terminals and industrial centers were being bombarded by the enemy, but today the ill-wishers of the Islamic Republic do not have the courage to even approach Iran."
His Eminence said that the increased capabilities and confidence of the Islamic Republic in the face of the threats is another reality and stressed: "Another reality is that the opposing camp - led by America and Zionism - has grown far weaker than the past."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed: "The increased vulnerability of the Zionist regime after the events and revolutions that took place in the region, the defeats that the Zionist regime suffered during the 33-day war in Lebanon and the 22-day war in Gaza, America's destiny in Iraq, the increasing and unending problems of America in Afghanistan and America's failure in its Middle Eastern policies are clear examples of the increasing weakness of the opposing camp."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the crisis that has afflicted western enemies of the Islamic Republic is another reality. He added: "The serious threat of economic crisis in the European Union and the eurozone, instability in several European countries, the fall of several European governments, the substantial budget deficit in America and the 99 percent movement are important events that must not be ignored."
His Eminence stressed: "The economic problems of western countries are essentially different from the economic problems of our country because our problems are like the problems of a group of climbers who are continuously moving towards the peak, but the west is like a bus that is trapped under an avalanche."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the developments in the region and in North Africa are among the existing realities, adding: "The increased capabilities of the Islamic Republic are another crucial reality."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the population control policies and stressed the need for revising these policies. He reiterated: "In the early 1370s, implementing these policies was correct for specific reasons at that time, but it was a mistake to continue the same policies in the following years."
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "Scientific and expert studies show that if the population control policies are continued, we will gradually suffer from aging and population decline. Therefore, our government officials should seriously revise the population control policies. And the owner of media outlets and those who speak to the public - especially the clergy - should take action to raise public awareness in this regard."
His Eminence said that Iran's retreat and flexibility against the enemy will only make the enemy more insolent.
Ayatollah Khamenei added: "At a time when our government officials used to flatter the west and America in their statements, the person who was the personification of evil decided to label the Islamic Republic of Iran as axis of evil."
His Eminence said that Iran retreated in the nuclear issue at a certain stage, adding: "At that stage, because of the cooperation with westerners and the retreats that were made, the enemies advanced so much that I had to step in personally."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: "At that time, westerners became so insolent that even when our government officials became satisfied with only three centrifuges, the westerners expressed their opposition even to that, but today we have eleven thousand centrifuges that are active in the country."
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "If those retreats had continued, today there would be no nuclear advances and no scientific dynamism and innovation in the country."
His Eminence said that sanctions will prove ineffective in the face of intelligent resistance. He described the economic sanctions as temporary and added: "This is because continuing these sanctions for a long time is not in the interest of western countries."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the sanctions that have been imposed on the Islamic Republic will only benefit America and the Zionist regime, further stressing: "The other countries have either been forced to go along with sanctions or they are just doing it as a ceremonial gesture. And these conditions will not continue."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that 20 countries have been exempted from the oil sanctions imposed on Iran and added that certain western countries are making efforts to circumvent the sanctions. He stated that these are signs which show it is impossible to continue the current conditions. "All these realities show that it is necessary to continue the path of resistance by relying on God, taking more risks and having judgment and wisdom."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that economic matters are very important for the country and its progressive movement. He stressed: "The purpose of the enemy's economic pressures in the present situation is to undermine our national growth and welfare and to create problems for the people in order to make them disappointed and isolate them from the Islamic Republic."
Ayatollah Khamenei added: "Over the past few years, it has been clear that the enemy has focused its machinations on the economy of the country. For this reason, the slogans of the recent years - such as "Reforming the Norms of Consumption", "Intensified Effort and Labor", "Economic Jihad" and "National Production and Supporting Iranian Labor and Capital" - were introduced in order to create an economic system and organize our national movement in the economic arena."
His Eminence said that one way to counter the economic sanctions is to build an economy of resistance and explained: "Putting the people in charge of our economy by implementing the general policies specified in Article 44 of the Constitution, empowering the private sector, decreasing the country's dependence on oil, managing consumption, making the best of the available time, resources and facilities, moving forward on the basis of well-prepared plans and avoiding abrupt changes in the regulations and policies are among the pillars of an economy of resistance."
Regarding the need to manage consumption, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed: "Today moderation in consumption is a jihad-like movement and all governmental and non-governmental organizations and all the people should seriously avoid extravagance and try to consume domestically produced products."
At the end of his statements, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed the issue of unity and solidarity in the country. Addressing government officials, he said: "Fortunately the people of Iran are united and you should safeguard this unity by staying away from pointless disputes and announcing these disputes through the media."
His Eminence stressed: "If officials from the three branches of government level accusations against each other, it will be very harmful. And our government officials should know that such actions will not give them any prestige among the people."
Ayatollah Khamenei added: "The truth is that problems exist, but it is wrong to blame them on each other. Rather, it is necessary to solve them through unity and judgment, and this is definitely possible."
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حضرت آیتالله خامنهای رهبر معظم انقلاب اسلامی عصر روز 3 مرداد 1391 در ديدار مسئولان و كارگزاران نظام، آرمانگرايی همراه با واقعبينی را رمز حركت پيشرو ملت و نظام اسلامی در 32 سال اخير برشمردند و با تأكيد بر توانايیها و ظرفيتهای تعيينكنندهی ملت و نظام اسلامی، به تشريح ضرورتها و بايدها و نبايدهای مقابله با چالشهای پيچيدهی دشمنان پرداختند.
در ابتدای این دیدار، رئیسجمهور بر تعهد دولت به ارزشها، اصول و حقوق اساسی ملت نظیر توحید، عدالت، آزادی، كرامت مردم، پاكدستی، خدمتگزاری و پیشرفت كشور تأكید و گزارشی از عملكرد هفتسالهی دولت را در عرصههای مختلف بیان كرد.
آقای احمدینژاد با اشاره به قرار گرفتن ماهوارهی ایرانی در مدار و پیوستن كشورمان به باشگاه فضایی، تولید و تأمین سوخت رآكتورهای داخلی، فعالیت 11هزار دستگاه سانتریفیوژ در مجتمعهای غنیسازی و ساخت 20 رادیودارو، از سرعت چندبرابری رشد علمی كشورمان در مقایسه با رشد علمی جهان خبر داد و افزود: تقویت روحیهی امید و خودباوری بهویژه در میان جوانان، در صدر جهتگیریهای دولت است.
رئیسجمهور با بیان برخی آمارها و ارقام در طول هفت سال اخیر و مقایسه با گذشته، به هشتبرابر شدن تولیدات علمی بخش پزشكی، افزایش چهاربرابری سهم كشور در تولیدات علمی منطقه و رشد بیش از چهاربرابری مقالات علمیِ نمایهشده در مجلات معتبر بینالمللی در حوزهی وزارت علوم اشاره كرد و افزود: سهم ایران در تولید علم جهان از یكدهم درصد در سال 1357 به سهدهم درصد در سال 1384 و 1.2 درصد در سال 1390 رسیده است كه 12برابر افزایش را در طول هفت سال گذشته نشان میدهد.
آقای احمدینژاد در بخش دیگری از سخنان خود به پیشرفتهای كشور در حوزهی صنعت اشاره كرد و با یادآوری افزایش ظرفیت تولید در بخشهای مختلف گفت: ایران در بخش تولید خودرو در رتبهی سیزدهم، در تولید فولاد در رتبهی هفدهم و در تولید مس در رتبهی دهم جهان قرار دارد.
رئیسجمهور با بیان این كه سرمایهگذاری در بخش نفت و گاز از 21 هزار میلیارد تومان در سال 1384 به 110 هزار میلیارد تومان در سال 90 رسیده است، افزود: با بهرهبرداری از تمام فازهای پارس جنوبی، مشكل برداشت از مخازن مشترك نیز رفع میشود.
رئیسجمهور افزود: علاوه بر سرمایهگذاری 335 هزار میلیارد تومانی در حوزهی راه و شهرسازی، در هفت سال اخیر، شش میلیون و 719 هزار واحد مسكونی ساخته شده است.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1654
Supreme Leader Meets Government Officials
24/07/2012
Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution met Thursday evening with government officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Speaking at the meeting, which was also attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, His Eminence referred to the challenges that the Islamic Republic has faced since the victory of the Islamic Revolution - including the assassinations, the ethnic conflicts, the imposed war, the sanctions, the events that took place in Tir 1378 and the post-election turmoil in 1388 - and stated: "The massive capacities and capabilities of the Iranian nation helped the Islamic Republic to successfully confront all these challenges and to become more powerful at every stage."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the enemies of the Islamic Revolution are trying to show that the Iranian nation has reached a dead end, further adding: "They openly say that it is necessary to force the Iranian government officials to revise their calculations by intensifying pressures and sanctions, but looking at the existing realities causes us not only to avoid revising our calculations, but it also causes us to continue the path of the Iranian nation with more confidence."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution mentioned examples of the existing realities, saying: "One of the realities that should not be ignored is the opposition of a few arrogant governments to the Islamic Republic and their increasing and complex pressures on the Islamic Republic."
His Eminence added: "Relying on their powerful propaganda machine, these few arrogant governments that enjoy political, economic and media capabilities, are pretending to be the international community."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: "Of course, these few bullying governments have their own followers, but if America stops supporting them, they are nothing and they are not even taken into consideration in global calculations."
His Eminence added: "Another reality is that the enmity of these few arrogant governments towards the Islamic Republic is rooted in the essence of the Islamic system, but they are pretending that their confrontation with the Iranian nation is because of the nuclear issue and human rights."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated: "Of course, considering the absolutely dismal track record of America, Zionism, England and the other arrogant powers in human rights, nobody believes their lies."
Ayatollah Khamenei added: "The truth is that the Islamic Revolution of the Iranian nation freed this important country from the clutches of the arrogant powers and it caused increasing motivation and awakening in the world of Islam. For this reason, by harming the Islamic Republic, they are trying to teach others a lesson so that they do not follow the Islamic Republic as their role model."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the challenges faced by the Islamic Republic are not new and added: "At a certain stage, Iranian ships used to be targeted in the Persian Gulf and our oil terminals and industrial centers were being bombarded by the enemy, but today the ill-wishers of the Islamic Republic do not have the courage to even approach Iran."
His Eminence said that the increased capabilities and confidence of the Islamic Republic in the face of the threats is another reality and stressed: "Another reality is that the opposing camp - led by America and Zionism - has grown far weaker than the past."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed: "The increased vulnerability of the Zionist regime after the events and revolutions that took place in the region, the defeats that the Zionist regime suffered during the 33-day war in Lebanon and the 22-day war in Gaza, America's destiny in Iraq, the increasing and unending problems of America in Afghanistan and America's failure in its Middle Eastern policies are clear examples of the increasing weakness of the opposing camp."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the crisis that has afflicted western enemies of the Islamic Republic is another reality. He added: "The serious threat of economic crisis in the European Union and the eurozone, instability in several European countries, the fall of several European governments, the substantial budget deficit in America and the 99 percent movement are important events that must not be ignored."
His Eminence stressed: "The economic problems of western countries are essentially different from the economic problems of our country because our problems are like the problems of a group of climbers who are continuously moving towards the peak, but the west is like a bus that is trapped under an avalanche."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the developments in the region and in North Africa are among the existing realities, adding: "The increased capabilities of the Islamic Republic are another crucial reality."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the population control policies and stressed the need for revising these policies. He reiterated: "In the early 1370s, implementing these policies was correct for specific reasons at that time, but it was a mistake to continue the same policies in the following years."
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "Scientific and expert studies show that if the population control policies are continued, we will gradually suffer from aging and population decline. Therefore, our government officials should seriously revise the population control policies. And the owner of media outlets and those who speak to the public - especially the clergy - should take action to raise public awareness in this regard."
His Eminence said that Iran's retreat and flexibility against the enemy will only make the enemy more insolent.
Ayatollah Khamenei added: "At a time when our government officials used to flatter the west and America in their statements, the person who was the personification of evil decided to label the Islamic Republic of Iran as axis of evil."
His Eminence said that Iran retreated in the nuclear issue at a certain stage, adding: "At that stage, because of the cooperation with westerners and the retreats that were made, the enemies advanced so much that I had to step in personally."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: "At that time, westerners became so insolent that even when our government officials became satisfied with only three centrifuges, the westerners expressed their opposition even to that, but today we have eleven thousand centrifuges that are active in the country."
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "If those retreats had continued, today there would be no nuclear advances and no scientific dynamism and innovation in the country."
His Eminence said that sanctions will prove ineffective in the face of intelligent resistance. He described the economic sanctions as temporary and added: "This is because continuing these sanctions for a long time is not in the interest of western countries."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the sanctions that have been imposed on the Islamic Republic will only benefit America and the Zionist regime, further stressing: "The other countries have either been forced to go along with sanctions or they are just doing it as a ceremonial gesture. And these conditions will not continue."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that 20 countries have been exempted from the oil sanctions imposed on Iran and added that certain western countries are making efforts to circumvent the sanctions. He stated that these are signs which show it is impossible to continue the current conditions. "All these realities show that it is necessary to continue the path of resistance by relying on God, taking more risks and having judgment and wisdom."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that economic matters are very important for the country and its progressive movement. He stressed: "The purpose of the enemy's economic pressures in the present situation is to undermine our national growth and welfare and to create problems for the people in order to make them disappointed and isolate them from the Islamic Republic."
Ayatollah Khamenei added: "Over the past few years, it has been clear that the enemy has focused its machinations on the economy of the country. For this reason, the slogans of the recent years - such as "Reforming the Norms of Consumption", "Intensified Effort and Labor", "Economic Jihad" and "National Production and Supporting Iranian Labor and Capital" - were introduced in order to create an economic system and organize our national movement in the economic arena."
His Eminence said that one way to counter the economic sanctions is to build an economy of resistance and explained: "Putting the people in charge of our economy by implementing the general policies specified in Article 44 of the Constitution, empowering the private sector, decreasing the country's dependence on oil, managing consumption, making the best of the available time, resources and facilities, moving forward on the basis of well-prepared plans and avoiding abrupt changes in the regulations and policies are among the pillars of an economy of resistance."
Regarding the need to manage consumption, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed: "Today moderation in consumption is a jihad-like movement and all governmental and non-governmental organizations and all the people should seriously avoid extravagance and try to consume domestically produced products."
At the end of his statements, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed the issue of unity and solidarity in the country. Addressing government officials, he said: "Fortunately the people of Iran are united and you should safeguard this unity by staying away from pointless disputes and announcing these disputes through the media."
His Eminence stressed: "If officials from the three branches of government level accusations against each other, it will be very harmful. And our government officials should know that such actions will not give them any prestige among the people."
Ayatollah Khamenei added: "The truth is that problems exist, but it is wrong to blame them on each other. Rather, it is necessary to solve them through unity and judgment, and this is definitely possible."
[ENGLISH] Leader rejects talks with the USA - Full Speech - 7 February 2013
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\'s Speech to Air Force Commanders and Personnel
07/02/2013
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on February 7, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme...
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\'s Speech to Air Force Commanders and Personnel
07/02/2013
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on February 7, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in a meeting with commanders and personnel of the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The meeting was held on the occasion of the historic pledge of allegiance of Air Force officers to Imam Khomeini (r.a.) on the 19th of Bahman of 1357.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I am very happy to meet you - once more at our annual meeting - brothers and dear youth from the glorious Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. I welcome all of you. As for the song which was performed, the lyrics were good, the melody was good, the content was good and it was performed well. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, our hearts will always be imbued with the scent of mercy and divine guidance which is the most important source of support.
If we take a look at the history of the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army over the past years, we will discover a number of important facts. There was one day when we could not and were not allowed to fix the plane parts that we had bought. Today, you build training planes, fighters and flight simulators. You carry out a lot of important radar-related work and you produce complex components. This great movement towards blossoming of talents, love, innovation, self-confidence and self-sufficiency - which has been established in the Air Force, in the entire Islamic Republic of Iran Army, in the Armed Forces and throughout the country - is such a movement that cannot be denied even by the opponents and the enemies of the Islamic Republic.
Dominant powers tried to take control of all nations and countries throughout the world by using force, money and weapons and by launching military attacks. They tried to make nations believe that they cannot find the path towards greatness, identity and independence without relying on superpowers and on those who have money and power - Zionist and non-Zionist companies have lined up behind them. You shattered their hopes.
Compare the Iranian nation, today, with nations who have been under the domination of American power. See where you are and where they are. With their movement, independence, self-confidence and reliance on God, the Iranian people proved that one can and should stand up against the domination of foreigners and those who seek domination. The Iranian nation has proved this. Thirty years ago, what was the position of the Iranian nation in science, civilization, progress, technology and political influence? What position does it enjoy today? It achieved such a position by putting up a resistance, relying on God and bringing all its capacities into the arena. This is an experience for both the Iranian nation and future generations. It is also an experience for other nations. The Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army is one of the examples of this resistance and this movement which has been based on self-confidence. We should continue this. We Iranian people should continue this path. This path is full of blessings.
For more than thirty years, the enemies of the Iranian nation have done everything in their power to harm the Iranian nation. There is not a thing which they have not used against the Iranian nation. They provoked conflicts, waged wars, supported the enemy of the Islamic Republic with all their power and they waged hard and soft wars. They fought the people of Iran as hard as they could, but our people stood up against them and they resisted. Not only could they not bring our people to their knees and destroy them, but they also failed to prevent them from making progress. Our nation has made progress. They made use of everything they could. They hatched plots, launched coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'états, provoked military conflicts, shot down passenger airliners, imposed heavy sanctions and increased them on a daily basis. They did these things in the hope that our people would lose their hope, disappear from the scene and lose their trust in Islam and the Islamic Republic. But they failed. This is the record of the Islamic Republic.
These days, referred to as ten-day Fajr celebrations, are good opportunities for our intellectuals, our youth and all the people of Iran to spend some time evaluating their actions during the past thirty-something years and see their achievements, see their successful efforts, see the divine assistance and see the weakness of the enemies\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' plots. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And they (the unbelievers) planned, and Allah planned, and Allah is the best of planners\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 3: 54]. This is the general guideline for us, to see how we should choose our future path. You the people in the Air Force should move forward according to this outlook and orientation. Different sectors of the country, all the people and the officials of the country should move forward according to this outlook.
Of course, the enemy inflicts harm, but it cannot do anything except for causing slight annoyance. I mentioned a few days ago that Allah the Exalted said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"They shall by no means harm you but with a slight evil\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 3: 111]. Their job is to harm you. But, they cannot create obstacles for you and block your path. Over the past 30 years, the Americans have been ranting and raving against the Iranian nation. They said and did whatever they could. They broadcast negative propaganda and they established an evil media empire against the Iranian nation. But the result is this: today, by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the Iranian nation has become happier, more determined and more active than ever and it is witnessing more blossoming in different areas.
They have been trying to separate the people from the Islamic Republic and the Revolution. Each year on the 22nd of Bahman, the Iranian people frustrate the enemy with their presence in the national and revolutionary rallies. They are trying to separate the people from one another. The previous inexperienced American secretary of state said openly that they are imposing sanctions in order to pit the people of Iran against the Islamic Republic. The people of Iran have always responded to such statements through their rallies and their actions. You will see that on the 22nd of Bahman, the Iranian people will, once more, frustrate their efforts with a crushing move [Audience shout \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"].
The good thing is that the people are wise and vigilant. They know the purpose of the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plot, they predict the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s moves, they understand why the enemy has adopted a certain policy and they move in the opposite direction. They rely on their own achievements and they will show their presence in this great arena of national dignity. They will show themselves and they will prove their presence. This is the good thing. In the face of the negative propaganda by the enemy - particularly, the Americans and the Zionists - the people do not take the wrong path because of their communal wisdom and they do not make the mistake which the enemy is waiting for. This is the good thing about large-scale issues of our country.
Now the Americans have raised the issue of negotiations again. They repeat that America is prepared to directly negotiate with Iran. This is not new. The Americans have repeatedly raised the issue of negotiations at every juncture. Now their newly appointed politicians repeat that we should negotiate. And they say that the ball is in Iran\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s court. The ball is in your court. It is you who should explain the meaning of negotiations that are accompanied by pressure and threats. Negotiations are for the sake of proving one\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s goodwill. You commit tens of acts which show lack of goodwill and then you speak about negotiations. Do you expect the Iranian nation to believe that you have goodwill? Of course, we understand why the Americans repeatedly raise the issue of negotiations and why they speak about it in different ways. We know what the reason is. As the Americans themselves say, their Middle East policies have failed. They need to play their trump card. Their trump card is dragging the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is based on the people, to the negotiating table. They need this. They want to say to the world that they have goodwill. No, we do not see any goodwill.
Four years ago - during the early days of the current American administration - when they were saying the same words, I announced that we will not prejudge and we will wait to see what action they will take and then we will judge. Now after four years, how should the Iranian nation judge their actions? They supported the fitna in Iran, they helped those who started the fitna, they sent their troops to Afghanistan under the claim that they were fighting terrorism, they trampled on so many people and they destroyed them. They are also supporting and cooperating with the same terrorists in Syria and they used the same terrorists wherever they could in Iran. Their agents, their allies and Zionist spies openly killed the scientists of the Islamic Republic. They did not even condemn these terrorist activities. [On the contrary] They supported them. This is their record. They imposed sanctions - which they wanted to be crippling - on the Iranian nation. They openly said, crippling. Who do you want to cripple? Did you want to cripple the Iranian nation? Do you have goodwill?
Negotiations are meaningful when the two sides negotiate with good intentions and without planning to deceive one another. Negotiations should be on equal terms. Negotiations for the sake of negotiations, tactical negotiations and offer of negotiations as a superpower gesture, are deceptive moves. They are not honest moves.
I am not a diplomat. I am a revolutionary. I speak openly and honestly. A diplomat says something, but he actually means something else. We speak openly and honestly. We speak clearly and decisively. Negotiations are meaningful when the two sides show their good intentions. [Negotiations are not meaningful] when one side does not show his good intentions. You yourselves refer to this as pressures and negotiations. These two things are not compatible. You want to point the gun at the people of Iran and say, negotiate or we will shoot. You say these things to intimidate the Iranian nation. You should know that the Iranian nation is not intimidated by these things [Audience shout \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"].
A number of people become happy about the American offer of negotiations and they say, come and negotiate with us. This is expressed by a number of people who are either simple-minded or who have some ulterior motives. One cannot make definitive judgments about people. But what a simple-minded person does is no different, in essence, from what a person who has ulterior motives does. Negotiations with America will not solve any problems. When did they keep their promises? Over the past 60 years, since the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état of the 28th of Mordad of 1332 until today, the officials of our country have been harmed whenever they trusted the Americans. One day Mosaddeq trusted the Americans, relied on them and considered them as his friends. Then the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état of the 28th of Mordad occurred and the Americans found the opportunity to launch a coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état. The agent responsible for launching the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état came to Tehran with a briefcase full of money and he divided it among thugs and vandals so that they launch the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état. The agent was American. They admitted what the purpose of their plot was. After that, they helped the oppressive Pahlavi regime achieve domination over our country. They established SAVAK and chained and tortured political activists. These are the things they did at that time.
During a certain period after the Revolution, the officials of the country trusted them. But the politicians of the American government labeled Iran as \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"axis of evil\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". It is you who are the embodiment of evil. It is you who are doing evil deeds in the world. You wage wars, loot nations and support the Zionist regime. On the issue of Islamic Awakening, you suppress the nations who have risen in revolt as much as you can and you weaken them and pit them against one another. You are evil. Evil is part of your character. They accused the Iranian nation of doing evil acts. This is a big insult. Whenever people trusted them, they made such moves. They should show their good intentions. Negotiations and offer of negotiations are not compatible with pressures. Negotiations and pressures are two different paths. It is not possible for the Iranian nation to accept negotiations under pressures and threats, with those who make threats. What should we negotiate for?
Today, the Iranian nation is vigilant. The true face of America has been revealed not only in Iran, but also in the region. Nations distrust America and there are many reasons for this distrust. The Iranian nation has also accurately read the Americans\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' moves. It understands what their purpose is. Our nation is vigilant. Today, if certain people want to help America re-establish its domination and act against our national interests, against the progress of the country and against the path of independence, they will be held responsible by the people and even if I act against this public demand, the people will complain. It is obvious. All the officials are responsible for safeguarding national interests and preserving national independence. They should preserve the dignity of the Iranian nation.
We have negotiated, signed contracts and established relations with countries which have not plotted against Iran. The Iranian nation is peace-loving. The Iranian nation is patient. The unity of the Iranian nation is in line with promoting the interests of humanity. Today, what the Iranian nation does is for the sake of its interests and the interests of the Islamic Ummah and humanity. And undoubtedly, divine assistance is behind the Iranian nation. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the people of Iran will be able to help not only themselves but also the Islamic Ummah to reach the peak of glory with their wisdom, with their firm determination and with the resistance that they have shown on this bright path, the path that they will continue following in the future as well. The way to reach this glory is to preserve this wisdom. The way to do this is to preserve our unity. The way to do this is for the officials to safeguard the interests of the country. This improper conduct which is witnessed in certain areas from certain government officials - they should end this. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, I will address this issue in the future and I will speak to the people. Our nation is unified, determined and active. Even if there are differences of opinion between the people over different issues, all the officials and all the people join hands against the enemy, global arrogance and those who have prepared themselves to destroy the roots of the people and the Islamic Republic. There is no disagreement among the people over this issue.
By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and grace, on the 22nd of Bahman the people will show, once more, that they are present on the scene, that they are prepared, that they are united, that they are moving in the same direction. And undoubtedly, divine blessings will be bestowed on them.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings.
Source: http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1741&Itemid=4
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Description:
Supreme Leader\\\\\\\'s Speech to Air Force Commanders and Personnel
07/02/2013
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on February 7, 2013 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in a meeting with commanders and personnel of the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The meeting was held on the occasion of the historic pledge of allegiance of Air Force officers to Imam Khomeini (r.a.) on the 19th of Bahman of 1357.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I am very happy to meet you - once more at our annual meeting - brothers and dear youth from the glorious Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. I welcome all of you. As for the song which was performed, the lyrics were good, the melody was good, the content was good and it was performed well. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, our hearts will always be imbued with the scent of mercy and divine guidance which is the most important source of support.
If we take a look at the history of the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army over the past years, we will discover a number of important facts. There was one day when we could not and were not allowed to fix the plane parts that we had bought. Today, you build training planes, fighters and flight simulators. You carry out a lot of important radar-related work and you produce complex components. This great movement towards blossoming of talents, love, innovation, self-confidence and self-sufficiency - which has been established in the Air Force, in the entire Islamic Republic of Iran Army, in the Armed Forces and throughout the country - is such a movement that cannot be denied even by the opponents and the enemies of the Islamic Republic.
Dominant powers tried to take control of all nations and countries throughout the world by using force, money and weapons and by launching military attacks. They tried to make nations believe that they cannot find the path towards greatness, identity and independence without relying on superpowers and on those who have money and power - Zionist and non-Zionist companies have lined up behind them. You shattered their hopes.
Compare the Iranian nation, today, with nations who have been under the domination of American power. See where you are and where they are. With their movement, independence, self-confidence and reliance on God, the Iranian people proved that one can and should stand up against the domination of foreigners and those who seek domination. The Iranian nation has proved this. Thirty years ago, what was the position of the Iranian nation in science, civilization, progress, technology and political influence? What position does it enjoy today? It achieved such a position by putting up a resistance, relying on God and bringing all its capacities into the arena. This is an experience for both the Iranian nation and future generations. It is also an experience for other nations. The Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army is one of the examples of this resistance and this movement which has been based on self-confidence. We should continue this. We Iranian people should continue this path. This path is full of blessings.
For more than thirty years, the enemies of the Iranian nation have done everything in their power to harm the Iranian nation. There is not a thing which they have not used against the Iranian nation. They provoked conflicts, waged wars, supported the enemy of the Islamic Republic with all their power and they waged hard and soft wars. They fought the people of Iran as hard as they could, but our people stood up against them and they resisted. Not only could they not bring our people to their knees and destroy them, but they also failed to prevent them from making progress. Our nation has made progress. They made use of everything they could. They hatched plots, launched coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'états, provoked military conflicts, shot down passenger airliners, imposed heavy sanctions and increased them on a daily basis. They did these things in the hope that our people would lose their hope, disappear from the scene and lose their trust in Islam and the Islamic Republic. But they failed. This is the record of the Islamic Republic.
These days, referred to as ten-day Fajr celebrations, are good opportunities for our intellectuals, our youth and all the people of Iran to spend some time evaluating their actions during the past thirty-something years and see their achievements, see their successful efforts, see the divine assistance and see the weakness of the enemies\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' plots. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And they (the unbelievers) planned, and Allah planned, and Allah is the best of planners\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 3: 54]. This is the general guideline for us, to see how we should choose our future path. You the people in the Air Force should move forward according to this outlook and orientation. Different sectors of the country, all the people and the officials of the country should move forward according to this outlook.
Of course, the enemy inflicts harm, but it cannot do anything except for causing slight annoyance. I mentioned a few days ago that Allah the Exalted said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"They shall by no means harm you but with a slight evil\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 3: 111]. Their job is to harm you. But, they cannot create obstacles for you and block your path. Over the past 30 years, the Americans have been ranting and raving against the Iranian nation. They said and did whatever they could. They broadcast negative propaganda and they established an evil media empire against the Iranian nation. But the result is this: today, by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the Iranian nation has become happier, more determined and more active than ever and it is witnessing more blossoming in different areas.
They have been trying to separate the people from the Islamic Republic and the Revolution. Each year on the 22nd of Bahman, the Iranian people frustrate the enemy with their presence in the national and revolutionary rallies. They are trying to separate the people from one another. The previous inexperienced American secretary of state said openly that they are imposing sanctions in order to pit the people of Iran against the Islamic Republic. The people of Iran have always responded to such statements through their rallies and their actions. You will see that on the 22nd of Bahman, the Iranian people will, once more, frustrate their efforts with a crushing move [Audience shout \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"].
The good thing is that the people are wise and vigilant. They know the purpose of the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s plot, they predict the enemy\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s moves, they understand why the enemy has adopted a certain policy and they move in the opposite direction. They rely on their own achievements and they will show their presence in this great arena of national dignity. They will show themselves and they will prove their presence. This is the good thing. In the face of the negative propaganda by the enemy - particularly, the Americans and the Zionists - the people do not take the wrong path because of their communal wisdom and they do not make the mistake which the enemy is waiting for. This is the good thing about large-scale issues of our country.
Now the Americans have raised the issue of negotiations again. They repeat that America is prepared to directly negotiate with Iran. This is not new. The Americans have repeatedly raised the issue of negotiations at every juncture. Now their newly appointed politicians repeat that we should negotiate. And they say that the ball is in Iran\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s court. The ball is in your court. It is you who should explain the meaning of negotiations that are accompanied by pressure and threats. Negotiations are for the sake of proving one\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s goodwill. You commit tens of acts which show lack of goodwill and then you speak about negotiations. Do you expect the Iranian nation to believe that you have goodwill? Of course, we understand why the Americans repeatedly raise the issue of negotiations and why they speak about it in different ways. We know what the reason is. As the Americans themselves say, their Middle East policies have failed. They need to play their trump card. Their trump card is dragging the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is based on the people, to the negotiating table. They need this. They want to say to the world that they have goodwill. No, we do not see any goodwill.
Four years ago - during the early days of the current American administration - when they were saying the same words, I announced that we will not prejudge and we will wait to see what action they will take and then we will judge. Now after four years, how should the Iranian nation judge their actions? They supported the fitna in Iran, they helped those who started the fitna, they sent their troops to Afghanistan under the claim that they were fighting terrorism, they trampled on so many people and they destroyed them. They are also supporting and cooperating with the same terrorists in Syria and they used the same terrorists wherever they could in Iran. Their agents, their allies and Zionist spies openly killed the scientists of the Islamic Republic. They did not even condemn these terrorist activities. [On the contrary] They supported them. This is their record. They imposed sanctions - which they wanted to be crippling - on the Iranian nation. They openly said, crippling. Who do you want to cripple? Did you want to cripple the Iranian nation? Do you have goodwill?
Negotiations are meaningful when the two sides negotiate with good intentions and without planning to deceive one another. Negotiations should be on equal terms. Negotiations for the sake of negotiations, tactical negotiations and offer of negotiations as a superpower gesture, are deceptive moves. They are not honest moves.
I am not a diplomat. I am a revolutionary. I speak openly and honestly. A diplomat says something, but he actually means something else. We speak openly and honestly. We speak clearly and decisively. Negotiations are meaningful when the two sides show their good intentions. [Negotiations are not meaningful] when one side does not show his good intentions. You yourselves refer to this as pressures and negotiations. These two things are not compatible. You want to point the gun at the people of Iran and say, negotiate or we will shoot. You say these things to intimidate the Iranian nation. You should know that the Iranian nation is not intimidated by these things [Audience shout \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Allahu Akbar\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"].
A number of people become happy about the American offer of negotiations and they say, come and negotiate with us. This is expressed by a number of people who are either simple-minded or who have some ulterior motives. One cannot make definitive judgments about people. But what a simple-minded person does is no different, in essence, from what a person who has ulterior motives does. Negotiations with America will not solve any problems. When did they keep their promises? Over the past 60 years, since the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état of the 28th of Mordad of 1332 until today, the officials of our country have been harmed whenever they trusted the Americans. One day Mosaddeq trusted the Americans, relied on them and considered them as his friends. Then the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état of the 28th of Mordad occurred and the Americans found the opportunity to launch a coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état. The agent responsible for launching the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état came to Tehran with a briefcase full of money and he divided it among thugs and vandals so that they launch the coup d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'état. The agent was American. They admitted what the purpose of their plot was. After that, they helped the oppressive Pahlavi regime achieve domination over our country. They established SAVAK and chained and tortured political activists. These are the things they did at that time.
During a certain period after the Revolution, the officials of the country trusted them. But the politicians of the American government labeled Iran as \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"axis of evil\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". It is you who are the embodiment of evil. It is you who are doing evil deeds in the world. You wage wars, loot nations and support the Zionist regime. On the issue of Islamic Awakening, you suppress the nations who have risen in revolt as much as you can and you weaken them and pit them against one another. You are evil. Evil is part of your character. They accused the Iranian nation of doing evil acts. This is a big insult. Whenever people trusted them, they made such moves. They should show their good intentions. Negotiations and offer of negotiations are not compatible with pressures. Negotiations and pressures are two different paths. It is not possible for the Iranian nation to accept negotiations under pressures and threats, with those who make threats. What should we negotiate for?
Today, the Iranian nation is vigilant. The true face of America has been revealed not only in Iran, but also in the region. Nations distrust America and there are many reasons for this distrust. The Iranian nation has also accurately read the Americans\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' moves. It understands what their purpose is. Our nation is vigilant. Today, if certain people want to help America re-establish its domination and act against our national interests, against the progress of the country and against the path of independence, they will be held responsible by the people and even if I act against this public demand, the people will complain. It is obvious. All the officials are responsible for safeguarding national interests and preserving national independence. They should preserve the dignity of the Iranian nation.
We have negotiated, signed contracts and established relations with countries which have not plotted against Iran. The Iranian nation is peace-loving. The Iranian nation is patient. The unity of the Iranian nation is in line with promoting the interests of humanity. Today, what the Iranian nation does is for the sake of its interests and the interests of the Islamic Ummah and humanity. And undoubtedly, divine assistance is behind the Iranian nation. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the people of Iran will be able to help not only themselves but also the Islamic Ummah to reach the peak of glory with their wisdom, with their firm determination and with the resistance that they have shown on this bright path, the path that they will continue following in the future as well. The way to reach this glory is to preserve this wisdom. The way to do this is to preserve our unity. The way to do this is for the officials to safeguard the interests of the country. This improper conduct which is witnessed in certain areas from certain government officials - they should end this. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, I will address this issue in the future and I will speak to the people. Our nation is unified, determined and active. Even if there are differences of opinion between the people over different issues, all the officials and all the people join hands against the enemy, global arrogance and those who have prepared themselves to destroy the roots of the people and the Islamic Republic. There is no disagreement among the people over this issue.
By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor and grace, on the 22nd of Bahman the people will show, once more, that they are present on the scene, that they are prepared, that they are united, that they are moving in the same direction. And undoubtedly, divine blessings will be bestowed on them.
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings.
Source: http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1741&Itemid=4
1:30
|
[18th February 2013] Calgary Protest against Genocide in Pakistan - All Languages Other
An analyst says Pakistan has reacted coldheartedly to the recent Shia carnage in the country as it could have been controlled with ‘better intelligence, better vigilance and above all the resolve...
An analyst says Pakistan has reacted coldheartedly to the recent Shia carnage in the country as it could have been controlled with ‘better intelligence, better vigilance and above all the resolve to do so.’
The comment comes as the death toll from a bomb attack targeting Shia Muslims in a market in Pakistan has climbed to 90, as the victims\' families continue their sit-in for the second consecutive day in the city of Quetta demanding government protection.
The bombing tore through the crowded vegetable market in the town of Hazara, on the outskirts of Quetta in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan Province, on Saturday. The area is mostly inhabited by Shia Muslims.
On Tuesday, the mourning relatives of the victims refused to bury the bodies of their loved ones unless the government takes concrete actions and finds the perpetrators of the slaughter.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Islamabad-based political and security analyst Sultan Mahmood Hali to further discuss the issue. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Mr. Hali welcome to the program. Would you go as far as saying that the government in Pakistan as the Hazara community is saying is responsible for a rise in the Shia killings?
Hali: Well, I won’t hold the government of Pakistan responsible for Shia killings but I would definitely call it a certain amount of callousness because they have not been able to protect the lives of the Hazaras.
What happened on January 10th this year was a terrible situation in which nearly a hundred Hazaras were killed and then they staged a demonstration refusing to bury their dead and what they are doing now is an instant replay of the same.
But as a result of that previous showdown the demand of the Hazaras was that the inept provincial government should be dismissed which it was and a government’s rule has been imposed but apparently if such a massive attack has taken place in which as reports indicate that the bomb was hidden in a major trailer then I think it is not only a failure of the intelligence agency but also the failure of the governor who had promised to look after the Hazaras.
Now you see if there is a will there is a way. If you recall just about a year or so back in Baluchistan there was a major targeting of the non-Baluchi settlers in Baluchistan at which the government cracked down and managed to stop that particular attack.
So why can’t they do that now for the Hazaras? Are the Hazaras dispensable? No they are not. They are very much a part of Pakistan. So the only thing which must be done is that desperate times call for desperate measures and the Hazaras are demanding that the Pakistan army be called in.
Unless the Pakistani army is called in although that’s the last resort but perhaps that will have to be taken to prevent the loss of more innocent lives.
Press TV: Mr. Hali just quickly, we are a bit short of time. We did see the new Baluchistan governor saying that the security forces or the government forces are scared of the militants and that’s why they’re not taking action. Some were saying that this is just shifting the blame; that actually the government is knowingly not taking action?
Hali: Well, I’m afraid there is an element of truth in it. As I just told you that there was an incident earlier in which the non-Baluchis were being targeted.
So if the government decides to take a very stern action, they can very well control this because the militants after all at the end of the day they are humans, they are not super humans.
So I am sure they can be controlled with better intelligence, with better vigilance and more importantly the resolve to get to them.
MUST WACTH - Hal Min Nasirin YanSurna -هل من ناصر ينصرنا- Is there anyone to help me - Imam HUSSAIN (a.s). Respond to the call of Imam Hussain a.s. and Imam e Zamana (a.t.f.s).
More...
Description:
An analyst says Pakistan has reacted coldheartedly to the recent Shia carnage in the country as it could have been controlled with ‘better intelligence, better vigilance and above all the resolve to do so.’
The comment comes as the death toll from a bomb attack targeting Shia Muslims in a market in Pakistan has climbed to 90, as the victims\' families continue their sit-in for the second consecutive day in the city of Quetta demanding government protection.
The bombing tore through the crowded vegetable market in the town of Hazara, on the outskirts of Quetta in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan Province, on Saturday. The area is mostly inhabited by Shia Muslims.
On Tuesday, the mourning relatives of the victims refused to bury the bodies of their loved ones unless the government takes concrete actions and finds the perpetrators of the slaughter.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Islamabad-based political and security analyst Sultan Mahmood Hali to further discuss the issue. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Mr. Hali welcome to the program. Would you go as far as saying that the government in Pakistan as the Hazara community is saying is responsible for a rise in the Shia killings?
Hali: Well, I won’t hold the government of Pakistan responsible for Shia killings but I would definitely call it a certain amount of callousness because they have not been able to protect the lives of the Hazaras.
What happened on January 10th this year was a terrible situation in which nearly a hundred Hazaras were killed and then they staged a demonstration refusing to bury their dead and what they are doing now is an instant replay of the same.
But as a result of that previous showdown the demand of the Hazaras was that the inept provincial government should be dismissed which it was and a government’s rule has been imposed but apparently if such a massive attack has taken place in which as reports indicate that the bomb was hidden in a major trailer then I think it is not only a failure of the intelligence agency but also the failure of the governor who had promised to look after the Hazaras.
Now you see if there is a will there is a way. If you recall just about a year or so back in Baluchistan there was a major targeting of the non-Baluchi settlers in Baluchistan at which the government cracked down and managed to stop that particular attack.
So why can’t they do that now for the Hazaras? Are the Hazaras dispensable? No they are not. They are very much a part of Pakistan. So the only thing which must be done is that desperate times call for desperate measures and the Hazaras are demanding that the Pakistan army be called in.
Unless the Pakistani army is called in although that’s the last resort but perhaps that will have to be taken to prevent the loss of more innocent lives.
Press TV: Mr. Hali just quickly, we are a bit short of time. We did see the new Baluchistan governor saying that the security forces or the government forces are scared of the militants and that’s why they’re not taking action. Some were saying that this is just shifting the blame; that actually the government is knowingly not taking action?
Hali: Well, I’m afraid there is an element of truth in it. As I just told you that there was an incident earlier in which the non-Baluchis were being targeted.
So if the government decides to take a very stern action, they can very well control this because the militants after all at the end of the day they are humans, they are not super humans.
So I am sure they can be controlled with better intelligence, with better vigilance and more importantly the resolve to get to them.
MUST WACTH - Hal Min Nasirin YanSurna -هل من ناصر ينصرنا- Is there anyone to help me - Imam HUSSAIN (a.s). Respond to the call of Imam Hussain a.s. and Imam e Zamana (a.t.f.s).
1:14
|
[18th February 2013] Calgary Protest against Genocide in Pakistan - All Languages Other
An analyst says Pakistan has reacted coldheartedly to the recent Shia carnage in the country as it could have been controlled with ‘better intelligence, better vigilance and above all the resolve...
An analyst says Pakistan has reacted coldheartedly to the recent Shia carnage in the country as it could have been controlled with ‘better intelligence, better vigilance and above all the resolve to do so.’
The comment comes as the death toll from a bomb attack targeting Shia Muslims in a market in Pakistan has climbed to 90, as the victims\' families continue their sit-in for the second consecutive day in the city of Quetta demanding government protection.
The bombing tore through the crowded vegetable market in the town of Hazara, on the outskirts of Quetta in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan Province, on Saturday. The area is mostly inhabited by Shia Muslims.
On Tuesday, the mourning relatives of the victims refused to bury the bodies of their loved ones unless the government takes concrete actions and finds the perpetrators of the slaughter.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Islamabad-based political and security analyst Sultan Mahmood Hali to further discuss the issue. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Mr. Hali welcome to the program. Would you go as far as saying that the government in Pakistan as the Hazara community is saying is responsible for a rise in the Shia killings?
Hali: Well, I won’t hold the government of Pakistan responsible for Shia killings but I would definitely call it a certain amount of callousness because they have not been able to protect the lives of the Hazaras.
What happened on January 10th this year was a terrible situation in which nearly a hundred Hazaras were killed and then they staged a demonstration refusing to bury their dead and what they are doing now is an instant replay of the same.
But as a result of that previous showdown the demand of the Hazaras was that the inept provincial government should be dismissed which it was and a government’s rule has been imposed but apparently if such a massive attack has taken place in which as reports indicate that the bomb was hidden in a major trailer then I think it is not only a failure of the intelligence agency but also the failure of the governor who had promised to look after the Hazaras.
Now you see if there is a will there is a way. If you recall just about a year or so back in Baluchistan there was a major targeting of the non-Baluchi settlers in Baluchistan at which the government cracked down and managed to stop that particular attack.
So why can’t they do that now for the Hazaras? Are the Hazaras dispensable? No they are not. They are very much a part of Pakistan. So the only thing which must be done is that desperate times call for desperate measures and the Hazaras are demanding that the Pakistan army be called in.
Unless the Pakistani army is called in although that’s the last resort but perhaps that will have to be taken to prevent the loss of more innocent lives.
Press TV: Mr. Hali just quickly, we are a bit short of time. We did see the new Baluchistan governor saying that the security forces or the government forces are scared of the militants and that’s why they’re not taking action. Some were saying that this is just shifting the blame; that actually the government is knowingly not taking action?
Hali: Well, I’m afraid there is an element of truth in it. As I just told you that there was an incident earlier in which the non-Baluchis were being targeted.
So if the government decides to take a very stern action, they can very well control this because the militants after all at the end of the day they are humans, they are not super humans.
So I am sure they can be controlled with better intelligence, with better vigilance and more importantly the resolve to get to them.
MUST WACTH - Hal Min Nasirin YanSurna -هل من ناصر ينصرنا- Is there anyone to help me - Imam HUSSAIN (a.s). Respond to the call of Imam Hussain a.s. and Imam e Zamana (a.t.f.s).
More...
Description:
An analyst says Pakistan has reacted coldheartedly to the recent Shia carnage in the country as it could have been controlled with ‘better intelligence, better vigilance and above all the resolve to do so.’
The comment comes as the death toll from a bomb attack targeting Shia Muslims in a market in Pakistan has climbed to 90, as the victims\' families continue their sit-in for the second consecutive day in the city of Quetta demanding government protection.
The bombing tore through the crowded vegetable market in the town of Hazara, on the outskirts of Quetta in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan Province, on Saturday. The area is mostly inhabited by Shia Muslims.
On Tuesday, the mourning relatives of the victims refused to bury the bodies of their loved ones unless the government takes concrete actions and finds the perpetrators of the slaughter.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Islamabad-based political and security analyst Sultan Mahmood Hali to further discuss the issue. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Mr. Hali welcome to the program. Would you go as far as saying that the government in Pakistan as the Hazara community is saying is responsible for a rise in the Shia killings?
Hali: Well, I won’t hold the government of Pakistan responsible for Shia killings but I would definitely call it a certain amount of callousness because they have not been able to protect the lives of the Hazaras.
What happened on January 10th this year was a terrible situation in which nearly a hundred Hazaras were killed and then they staged a demonstration refusing to bury their dead and what they are doing now is an instant replay of the same.
But as a result of that previous showdown the demand of the Hazaras was that the inept provincial government should be dismissed which it was and a government’s rule has been imposed but apparently if such a massive attack has taken place in which as reports indicate that the bomb was hidden in a major trailer then I think it is not only a failure of the intelligence agency but also the failure of the governor who had promised to look after the Hazaras.
Now you see if there is a will there is a way. If you recall just about a year or so back in Baluchistan there was a major targeting of the non-Baluchi settlers in Baluchistan at which the government cracked down and managed to stop that particular attack.
So why can’t they do that now for the Hazaras? Are the Hazaras dispensable? No they are not. They are very much a part of Pakistan. So the only thing which must be done is that desperate times call for desperate measures and the Hazaras are demanding that the Pakistan army be called in.
Unless the Pakistani army is called in although that’s the last resort but perhaps that will have to be taken to prevent the loss of more innocent lives.
Press TV: Mr. Hali just quickly, we are a bit short of time. We did see the new Baluchistan governor saying that the security forces or the government forces are scared of the militants and that’s why they’re not taking action. Some were saying that this is just shifting the blame; that actually the government is knowingly not taking action?
Hali: Well, I’m afraid there is an element of truth in it. As I just told you that there was an incident earlier in which the non-Baluchis were being targeted.
So if the government decides to take a very stern action, they can very well control this because the militants after all at the end of the day they are humans, they are not super humans.
So I am sure they can be controlled with better intelligence, with better vigilance and more importantly the resolve to get to them.
MUST WACTH - Hal Min Nasirin YanSurna -هل من ناصر ينصرنا- Is there anyone to help me - Imam HUSSAIN (a.s). Respond to the call of Imam Hussain a.s. and Imam e Zamana (a.t.f.s).
54:55
|
*Important* Full speech by Syed Hasan Nasrallah on 30 April 2013 - [ENGLISH]
Sayyed Nasrallah: Syria’s Friends won’t Let It Fall in US, Israel, Takfiri Hands
Sara Taha Moughnieh
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah delivered a televised speech on Tuesday...
Sayyed Nasrallah: Syria’s Friends won’t Let It Fall in US, Israel, Takfiri Hands
Sara Taha Moughnieh
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah delivered a televised speech on Tuesday in which he tackled topics related to the Israeli enemy, the Syrian crisis, and Hezbollah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s fighters as well as martyrs.
Sayyed Nasrallah Warns \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" of Committing Folly in Lebanon
His eminence reassured in his statement that Hezbollah was not behind sending an unmanned aircraft over occupied Palestine, indicating that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"because of the sensitive situation in the region, and because it didn’t send the aircraft, Hezbollah instantly issued a precise statement, denying it had sent any unmanned aircraft over occupied Palestine\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Hezbollah has the courage to bear the responsibility of any action it makes, especially when it is related to the Israeli enemy,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" adding that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"what was said about this drone was not more important or dangerous than Hezbollah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s responsibility of Ayyoub drone which flew over Palestine and reached Dimona.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
As he clarified he does not deny that an aircraft did enter the occupied territories, his eminence pointed out that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"there isn’t any evidence that an aircraft did enter… until this moment, the Israelis have not broadcast a film or images of the wreck of the aircraft they claimed they have downed…\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nasrallah proposed several assumptions about the side behind the drone. He excluded the first assumption which claims that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards sent the drone over \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", and dubbed it \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"unrealistic\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The second assumption: Saying a Lebanese or Palestinian side had the power to send a small drone over Palestine, is a proposed assumption, but doesn’t have any indicators. The third assumption: an unfriendly side, which is not \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", sent the drone from the Lebanese or non-Lebanese territories, so that Israel would accuse Hezbollah and wage a military operation, and then Hezbollah would have to defend itself, pushing Lebanon ino a clash between Israel and Hezbollah.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The fourth assumption is that Israel had sent the drone over Lebanon and returned it to the occupied territories, to down it later on, and this is very much possible.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Here, his eminence assured \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"we are following up this issue,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" and considered \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"there are disturbing indicators in the region, and there is a massive deployment North Palestine, but we believe all these are related to the developments in Syria.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nasrallah also warned Israel against committing any folly in Lebanon.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Who assumes that the resistance is weak and vague is mistaken, and I warn the enemy, and the sides standing behind it, from committing any folly in Lebanon, because the resistance is on alert, prepared, and determined to defend Lebanon,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he said, reassuring that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"we will triumph in any future battle, God willing\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
His eminence considered the \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Lebanese are concerned of examining these assumptions carefully.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Some sides are satisfied by just accusing Hezbollah, but this is wrong,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he stressed, pointing out that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"there are American, Arab and Gulf efforts regarding the Palestinian cause, and are related to imposing new conditions on the Palestinians. This brings fear, because usually conditions are preceded by an aggression, in order to shake the courage and firmness of the Palestinians.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
We are not Ashamed of Our Martyrs, We Bury Them Publicly
His eminence tackled what he considered were media \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"lies\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" about \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"convoys and large numbers of martyrs\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". He considered that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"media have opened an auction on the number of martyrs, claiming it had reached 500. Yesterday, Al-Arabiya claimed 30 martyrs were killed, and other media mentioned mass graves, hidden corpses of martyrs, and gradual burying.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Lebanon is a small country, who could hide these numbers of martyrs? Throughout our path, we have not hidden the bodies of our martyrs or buried them gradually. We inform the family of any martyr who falls, and we escort him to grave the next day.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We bury our martyrs publicly. We are not ashamed of our martyrs, specifically those who fell in the past couple of days…\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he added, stressing that all the claims about the large number of martyrs \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"lie in the context of a psychological war, and there is deliberate lying in this context, on the base of: Lie, lie, until some people would believe you.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Goal behind War Is to Destroy Syria
On the ongoing Syrian crisis, Sayyed Nasrallah considered \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the goal behind the events in Syria is no longer to take Syria out of the axis of resistance and the Arab-Israeli clash equation. It is no longer to gain power at any price. It could be said that the goal of anyone standing behind the war in Syria, is destroying Syria so that a strong, centralized state would not be established in it, and so that it would become too weak to take decisions related to its oil, sea, or borders.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, a military decision was taken to topple the regime. It reached slaughtering people, calling for foreign intervention, the use of chemical weapons… some scholars even issued strict Fatwas that permit the killing of civilians… As for the other direction, which we are part of, we called and still call for a political settlement.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
His eminence added: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Because of what is happening in Syria, the Palestinian cause is facing the danger of serious elimination. The Syrian situation also has an effect on Lebanon, Iraq, and the whole region.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Syria has real friends, in the region and the world, who will not let it fall in the hands of America, Israel, and Takfiri groups,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Hezbollah secretary general further assured, revealing that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the Syrian regime has informed the Russian leadership about the names of members of the Syrian delegation which will participate in the dialogue with the opposition, but the other part is still refusing.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
He considered that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"those who claim they grieve over the bloodshed in Syria, those who do not want to lose the Palestinian cause, and those who are worried about Syria, should work to reach a political settlement and a political solution for the Syrian situation.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
We will Take All Necessary Actions to Protect Al-Qusayr Countryside Residents
Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"attacks on Al-Qusayr countryside villages have escalated lately, and information have revealed that some Lebanese are involved in these attacks, which urged the Syrian army to confront the attackers and protect the villages.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
He wondered: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"What have the Lebanese government done to protect the Lebanese inside the villages of Al-Qusayr, and can the Lebanese government send the army to protect these people?\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah considered that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"all the Lebanese government could do is send a complaint to the Arab League. Can we complain to the executioner?\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We state clearly that we will not let the Lebanese in Al-Qusayr countryside stay subject to attacks by armed groups, and we will take all the necessary actions to preserve their steadfastness,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he added, indicating that some Lebanese parts are \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"issuing Fatwas, making speeches, and sending money and militants to Syria through Lebanon and other countries; thus, let no one claim he is innocent from the events in Syria.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Destruction of Sayyeda Zainab Shrine will Have Serious Repercussions
Hezbollah secretary general indicated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"in Sayyeda Zainab region, where the shrine of Sayyed Zainab (as), daughter of Imam Ali (as), is located, some armed groups are present. This is a very sensitive issue, especially after Takfiri sides \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"announced that if they reached the place they will destroy it. In contrast, there are defenders of this holy shrine who are being martyred for that. Therefore, these (defenders) are actually preventing sedition, not inciting it.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
He added: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"It is not enough that the opposition and the so-called \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Syrian Coalition\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" oppose the destruction of the holy shrine. Countries that support these groups must hold the responsibility of this crime if it takes place.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nasrallah warned: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"If this crime falls, it will have serious repercussions.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Azaz Abductees Are not Part of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Political Conflict\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", They must be Instantly Released
Regarding the case of the Lebanese abductees in Azaz, his eminence considered that the \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"persistence of this case is very painful, and so is seeing the kin of the abductees move with their protests from one place to another.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nastallah considered that its persistence until today raises many questions about the parts and reasons behind the abduction.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"If they wanted to impose a political pressure, then this has obviously failed since the beginning… It was said that they wanted a swap deal, I said I was ready to go to Damascus and solve this issue, but they denied that later on.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
His eminence indicated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi negotiations did not bring any result,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" and demanded the instant release of the abductees as they were not part of the \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"political conflict\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
We Don’t Want Conflict to be Moved to Lebanon
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We don’t want any conflict in Lebanon, and we don’t want the (Syrian) conflict to be moved to Lebanon. We know some Lebanese groups that have attacked Al-Qusayr countryside. We know them by name, but we will not take any action about it because we want to protect Lebanon from any fight,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Sayyed Nasrallah stressed.
Source: http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?fromval=2&cid=19&frid=21&seccatid=19&eid=91960
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Sayyed Nasrallah: Syria’s Friends won’t Let It Fall in US, Israel, Takfiri Hands
Sara Taha Moughnieh
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah delivered a televised speech on Tuesday in which he tackled topics related to the Israeli enemy, the Syrian crisis, and Hezbollah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s fighters as well as martyrs.
Sayyed Nasrallah Warns \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" of Committing Folly in Lebanon
His eminence reassured in his statement that Hezbollah was not behind sending an unmanned aircraft over occupied Palestine, indicating that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"because of the sensitive situation in the region, and because it didn’t send the aircraft, Hezbollah instantly issued a precise statement, denying it had sent any unmanned aircraft over occupied Palestine\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Hezbollah has the courage to bear the responsibility of any action it makes, especially when it is related to the Israeli enemy,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" adding that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"what was said about this drone was not more important or dangerous than Hezbollah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s responsibility of Ayyoub drone which flew over Palestine and reached Dimona.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
As he clarified he does not deny that an aircraft did enter the occupied territories, his eminence pointed out that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"there isn’t any evidence that an aircraft did enter… until this moment, the Israelis have not broadcast a film or images of the wreck of the aircraft they claimed they have downed…\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nasrallah proposed several assumptions about the side behind the drone. He excluded the first assumption which claims that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards sent the drone over \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", and dubbed it \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"unrealistic\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The second assumption: Saying a Lebanese or Palestinian side had the power to send a small drone over Palestine, is a proposed assumption, but doesn’t have any indicators. The third assumption: an unfriendly side, which is not \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Israel\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", sent the drone from the Lebanese or non-Lebanese territories, so that Israel would accuse Hezbollah and wage a military operation, and then Hezbollah would have to defend itself, pushing Lebanon ino a clash between Israel and Hezbollah.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The fourth assumption is that Israel had sent the drone over Lebanon and returned it to the occupied territories, to down it later on, and this is very much possible.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Here, his eminence assured \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"we are following up this issue,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" and considered \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"there are disturbing indicators in the region, and there is a massive deployment North Palestine, but we believe all these are related to the developments in Syria.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nasrallah also warned Israel against committing any folly in Lebanon.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Who assumes that the resistance is weak and vague is mistaken, and I warn the enemy, and the sides standing behind it, from committing any folly in Lebanon, because the resistance is on alert, prepared, and determined to defend Lebanon,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he said, reassuring that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"we will triumph in any future battle, God willing\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
His eminence considered the \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Lebanese are concerned of examining these assumptions carefully.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Some sides are satisfied by just accusing Hezbollah, but this is wrong,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he stressed, pointing out that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"there are American, Arab and Gulf efforts regarding the Palestinian cause, and are related to imposing new conditions on the Palestinians. This brings fear, because usually conditions are preceded by an aggression, in order to shake the courage and firmness of the Palestinians.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
We are not Ashamed of Our Martyrs, We Bury Them Publicly
His eminence tackled what he considered were media \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"lies\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" about \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"convoys and large numbers of martyrs\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". He considered that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"media have opened an auction on the number of martyrs, claiming it had reached 500. Yesterday, Al-Arabiya claimed 30 martyrs were killed, and other media mentioned mass graves, hidden corpses of martyrs, and gradual burying.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Lebanon is a small country, who could hide these numbers of martyrs? Throughout our path, we have not hidden the bodies of our martyrs or buried them gradually. We inform the family of any martyr who falls, and we escort him to grave the next day.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We bury our martyrs publicly. We are not ashamed of our martyrs, specifically those who fell in the past couple of days…\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he added, stressing that all the claims about the large number of martyrs \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"lie in the context of a psychological war, and there is deliberate lying in this context, on the base of: Lie, lie, until some people would believe you.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Goal behind War Is to Destroy Syria
On the ongoing Syrian crisis, Sayyed Nasrallah considered \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the goal behind the events in Syria is no longer to take Syria out of the axis of resistance and the Arab-Israeli clash equation. It is no longer to gain power at any price. It could be said that the goal of anyone standing behind the war in Syria, is destroying Syria so that a strong, centralized state would not be established in it, and so that it would become too weak to take decisions related to its oil, sea, or borders.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, a military decision was taken to topple the regime. It reached slaughtering people, calling for foreign intervention, the use of chemical weapons… some scholars even issued strict Fatwas that permit the killing of civilians… As for the other direction, which we are part of, we called and still call for a political settlement.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
His eminence added: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Because of what is happening in Syria, the Palestinian cause is facing the danger of serious elimination. The Syrian situation also has an effect on Lebanon, Iraq, and the whole region.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Syria has real friends, in the region and the world, who will not let it fall in the hands of America, Israel, and Takfiri groups,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Hezbollah secretary general further assured, revealing that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"the Syrian regime has informed the Russian leadership about the names of members of the Syrian delegation which will participate in the dialogue with the opposition, but the other part is still refusing.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
He considered that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"those who claim they grieve over the bloodshed in Syria, those who do not want to lose the Palestinian cause, and those who are worried about Syria, should work to reach a political settlement and a political solution for the Syrian situation.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
We will Take All Necessary Actions to Protect Al-Qusayr Countryside Residents
Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"attacks on Al-Qusayr countryside villages have escalated lately, and information have revealed that some Lebanese are involved in these attacks, which urged the Syrian army to confront the attackers and protect the villages.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
He wondered: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"What have the Lebanese government done to protect the Lebanese inside the villages of Al-Qusayr, and can the Lebanese government send the army to protect these people?\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah considered that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"all the Lebanese government could do is send a complaint to the Arab League. Can we complain to the executioner?\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We state clearly that we will not let the Lebanese in Al-Qusayr countryside stay subject to attacks by armed groups, and we will take all the necessary actions to preserve their steadfastness,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" he added, indicating that some Lebanese parts are \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"issuing Fatwas, making speeches, and sending money and militants to Syria through Lebanon and other countries; thus, let no one claim he is innocent from the events in Syria.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Destruction of Sayyeda Zainab Shrine will Have Serious Repercussions
Hezbollah secretary general indicated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"in Sayyeda Zainab region, where the shrine of Sayyed Zainab (as), daughter of Imam Ali (as), is located, some armed groups are present. This is a very sensitive issue, especially after Takfiri sides \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"announced that if they reached the place they will destroy it. In contrast, there are defenders of this holy shrine who are being martyred for that. Therefore, these (defenders) are actually preventing sedition, not inciting it.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
He added: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"It is not enough that the opposition and the so-called \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Syrian Coalition\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" oppose the destruction of the holy shrine. Countries that support these groups must hold the responsibility of this crime if it takes place.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nasrallah warned: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"If this crime falls, it will have serious repercussions.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Azaz Abductees Are not Part of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Political Conflict\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\", They must be Instantly Released
Regarding the case of the Lebanese abductees in Azaz, his eminence considered that the \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"persistence of this case is very painful, and so is seeing the kin of the abductees move with their protests from one place to another.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
Sayyed Nastallah considered that its persistence until today raises many questions about the parts and reasons behind the abduction.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"If they wanted to impose a political pressure, then this has obviously failed since the beginning… It was said that they wanted a swap deal, I said I was ready to go to Damascus and solve this issue, but they denied that later on.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
His eminence indicated that \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi negotiations did not bring any result,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" and demanded the instant release of the abductees as they were not part of the \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"political conflict\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
We Don’t Want Conflict to be Moved to Lebanon
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We don’t want any conflict in Lebanon, and we don’t want the (Syrian) conflict to be moved to Lebanon. We know some Lebanese groups that have attacked Al-Qusayr countryside. We know them by name, but we will not take any action about it because we want to protect Lebanon from any fight,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Sayyed Nasrallah stressed.
Source: http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?fromval=2&cid=19&frid=21&seccatid=19&eid=91960