Yemen 🇾🇪 | The North-South Divide | Al Jazeera World

Great documentary detailing the history and politics of Yemen. For students of political unifications, Yemen is an interesting case studyOne thing is clear, war and conflict cannot remedy situations, if anything it makes it worse. The death of Ali Abdullah Saleh can offer a new beginning in #Yemen.

Iran Revolution Anniversary Reflections

Via Reuters
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday Tehran would not negotiate about its disputed nuclear program under pressure, but would talk to its adversaries if they stopped "pointing the gun". In a speech to mark the 34th anniversary of the Islamic revolution, he struck a more conciliatory tone than Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who on February 7 rebuffed a U.S. call for direct negotiations between the two countries. Ahmadinejad does not have the authority to authorize talks over the nuclear program, which lies with Khamenei. Iran has already agreed to a new round of talks with world powers, but not direct U.S. talks, in Kazakhstan on February 26. 

"You cannot point a gun at the Iranian nation and then expect them to have negotiations with you," Ahmadinejad told a crowd gathered in the capital Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square. His speech was carried live on state television. "Talks should not be used as a lever to impose one's opinions ... If you stop pointing the gun at the Iranian nation, I will negotiate (with you) myself," he added. The United States and some of its allies suspect Iran may be trying to develop atomic weapons capability under the cover of a civilian nuclear energy program, a charge Iran has denied. Many experts believe any nuclear deal needs a U.S.-Iranian thaw and direct talks addressing myriad sources of mutual mistrust and hostility lingering since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and hostage crisis at the U.S. embassy in Tehran.
 

ENEMIES "WILL NOT SUCCEED"
Tehran wants sanctions lifted that have slashed oil exports and helped cut the value of the Iranian rial, raising inflation and weakening purchasing power for ordinary Iranians. People held banners saying "Down With U.S.A." at state-organized demonstrations in Tehran and other cities to mark the anniversary of the ousting of a Western- friendly monarchy in favor of clerical leadership under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Ahmadinejad did not address specifics of the planned talks in Kazakhstan. He said Iran would counter sanctions by boosting non-oil exports and weaning itself off crude oil revenues. "Enemies are trying their utmost to put pressure on the Iranian nation to stop its progress but they will not succeed," he said. Khamenei on Thursday rejected a U.S. offer of direct talks, saying talks and pressure were incompatible. He was believed to have been replying to remarks by Vice President Joe Biden, who said on February 2 the United States was ready for direct talks if Iran was serious about negotiations.

SHOW OF UNITY 

The national celebrations are taking place a week after Ahmadinejad and his political rival, parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani, traded public accusations of corruption, an outbreak of infighting that is expected to grow more vicious as the country approaches presidential elections slated for June. The parliament is dominated by a faction loyal to Khamenei and hostile to Ahmadinejad, who cannot stand for reelection. Khamenei, Iran's unelected leader, has struggled to suppress rows among officials which have broken out into the open despite warning that such public spats were a betrayal of the country. 

The last presidential election in 2009 set off mass protests at Ahmadinejad's victory, which opponents called fraudulent. Ahmadinejad is believed to have since lost Khamenei's backing. In January, Khamenei's representative to the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ali Saeedi, said it was part of the role of the Guards to "engineer" the elections. Ahmadinejad, who is believed to want to maintain influence after stepping down, possibly by backing an ally as a candidate, appeared to warn against such efforts on Sunday. "Some people say they want to engineer and manage the election,Ahmadinejad said. "The great Iranian nation knows which path to take ... some must not speak or act in such a way so as to play into the hands of Iran's deceitful enemies."

Tunisians gather to bury slain opposition leader

Thousands of Tunisians gathered at their capital, Tunis for the funeral of opposition leader Chokri Belaid who was killed on Wednesday outside his home by an unknown gunman. Belaid was a popular human rights activist and a staunch critic of the government which is led by the Islamist Ennahda party. Tunisia's unions have blamed the government, but Ennahda has denied accusations and condemned the killing. Protests and clashes have broken out across Tunisia. One police officer has been killed and another is in a coma. According to Tunisian media, over a dozen Ennahda offices were attacked overnight. Unions have called a general strike to coincide with Belaid's burial. A number of flights have been canceled, and some universities and schools will be closed through the weekend. Adding to tensions and highlighting divisions within the ruling party, Ennahda rejected a proposal on Thursday by Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali to form a national unity government, saying the prime minister had not consulted with the party prior to making the announcement.

Ayatollah Khamenei rejects talks with US

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei strongly rejected an offer by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden for direct talks over the country's nuclear development program in remarks posted on his website on Thursday. Biden made the offer on Saturday saying the U.S. was ready to hold one-on-one talks with Iran "when the Iranian leadership, supreme leader, is serious." However, Khamenei maintained that talks would not solve the problem. He wrote, "You take up arms against the nation of Iran and say: 'negotiate or we fire.' But you should know that pressure and negotiations are not compatible and our nation will not be intimidated into actions." The statement came after the U.S. Treasury Department announced new economic sanctions on Wednesday as sanctions that were enacted in August 2012 took effect. The new sanctions target companies involved in inhibiting the flow of information and cracking down on dissent such as the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting and its director, the Iran Cyber Police, the Communications Regulatory Authority, and Iran Electronics Industries which makes equipment used for jamming and monitoring. The sanctions from last summer will target companies connected with Iran's energy, petrochemical, insurance, financial, and shipping sectors. While one senior U.S. official said the move is "a significant turning of the screw" others are more skeptical. According to another senior U.S. official, "The people may be suffering in Iran, but the supreme leader isn't, and he's the only one who counts."

Iran marks 34th anniversary of Islamic Revolution

Via Press TV

Special ceremonies are being held across Iran to mark the 34th anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the US-backed Pahlavi regime. The ceremonies kicked off all over the country on Thursday morning at 9:33 a.m. local time (0603 GMT), the time when the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, returned to the Iranian capital, Tehran, on February 1, 1979 after a 15-year exile in Paris. 

 

High-ranking Iranian officials and people from all walks of life came together at the mausoleum of the founder of the Islamic Republic in southern Tehran to renew their allegiance to the ideals of late Imam Khomeini. 

The day of Imam Khomeini's return to Iran marks the beginning of the Ten Days of Dawn, which culminates with the anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution on February 10. Iranians have arranged different programs to celebrate the event by honoring Imam Khomeini's historic return and the memory of the revolution’s martyrs. On Wednesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the mausoleum of the late Imam Khomeini to pay tribute to the founder of the Islamic Revolution. 

 

 The Iranian nation toppled the US-backed Pahlavi regime 34 years ago, ending 2,500 years of monarchic rule in the country. The Islamic Revolution, under the guidance of Imam Khomeini, established a new political system based on Islamic values and democracy.

Iran to send living creature into space

Via Press TV

 

Head of Iran’s Space Agency (ISA) Hamid Fazeli says the country plans to send a living organism into space on board the Pishgam (Pioneer) satellite carrier in the near future.

“Iran’s Space Agency (ISA) is fully prepared to send the Pishgam satellite carrier bearing a bio-capsule with a living creature,” Fazeli said Sunday.

He expressed hope that the Pishgam satellite carrier, previously known as the Kavoshgar 5 (Explorer 5), would “soon” be successfully launched into space carrying a monkey. Iran sent its first bio-capsule of living creatures into space in February 2010, using the indigenous Kavoshgar 3 carrier.

The country successfully launched its first indigenous data-processing satellite, Omid (Hope), into orbit in 2009. As part of a plan to develop its space program, Iran also successfully launched its second satellite, dubbed Rassad (Observation), into the earth's orbit in June 2011. Rassad's mission was to take images of the Earth and transmit them along with telemetry information to ground stations.

Iran also launched its domestically-built Navid-e Elm-o Sanat (Harbinger of Science and Industry) satellite into orbit in February 2012. The records made by the telecom, measurement and scientific satellite could be used in a wide range of fields. Iran is one of the 24 founding members of the United Nations' Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, which was set up in 1959.

Why Iran should get the bomb: A review of Waltz's perspective

Monday, 27 November, 2012: The acclaimed neo-realist theorist Kenneth Waltz is of the view that Iran should go nuclear. He believes that a nuclear Iran will bring nuclear stability in the Middle East region. There have been historical enmity and callous relationship between Iran and the US and her ally Israel. The tensions have been recently been exacerbated by Iran’s nuclear ambition. The West has responded to these attempts by slapping Tehran with numerous sanctions and trade embargos on her goods.

The implications of Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been written and widely argued on how dangerous such a move will be. Most US, European and Israel commentators and policymakers warn that a nuclear-armed Iran would be the worst possible outcome of the standoff on uranium enrichment in Iran. A number of avenues have been postulated on how to deal with the crisis over Iran’s nuclear program. As noted earlier, sanctions have been used to punish Iran but they have relentlessly pursued the desire for nuclear technology.  Analysts have seen this measure as futile since Iran is determined to pursue her security agenda by possessing nuclear technology, just like the other world super powers. By the look of things, Iran is not willing to drop its nuclear ambition. 

The implications of such a move can also be interpreted with a positive touch. Israel’s regional nuclear monopoly, which has endured for close to five decades now, has long fueled instability in the region. Regional balance of power in the Middle East can be stabilized with a nuclear Iran. Kenneth Waltz has argued that the fear of a reprisal attack on Israel by Iran is grossly exaggerated. This has completely distorted the positives of such a move by Iran. There have been misjudged arguments that the Ayatollahs and whole Iranian system is irrational and will hit Israel after acquiring a bomb. On the contrary, Iran as a state wants to compete with other developed nations around the world. History has shown us that when countries acquire nuclear arsenal, they feel increasingly vulnerable and become acutely aware of the dangers posed therewith. 

In 1991, the historical rivals of India and Pakistan signed a treaty agreeing not to target each other nuclear facilities. The two, by virtue of such an agreement respect each other and brought about balance of power in the region. It’s for this reason that Waltz argues that a nuclear Iran will bring about more stability in the Middle East region. A nuclear Iran will bring stability and possibly mend relations with Israel. Who knows?            

Iranians to hold nationwide anti-Israeli demo

Via Press TV

Iran's Islamic Publicity Coordination Council has called on the Iranian people to take part in nationwide demonstrations to condemn Israeli aggression against the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip. The demonstrations are set to be held across the country after Friday Prayers.

 

In a statement issued on Thursday, the council condemned the latest wave of Israeli attacks on the coastal enclave, calling on the Iranians to take to the streets to vent their anger at the fake Zionist regime of Israel and to express their sympathy with the oppressed people of the Gaza Strip.  At least 21 people have been killed and over 160 others injured in the new wave of attacks on the costal sliver, which started on Wednesday.

 

Israel aborted 2010 war plan against Iran out of fear: Report

Via Press TV

A new report reveals that a planned Israeli strike against Iran in 2010 was thwarted due to Tel Aviv’s qualms about its own military capabilities as well as top-echelon internal opposition against the measure.

According to a Sunday report by prominent investigative journalist Ilana Dayan on an Israeli news channel, at a 2010 meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister for Military Affairs Ehud Barak and a small circle of top ministers, the premier asked the Israeli military to prepare for an imminent strike on Iran’s nuclear energy facilities, Ynetnews reports.

The report which was a promotional preview for an hour-long documentary on a decade of Israel’s decision-making process with regard to Iran is scheduled to be broadcast on Israeli TV’s Channel 2 on Monday night.

During the meeting Netanyahu called on former Chairman of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Gabi Ashkenazi to “set the systems for P-plus,” meaning an operation will start soon, the report said.

“Eventually, at the moment of truth, the answer that was given was that, in fact, the ability did not exist,” Barak said in the clip shown in the preview report.

Ashkenazi along with Meir Dagan, former head of Mossad, who stepped down after the meeting, slammed Netanyahu’s order as an attempt aimed at “stealing a war,” and argued that such a decision required the confirmation of all the Israeli ministers, not a small group of officials.

Ashkenazi had reportedly declared that adopting a military measure against Iran would be a “strategic mistake.”

Dayan, who made the documentary, said the Israeli censors prevented her from mentioning the exact date of the 2010 meeting.

Tel Aviv has repeatedly threatened Iran with a military strike, saying that Tehran is seeking to produce a nuclear bomb, a claim Iran has vehemently rejected.