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The rediscovery of a film is seldom as fascinating a story as the film itself, but thats the case with Chess of the Wind (Shatranj-e Baad), directed by Iranian film-maker Mohammad Reza Aslani. It was only screened twice in Tehran in 1976, once to a cinema of hostile critics, and then to an empty cinema the bad reviews had done their work. The rediscovery of this film is great for me, says Aslani, now aged 76, and still living in Tehran. But it also allows audiences to view Iranian cinema from another perspective, and to discover other auteur film-makers who have been marginalised because of the complexity of their films.

Critical of the Shahs royalist government, the film also featured strong female leads and homosexuality, which didnt endear it to the Ayatollah Khomeinis regime either. In the politically tumultuous years that followed the Iranian revolution of 1979, the film was banned, and then presumed lost. Critics in Iran at the time of its release claimed the film didnt make sense, that my father was just trying to make an intellectual film, to imitate European cinema, says the directors daughter, Gita Aslani Shahrestani. But Aslani Shahrestani was determined not to let her fathers legacy languish. A writer and academic based in Paris, she was uniquely suited to the task. About seven years ago I was working on my PhD about auteur cinema in Iran, and this film was part of it, so I started to look for the film.

Having searched the international film archives without finding a copy, Aslani Shahrestani turned to her brother Amin based in Tehran to help in her investigation. Nothing could be found in the Iranian laboratories and archives either. It seemed that Chess of the Wind was lost for good. Then, browsing in a junk shop in 2014, Amin spotted a pile of film cans. On enquiring what they contained, the proprietor said he didnt know; they were simply on sale as a decorative element. Like something out of a fairy tale, on opening them Amin discovered a complete copy of his fathers long-lost film. Still banned in Iran, the print was smuggled out of the country via a private delivery service to Paris, where work began on restoring the film, overseen by Martin Scorseses non-profit organisation, The Film Foundations World Cinema Project, in association with the Cineteca di Bologna.

Chess of the Wind is a gothic family tale, following the (mis)fortunes of a paraplegic heiress played by Fakhri Khorvash, her angular face a study in controlled despair. Seeking to maintain her fragile independence, shes beset on all sides by predatory men her stepfather, his nephews, the local commissar who all seek to prise her fortune from her. Shes aided against them by her handmaiden, played by Shohreh Aghdashloo (nominated for an Oscar for her role in House of Sand and Fog). An erotic tension between mistress and maid adds spice and complexity to the proceedings.

The opulent, claustrophobic interiors are reminiscent of Persian miniatures. Theres also something of the gothic horror of Edgar Allan Poe. The influence of European cinematic masters like Pier Paolo Pasolini, Luchino Visconti and Robert Bresson is also apparent; the camera lingers on hands as they roll cigarettes, serve food, and feed gunpowder down the barrel of a gun, finding beauty in these simple actions. The sound design also stands out: wolves howl and dogs bay as they circle the house, ratcheting up the sense of menace; crows caw, jangling the nerves; heavy breathing makes the characters isolation in this haunted house increasingly oppressive. The soundtrack an early work by trailblazing female composer Sheyda Gharachedaghi takes inspiration from traditional Iranian music, and sounds like demented jazz.

Initial reactions to the restored film have been rapturous, to the delight of its director. I was not expecting such a positive reaction, says Aslani. Of course, Im very happy this film is finally being viewed fairly, and not through a lens that values populist cinema and propaganda.

Robin Baker, head curator of the BFI National Archive, who programmed the film in this years BFI London film festival, says, I think this film will have an impact on the world film canon its ambition on so many different levels is extraordinary. It has a resonance far beyond an Iranian cinema niche. I found it genuinely shocking at times. I think it will confound so many peoples expectations not only of the cinema, but also of the culture of Iran. I can confidently say that audiences wont have seen anything quite like this, no matter what their taste in cinema.

Sadly, Aslanis film-making career was a casualty of Irans political upheavals. Before Chess of the Wind, which he directed aged 33, Aslani had made two short films: a documentary (Hassanlou Cup, 1964), and a wry political allegory critical of the Shahs government (The Quail, 1969). Hed also directed the first season of a television series (Samak Ayyar, 1974) that was roundly criticised for its idiosyncratic, uncommercial style. Afterwards, he remained in Iran, continuing to work within the Iranian film industry. Hes since made more than 10 documentaries, an experimental piece (Tehran, A Conceptual Art in 2011) and another feature film, The Green Fire (2008), but his output has been severely curtailed both practically and conceptually by his situation. Yet he still has plans.

I hope to make another feature, says Aslani. Ive had a script for 10 years, but because Ive been labelled uncommercial and unentertaining in Iran, nobody wants to risk producing it. Its a historical film about one of the greatest Iranian poets, and the style of the film again recalls Persian miniatures, western painting and the cinema of Visconti and Bresson.

Meanwhile, Chess of the Wind is a reminder of his talent, and acts as a touching tribute by Gita Aslani Shahrestani to her fathers legacy. When he saw the restoration he said it was like seeing a therapist, that it reminded him why hed wanted to be a film-maker in the first place, says Aslani Shahrestani. He was really happy. He regrets nothing. He said the film was like a baby hed lost, and now theyre reunited.

Chess of the Wind is available for free on the BFI Player from 1013 October as part of the London film festival.

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'Audiences wont have seen anything like this': how Iranian film Chess of the Wind was reborn - The Guardian

AL-MUKALLA: Yemeni security forces, backed by the Arab coalition, killed three Al-Qaeda militants and captured two others in a raid on their hideout on Friday in Al-Ghaydah city, the capital of the western province of Mahra, local media and residents said.

Large explosions rocked many districts in the city of Al-Ghaydah on Friday morning as security forces raided a building, triggering a gunfire battle.

The explosions began shaking the city at nearly 2.30 a.m. and lasted for nine hours, a resident who preferred to remain anonymous told Arab News by telephone, adding that security authorities sealed off the area, preventing people from leaving their homes.

Army troops and security forces also intensified security measures and checkups at the provinces main entrances. Local media said that when security forces were about to storm the building, an Al-Qaeda militant blew up his explosive-laden belt, killing himself and two others.

Two other militants surrendered during the raid, local media reported. Mohammed Ali Yasser, the governor of Mahra, did not answer Arab News calls.

Al-Qaeda in Yemen, also known as Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula or AQAP, has suffered fatal blows since early 2016 when Arab coalition-backed Yemeni forces pushed them out of their main strongholds in southern Yemen after killing a large number of their operatives. In 2015, the militants cashed in on the anarchy and security vacuum that ensued from the earlier military expansion of the Iranian-backed Houthis to seize control of the main cities in southern Yemen, including the city of Al-Mukalla, the capital of the southeastern province of Hadramout.

Prisoner swapThe internationally recognized government and pro-independence Southern Transitional Council (STC) on Thursday swapped dozens of prisoners who were captured during fighting this year.

A local army officer told Arab News that the army released 21 separatists in exchange for 37 army soldiers, including Brig. Sayf Al-Ghoufesh, the commander of 115 Brigade in Abyan. The prisoner swap took place in Sheikh Salem area in Abyan following a successful mediation, the officer said.

In May, a major offensive by army troops triggered heavy fighting with STC forces in the southern province of Abyan and led to the death of dozens of troops on both sides. Despite the heavy fighting, neither the army nor the separatists managed to make any major military breakthrough. A Saud-led military committee is currently in the contested areas in Abyan to monitor a cease-fire agreed under the Riyadh Agreement.

DeterminationYemeni Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Mohammad Ali Al-Maqdashi said on Thursday that army troops and allied tribesmen were determined to foil Iranian designs in Yemen and put an end to the Houthi coup against the internationally recognized government.

Inspecting liberated areas in the northern province of Jouf, Al-Maqdashi thanked the Arab coalition for its military support to the Yemeni army, adding that tribesmen in Marib, Jouf and Al-Bayda have shored up army troops in their continuing battle against the Houthis.

Today we are more confident that our people will prevail and the Houthis and the Iranian project will not survive, Al-Maqdashi said, according to the official news agency SABA.

Link:
Revealed: How Iran smuggles weapons to the Houthis - Arab News

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Last week, Iran witnessed growing activities by the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Irans (PMOI/MEK) Resistance Units and the defiant youths. These activities show the resistances capability and indicate the societys restiveness.

In a failed attempt to intimidate the public, the mullahs regime executed Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old wrestling champion arrested during the Iran protests in 2018. Instead, his execution increased peoples hatred toward the regime, and they honored Navid as what he truly was: a national hero.

In this regard, the defiant youths in the city Shiraz, south-central Iran, targeted the mullahs Supreme Court that had issued Afkaris death sentence.

In this regard, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) issued a statement on September 27.

In the early hours of Sunday, September 27, 2020, in protest against the criminal execution of Navid Afkari, the Iranian national wrestling champion, the defiant youth targeted the court in Shiraz, which issued his death sentence and set fire to its entrance, read the statement.

The ISNA news agencys website

This attack by the defiant youths received vast media coverage both in state media and abroad. In this regard, the state-run ISNA news agency wrote: The incident took place in the middle of the night after explosives were hurled at the Revolutionary Courts entrance.Al-Arabiya also reported: The video footage published by the NCRI shows an explosion and fire at the entrance of the Shiraz Revolution Court.

Since Navid Afkaris execution, the MEKs Resistance Units have carried out various activities across Iran condemning this execution and honoring Navids memory. In this regard, the NCRI wrote in a statement on September 24: During the past week, Resistance Units and supporters of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK / PMOI) continued to protest the execution of Navid Afkari, and Mostafa Salehi, as well as the death sentences issued for other detained protesters.

Tehran- Activities of the supporters of the MEK in protest against Navid Afkaris execution September 16, 2020

The MEKs Resistance Units wrote graffiti and slogans on walls. Some of the slogans were: The only way for preventing the execution of the likes of Navid is to revolt and protest, Navid Afkaris execution is condemned, I am also a Navid Afkari, and Massoud Rajavi: The criminal IRGC must be disbanded.

In a similar development on Wednesday, the defiant and rebellious youths targeted the Iranian regimes court in Khavaran, near Tehran. The defiant youths attacked this court for its criminal decision to demolish the homes of impoverished residents of Khavaran.

The defiant youths attacked Iranian regimes court in Khavaran

The regime has tried to use the coronavirus outbreak and its mass casualties, by systematic inaction and cover-up, as a barrier to another uprising. The major Iran protests in November 2019 and the unprecedented general boycott of the mullahs sham parliamentary elections made it clear that Iranian people want regime change. The recent activities of the defiant youths are testaments to the Iranian peoples desire for regime change.

The recent actions by the defiant youths and the MEKs Resistance Units have also terrified the regimes officials. In this regard, Farhad Bashiri, the regimes Member of Parliament, on September 27 addressing officials said: Gentlemen wake up. Please be careful of whats happening inside [Iran] in the time left; pay attention to the youths and people.

The regimes concern is undeniable, and it is because the Iranian Resistance is its main enemy; and not least since the regime is very much terrified of the Resistance Units, and the activities of the defiant youth. The mullahs understand that it is the Iranian Resistance movement that directs all activities against the regime toward their downfall.

See the article here:
Iran: Ongoing Activities of MEK Resistance Units and Defiant Youths and Their Impact on Society - NCRI - National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)

A month shy of the November 03 US Presidential Elections 2020, President Donald Trump and Democratic Challenger Joe Biden went face-to-face in the first of three Presidential debates, leading to heated exchanges between the two contenders.

Meet The Russian Fighter Jet That Can Out-Do The F-22 Raptors, F-35 Jets Even After 60 Years

However, with the country left divided on whether to let Trump make American great again or to choose former Vice President Biden, there is a fear amidst top officials and intelligence agencies based in Washington, that foreign powers led by the likes of China, Russia and Iran will look to influence the election results.

Joseph Biden & Donald Trump

According to US intelligence agencies, in an operation which was directly ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow interfered in the 2016 US Presidential elections by wrecking Hillary Clintons campaign in favour of Trump in a bid to increase political and social discord in the United States.

Following multiple complaints from officials and intelligence agencies in Washington,Former FBI director Robert Muellerwas appointed as a special counsel to investigate the voting.

While a number of officials associated with Trumps campaign were jailed due to a variety of charges linked to the investigation, Mueller did not establish Trump colluding with the investigation, however, he said that the President was still not exonerated from his report.

The trend has continued four years on, withNational Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) head, William Evanina stating that China, Russia and Iran are among a host of countries looking to influence this years elections.

According to Evanina, many foreign countries are trying to influence voter preferences in a bid to change US policies to increase discord in the country and undermine the American peoples confidence in our democratic process.

While Russia is yet to be dissolved from the blame of aiding Trumps ascension as the 45th US President, Evanina says that Putins government has begun operations to boost Trumps candidacy on Russian Television and Social media as it looks to denigrate Bidens candidacy and other members of a perceived anti-Russia establishment.

Moreover,FBI Director Christopher Wray had issued a warning to the White House that Russia has been conducting a very active campaign to spread disinformation and meddle in the election against Joseph Biden.

We certainly have seen very active very active efforts by the Russians to influence our election in 2020. said Wray.

While commenting on Russian intervention in the elections, Biden has issued a warning to opponent Moscow, saying that there will be a price to pay there if it continues to interfere.However,Trump who has frequently downplayed Russias role in the 2016 elections, said:

I think the last person Russia wants to see in the office is Donald Trump. Nobodys been tougher on Russia than I have, ever.

With the Trump administration continuing its crackdown on Chinese companies and its tough military stance in the South China Sea, Beijing is not Trumps biggest fan on the planet.

In a statement issued by Evanina, he said China prefers that President Trump whom Beijing sees as unpredictable does not win re-election,

China is expanding its influence efforts to shape the policy environment in the United States, pressure political figures it views as opposed to Chinas interests, and counter-criticism of China.

Meanwhile,Trumps comments have gone in line with the speculation, with him stating China would love for us to have an election where Donald Trump lost to sleepy Joe Biden. They would dream (that) they would own our country. If Joe Biden was president, China would rule our country.

However, according to aneditorial in The Diplomat, even if there is a change in leadership there will be no major change in US policy towards China.

There will be a difference in tone, style and words between the Biden administration and the Trump administration on China, rather than a change in policy. written in the editorial of The Diplomat.

Under Donald Trump, the US and Iran have not stayed the best of friends with tensions soaring sky-high since the US Presidents decision to unilaterally withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, a deal which was signed by his predecessor Barrack Obama.

Moreover, Washington has begun re-imposing the sanctions that had been eased under the accord and have pursued to enforce UN sanctions on the country, leading to beliefs that Iran will not be behind the Trump-wagon and would choose Biden instead.

According to Evanina, Tehran will be against another term for President Trump, which according to them will result in a continuation of US pressure on Iran in an effort to foment regime change. He also says that Irans focus will be on online influence, such as spreading disinformation on social media and re-circulating anti-US content.

Moreover, Trump has given his take on the situation as well by stating that Iran would love to see him lose the elections. However,he also said If and when we win, we will make deals with Iran very quickly. We will make deals with North Korea very quickly. If I did not win the elections in 2016, our country would have been in war with North Korea. We actually have a relation with North Korea.

Continued here:
Biden or Trump: Whom Are Russia, China & Iran 'Secretly Supporting' As The Next US President? - EurAsian Times

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) The chief of Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened Saturday to go after everyone who had a role in a top generals January killing during a U.S. drone strike in Iraq.

The guards website quoted Gen. Hossein Salami as saying, Mr. Trump! Our revenge for martyrdom of our great general is obvious, serious and real.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned this week that Washington would harshly respond to any Iranian attempts to take revenge for the death of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, tweeting that if they hit us in any way, any form, written instructions already done were going to hit them 1000 times harder.

The presidents warning came in response to a report that Iran was plotting to assassinate the U.S. ambassador to South Africa in retaliation for Soleimanis killing at Baghdads airport at the beginning of the year.

We took out the worlds number one terrorist and the mass murderer of American troops and many, many troops and many people all over the world, Trump said. Qasem Soleimani is dead. Hes dead. Bad guy. Bad guy. Very bad guy.

Salami rejected the report of an Iranian plot to assassinate Ambassador Lana Marks, but made clear that Iran intends to avenge the generals death.

Do you think we hit a female ambassador in return to our martyred brother? the general said. We will hit those who had direct and indirect roles. You should know that everybody who had role in the event will be hit, and this is a serious message. We do prove everything in practice.

In January, Iran launched a ballistic missile attack targeting U.S. soldiers in Iraq in response to the fatal drone strike.

Trump has stepped up economic pressure on Iran with sanctions since he pulled the United States out of Irans nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.

Tehran has continued to expand its stockpile of enriched uranium and pressured other nations to offset the harm of U.S. sanctions, while insisting it does not want to develop a nuclear weapon.

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Iran vows 'hit' on all involved in US killing of top general - The Associated Press