Archive for the ‘Iran’ Category

Syria not using chemical weapons against terrorists: Iran’s defense minister – Press TV

Iran's defense minister says despite Western countries propaganda, Syrian forces have never used chemical weapons against terrorists, who are using weapons of mass destruction in their war against Damascus.

Addressing a ceremony held to mark the 30th anniversary of a chemical attack against the Iranian city of Sardasht, Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said during the past few days, 3,000-4,000 sorties have been conducted over the region by countries like the UK and Italy, who have announced that the Syrian government is planning to use chemical weapons in its future operations.

The Islamic Republic of Iran announces that the Syrian government is not after usingchemical weapons and this claim (that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons) by some individuals who regard themselves as the rulers of the world is questionable, he added.

Dozens of people were killed in a chemical attack in the Syrian town of Khan Shaykhun in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib on April 4.

The United States and its allies were quick to accuse the Syrian government forces of carrying out the attack. The Syrian army; however, said that it has never used them (chemical weapons), anytime, anywhere, and will not do so in the future.

Pointing to the US support for terror groups in the Middle East, the Iranian defense minister said the world is concerned that terrorists have combined terrorism and war with weapons of mass destruction.

He added that Takfiris are using weapons of mass destruction; however, some countries are cooperating with these terrorists instead of countering them.

The Iranian minister criticized some countriesfor claiming that they were countering terrorists at a time thatterror groups were provided with financial support.

The Islamic Republic is a victim of terrorism and chemical weapons, Dehqan said, adding, We have always expressed our objection to producing, stockpiling and use of weapons of mass destruction.

He emphasized that during the Iraqi imposed war on Iran in the 1980s, the Islamic Republic never used weapons of mass destruction and Iran's stance in this regard was unchanging.

Dehqan said 111 civilians lost their lives and more than 8,000 people were injured in the chemical attackon the Iranian city ofSardasht on June 28, 1987by Iraq during the rule of the executed Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein.

Sardasht was the third populated city in the world, after Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to be deliberately targeted with weapons of mass destruction. It was also the first city in the world to be attacked with poisonous gas.

The Iranian defense minister further expressed concern over the ongoing situation in the region and warned that acts of terror would result in terrible consequences for the international community.

Dehqan added, Weapons of mass destruction have never brought about security, but are used for killing and creating human catastrophe.

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Syria not using chemical weapons against terrorists: Iran's defense minister - Press TV

Iran and the Saudi deflection campaign – Salon

The net effect of Donald Trumps sycophantic support of Riyadh is that it absolves the Saudis of any of their own responsibility for terror.

The Saudi attempt to pin all the blame on Iran, and point to Qatar as its supposed chief subcontractor, flies in the face of whats really going on in the world.

Iran is anything but blameless, far from it. And Qatar is to blame as well. But if we look at Saudi money paths and Wahhabi indoctrination, it is clear that Saudi-sponsored terrorism is more virulent than ever before.

Simply put, the threat of Iranian-sponsored terrorism is so . . . 1980s. In contrast, what is very 21st century is Salafist terrorism.

And although Qatar sponsors or assists its share of that in Libya, the Sahara and Syria, the principal source of support, financial and ideological, that Salafist terrorists use has Saudi Arabia written all over it. It is Saudi-inspired and -educated machinations of deviousness that keep hitting Western targets.

Where does it end?

Thus, in the most charitable interpretation, what Trumps laissez faire translates into is that, instead of acknowledging Saudi terror sponsorship a key step if Trump really wanted to fight global terror he has given them not just a pass, but his blessing.

That is not just completely idiotic, but dangerous.

Whatever Irans faults, and they are plenty, unlike in Saudi Arabia, the Iranian regimes religious superstructure and hardline military are not representative of its people.

As we know from opinion polling and elections yes, Iran has those two-thirds of society, broadly speaking, embraces the universal notions of Western freedoms. If the number were to surpass 10-15% among Saudis, it would be astonishing.

Time to open our eyes

It is high time for the entire West to understand that Saudi Arabia is the far less favorable mirror image of Iran. Below the very thin veneer of an extremely cynical, U.S.-friendly royal regime, the Saudi population is deeply hostile and explosively reactionary.

That is so because those same Saudi rulers see to it that, in its mosques, as in as many mosques of the world as possible, the United States (and the rest of the West) is seen as the fountain of all evil.

For that reason, the United States, under Trump, has not just aligned itself one-sidedly, but if a choice were to be made also on the wrong side of the equation.

But at least the rest of the Western world should not close its eyes before all that limitless acid the Saudis are ready to spew.

In Trumps defense?

Perhaps the most stunning fact in all this is that Trump probably hasnt realized any of this. His mind works on a much planer level.

One part of the explanation is that Trump, forever craving for affirmation, thoroughly enjoys playing Americas meddler-in-chief. That is why he loved playing big man during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, where his hosts played him like a fiddle. They even pumped up his needy ego with huge banners of his face.

The other part is the U.S. President probably just wanted to do the Saudis, a longtime U.S. ally and excellent customer for U.S. military goods, a favor.

In Trumps world, that is an entirely rational act: The customer is always right (provided he also pleases Trump).

No wonder then that, after his return and in view of the looming Saudi blockade of Qatar, Trump dutifully took to the tweet waves to sanctify the Saudi action.

Meddler in Chief

What is indisputable is that, with Trump in the Oval Office, a dangerous amateur gets to play games the real meaning of which he does not comprehend.

The sad news is that Donald Trump, the veteran pitchman for whoever will put his name and face on their product or service for a ludicrously high fee, has now effectively made himself the chief Saudi lobbyist not just in the United States, but the world at large.

Amazingly, for that to happen, he did not even have to be hijacked or taken hostage. He volunteered for the job.

Quid pro quo?

One wonders why. Donald Trump doesnt have a lot of good sense, but he aint stupid. It is hard to imagine that he acted out of conviction.

As far as we know, Mr. Trump does not currently receive any compensation from the Saudis for that pivotal role (other than the proceeds from some hotel bookings in Washington, D.C.).

But as he knows full well, that is not what matters. As commercially-minded and transactional as both he and the Saudis are, one can rest assured that there will likely be some big condo deals for the Trump Organization throughout the Gulf as well as other niceties.

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Iran and the Saudi deflection campaign - Salon

Iranian dissidents rally in France for the overthrow of Iran’s theocracy – Washington Times

LE BOURGET, France Thousands of supporters of a dissident Iranian opposition group rallied here Saturday for the overthrow of Irans theocratic government at an event that featured speeches by several Trump administration allies including Newt Gingrich and Rudolph Giuliani as well as the former head of Saudi intelligence.

The boisterous event, held annually in this town just north of Paris, was organized by the controversial National Council of Resistance of Iran, a France-based group of Iranian exiles that brings dozens of current and former U.S., European and Middle Eastern officials together to speak out in support of regime change in Tehran.

While the Trump administrations posture on the issue is elusive, Mr. Giuliani drew large cheers here by asserting that the new U.S. presidents view is far different from that of his predecessor, who led world powers to dramatically ease sanctions on the Islamic republic with the 2014 Iranian nuclear accord.

Mr. Trump is laser focused on the danger of Iran to the freedom of the world, said Mr. Giuliani, who was perceived by many at Saturdays rally to be an emissary for Mr. Trump, despite holding no formal cabinet position in the administration.

Unlike the Obama administration, the former New York City mayor said, Mr. Trump is not in a state of denial on Iran.

Iran must be free! added Mr. Gingrich, a Republican former House speaker, who rallied the crowd by condemning Tehrans record of human rights abuses.

The two, who both were close advisors to Mr. Trumps presidential campaign, headed a U.S. delegation at Saturdays rally that included several former Democrat lawmakers, as well as three active Republican Congressmen: Reps. Ted Poe of Texas, Thomas Garrett of Virginia and Robert Pittenger of North Carolina.

But it was an appearance by Prince Turki bin Faisal Al-Saud, the former longtime Saudi intelligence chief, that may have been the most significant part of Saturdays rally.

I salute you, said the prince, who was in attendance for the second year in a row, and whose presence suggested that Saudi Arabias Sunni Muslim monarchy openly supports regime change in Iran the Mideasts Shiite powerhouse and Riyadhs main rival.

Prince Faisals appearance prompted speculation that the Saudis may even have helped finance Saturdays rally, although organizers flatly denied that, asserting instead that funding for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) comes entirely in the form of donations from Iranians disgusted with the government in Tehran.

Controversial group

Saturdays rally was a marathon of speeches and musical performances. But it drew only limited mention in most mainstream Western media, presumably because of the turbulent history that the NCRI has with the European Union and Washington.

There were more than a dozen current and former officials in attendance from EU nations, including former French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. But, in what could be read as sign of the current French leaderships feelings toward the NCRI, newly-elected President Emmanuel Macron steered clear of the event.

Alternatively, French officials hosted Irans foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, in Paris on Thursday and Iranian state media claimed Mr. Macron was among those hed met. Frances foreign ministry offered no verification of the meeting, but acknowledged talks between Mr. Zarif and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Political uneasiness toward the NCRI, meanwhile, stems partly from the organizations most influential faction, the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or MEK an outfit the EU and Washington listed for years as a terrorist group.

The MEK first appeared on the scene during the late 1970s, when it engaged in a power struggle against leaders of Irans Islamic Revolution. The group was later known to have carried out terrorist attacks against Iranian government targets during the 1980s. While U.S. officials say it also participated in attacks on Americans, MEK representatives have long argued that the terrorist listing was never driven by legitimate U.S. national security concerns.

After an exhaustive campaign that saw MEK supporters spend millions lobbying and cozying up to current and former U.S. officials, the group was removed from EU and U.S. terror lists in 2009 and 2012, respectively.

While media scrutiny of the MEK has lingered, the bigger NCRI political wing of the organization has come to be known during more recent years as perhaps the only dissent group on the planet with enough money and juice to rally tens of thousands of supporters in the heart of Europe each June behind a collective call for the overthrow of Irans government.

Saturdays rally went off without a hitch. Confetti was blasted over a crowd that organizers claimed was more than 10,000 strong inside a vast convention hall here that pulsed with notably more upbeat energy than past years a reality that some attendees credited to the rise in Washington of a Trump government seen as eager to take action against Iran.

The most aggressive speech came from NCRI leader Maryam Rajavi, who condemned the religious dictatorship of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and asserted that the regime is run by executioners, whove imprisoned or killed tens of thousands of opposition figures since coming to power in 1979.

Mrs. Rajavi called Irans recent election a sham and accused President Hassan Rouhani of complicity in all of the regimes crimes against the Iranian people.

Overthrow is possible and within reach, she said. Iranian society is simmering with discontent and the international community is finally getting closer to the reality that appeasing the ruling theocracy is misguided.

The only solution is regime change, said Mrs. Rajavi, whos the NCRI since its founder her husband, Massoud Rajavi went into hiding in 2003.

In an email interview with The Washington Times last year, she claimed the organization represent[s] the voice of millions of Iranians who are being oppressed in their country and who seek regime change and the establishment of a democratic, pluralist and non-nuclear government based on the separation of religion and state.

But critic question the NCRIs tactics and the extent of its reach inside Iran.

Ariana M. Tabatabai, an Iranian-American who teaches security studies at Georgetown University, told The Times last week that the NCRI is a cult-like organization and said people inside Iran dont see it as a viable alternative to the Islamic republic.

That doesnt mean that the Islamic republic is widely popular, but it is more popular than the MEK and NCRI, and the reason is that this is a group that was known for its terrorist activities against the Iranian state during the Iran-Iraq war [of the 1980s], Ms. Tabatabai said.

Seeking regime change

NCRI supporters say their organization is the most influential on the Iranian opposition landscape.

No one in the Iranian opposition stands out the way the NCRI stands out in terms of their day to day engagement with the Iranian public, says Ramesh Sepehrrad, a long-time Iranian-American womens rights activist, who works with George Mason Universitys School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution.

Ms. Sepehrrad told a panel ahead of the rally here that its difficult to measure the NCRIs popularity inside Iran because the regime has made the price very, very high for the Iranian people to express their support for the movement. Thousands of their supporters and their family members have been executed and imprisoned by the regime, she said.

Shahin Gobadi, a member of the NCRIs foreign affairs committee, claims the group has become more active inside Iran over the past year. People are realizing more and more, especially young people, that regime change is the only answer, Mr. Gobadi told The Times.

But whether the Trump administration stands behind regime change remains unclear.

Jack Keane, a retired four star U.S. Army general with the Institute for the Study of War in Washington, says the president is crafting a far more aggressive policy than his predecessor.

What I dont know, said Mr. Keane, who also spoke on a panel ahead the rally, is if they would make a strategic move to undermine the regime to the point that it would be overthrown.

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Iranian dissidents rally in France for the overthrow of Iran's theocracy - Washington Times

Carsen Edwards Shines in US 108-48 win over Iran – Hammer and Rails

Well, we now know that the United States is better than Iran at basketball.

Like, a lot better.

The U.S. Under-19 squad had absolutely no problem today in its World Cup opener against Iran. The U.S. rolled to an easy 108-48 win over the Iranians and was hardly challenged in the process. Our own Carsen Edwards played a solid game as well. He was the second leading scorer with 15 points on an efficient 5 of 6 shooting from the field. He connected on three of his four 3-point attempts and three assists and a rebound.

If youre into plus/minus, Carsen had an impressive +32 in the 22:10 he played. He came off the bench for this one, but could earn a starting spot before all is said and done.

Sorry I got this wrap up late, but I am on the road this weekend in northwest Indiana. Carsen and team USA play again on Sunday morning against Angola at 12:15pm. Once again, The livestream will be carried here.

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Carsen Edwards Shines in US 108-48 win over Iran - Hammer and Rails

Auburn’s Austin Wiley & USA Basketball defeats Iran 108-48 – Auburn Tigers Official Athletic Site

July 1, 2017

AUBURN, Ala. Sophomore Austin Wiley had five points, eight rebounds, a block and an assist as USA Basketball led from start to finish defeating Iran 108-48 in the FIBA U19 World Cup Group D opener in Cairo, Egypt at the Cairo Stadium Indoor Hall on Saturday.

Wiley, who was the USAs captain and started at center, was saddled with two quick fouls but impressed as he was tied for the second-highest plus-minus on the team at +33 in only 14:58 of playing time.

The Hoover, Ala., native was 2-of-3 from the floor, 1-of-2 from the foul line had seven of his eight rebounds were on the defensive glass.

The United States shot 60.4 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from 3-point range and outrebounded Iran 52-29.

To watch the USA-Iran game again, go to http://www.fiba.com/world/u19/2017/0107/Iran-USA.

USA continues Group D play Sunday against Angola at 11:15 am CT before its final group play game against Italy on July 4 at 9:30 am. All games are steamed live at FIBA.com.

Following the preliminary round, all 16 teams will be seeded according to group play results and will advance to the July 5 round of 16. Winners will advance to the July 7 medal quarterfinals, while the remaining teams will continue playing out for classification.

The medal semifinals will be held July 8, and the gold and bronze medal games on July 9.

Wiley will be vying for his second-straight gold in as many summers as he was averaged 8.0 points and a team second-best 6.4 rebounds for Team USAs gold medal winner at the FIBA Mens U17 World Championship in Zaragoza, Spain in 2016.

The United States is looking for its third-straight gold medal at the FIBA U19 World Cup after winning over Serbia in 2013 in Prague, Czech Republic and defeating Croatia in 2015 in Heraklion, Greece.

For additional information, go to usab.com and http://www.fiba.com/world/u19/2017

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Auburn's Austin Wiley & USA Basketball defeats Iran 108-48 - Auburn Tigers Official Athletic Site