Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei's letter to Hamas leader Ismail Haniya

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The following is the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei’s letter to Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in which the Leader praises the bravery of resistance fighters in the Gaza Strip.

In the Name of God the Compassionate and the Merciful

To the Hamas leader Ismail Haniya

“Peace be unto you and so may the mercy of Allah and His blessings”

The 20-day perseverance of you, the courageous resistance fighters and the people of Gaza against one of the most atrocious war crimes in the history of the world has hoisted the flag of glory overhead the Islamic Ummah. You have proven that Muslim hearts filled with confidence in God and the Day of Judgment, which will not bow to oppression, can create such heroism that will bring the arrogant powers of the world and their well-equipped armies to their knees.

The army, which you have managed with your perseverance to keep outside Gaza City for the past 20 days, is the same army that took large portions of three Arab states in just six days.

You must be proud of your unshakable faith in God almighty and his promises, of your courage, patience and sacrifices, as today, the whole of the Muslim world is proud of it. Your resistance has brought shame on the US, the Zionist regime and their supporters in the United Nations and in certain Islamic countries.

Today, not only Muslim nations, but also many European and American nations have acknowledged your righteousness. In our eyes, you are victorious today and with the continuation of your resistance, you will further bring shame to the enemy.

You must remember that “Your Lord has not forsaken you, nor has He become displeased,” and that “Soon your Lord will give you so that you shall be well pleased,” God willing.

But even so the atrocities committed in Gaza and the death of innocent Palestinians, especially the children, has deeply saddened us. Our entire nation is in mourning because of the crimes committed by the occupiers of Palestine which are broadcast from our television channels everyday.

I pray to God for a speedy victory. As God almighty never goes back on his promises and has said “And surely Allah will help him who helps His cause; most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty” and “Those who strive, strive for their own good”….

Those among the Arab world who have committed treachery must know that a fate no better than that of the Jewish people involved in the battle of the clans will befall them, as God almighty has said “He also brought down their allies among the people of the scripture from their secure positions.”

The nations of the world stand beside the people and resistance fighters of Gaza. Any government that goes against the will of its nation will further distance itself from its people and the fate of such government is obvious.

They must remember that the Commander of the Faithful Ali ibn Abi Talib has said “Living a life of defeat is death and a death with dignity is life.”

I salute you and the resistance fighters of Gaza and the oppressed and resistant people of Gaza.

Aside from the Islamic Republic of Iran’s efforts to aid you, which we have viewed it as our duty, I pray for you day and night. I wish you patience and victory from God almighty.

“Peace be unto you and unto every pious person and so may be the mercy of Allah and His blessings”

Seyyed Ali Khamenei

Israel plans for solo attack on Iran

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israiel-planes“While its preference is to coordinate with the US, defense officials have said Israel is preparing a wide range of options for such an operation,” The Jerusalem Post claimed on Thursday.

“It is always better to coordinate, but we are also preparing options that do not include coordination,” the daily quoted an unnamed “top official” as saying last week.

The daily added Israeli officials said although it is difficult to launch an air raid against Iran without receiving help from the US Air Force which controls Iraq’s air space, such an operation is not impossible.

The report came after news stories claiming that US President George W. Bush had refused to give the green light to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for a military attack on Iran.

Iran has warned that it would deal “a crushing response” to Israel if Tel Aviv launched an air raid against the country.

Israel and its allies have been accusing Iran of developing nuclear weapons. Iran, however, says its nuclear activities are solely aimed at peaceful purposes.

Foreign universities to come to Iran

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foreign-uniArsalan Qorbani, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Science, Research and Technology, said that a committee has been formed to work on the plan, IRNA reported.

“As far as science, research and technology is concerned, we should think globally and Iranian universities should maintain international standards,” he added.

Qorbani also noted that the government will take measures to promote cooperation among Iranian universities.

Iran 'perfectly capable' of closing Hormuz

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iranAfter NATO naval forces commander Vice Admiral Maurizio Gemignani dismissed the Iranian warning about blocking the Strait of Hormuz, chief Iranian navy commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said Iran has strategic planning and has done necessary groundwork to ensure the success of such a measure.

The Italian navy official said earlier in November that Iranian threats to close the strategic Persian Gulf waterway are merely a “fantasy” and the international passage cannot be blocked.

Rear Adm. Sayyari told IRNA on Saturday that the location of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and its proximity to Iran’s Assalouyeh oil and gas facilities along with the country’s Bushehr nuclear installation has prompted the Islamic Republic to draw up a contingency plan to protect its sovereignty.

“We are perfectly capable of blockading the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf and whoever doubts our capabilities can take a step and see the consequences,” cautioned the Iranian navy chief.

Iran first warned of the closure of the strategic strait in June after over 100 Israeli F-16s and F-15s staged a large-scale maneuver, believed to be in preparation for a war on Iran.

Tel Aviv alleges that Tehran, a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has plans ‘to build a nuclear weapon’, claiming a nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat to Israel.

Iran denies the Israeli claim, insisting that its enrichment program is solely directed at the civilian applications of the technology.

“When a country comes under attack, it naturally uses all its capacities to confront the enemy,” Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Major General Mohammad-Ali Jafari said in reference to Iran’s ability to cut the stream of oil by closing the Strait of Hormuz.

The strategic waterway — through which as much as 40 percent of the world’s sea-transited oil supplies pass — links the oil-rich region to international waters.

Iran has warned that in times of war, the passage can be effectively blockaded with high-tech weapons systems capable of targeting any vessel within a range of 185 miles (300 km) from Iranian shores.

Rear Adm. Sayyari said as a key regional player Iran can never be excluded from regional security concerns, pointing out that 2,000 kilometers of the shore is under the Islamic Republic’s ruling.

In further preparation, Iran also upgraded the Asalouyeh Naval Base in the Persian Gulf and inaugurated a new naval base in the port of Jask located in the Sea of Oman in order to tighten its grip on the strategic region.

The top Iranian navy official said the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces has called for the close cooperation of the country’s military and IRGC forces in the entire strategic waterway as the security of the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz are closely connected.

Iran would 'hit US warships' at war

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iran-hitTop Iranian Army commander Major General Ataollah Salehi said Sunday that the recent war rhetoric against the country has prompted Iran’s military brass to task analysts with developing quick-reaction contingency plans.

The general said the “heavy weight” of enemy warships provides the Iranian side with an ideal opportunity for launching successful counter-attacks.

This is while earlier in June, The New York Sun reported that America’s intelligence analysts were poring over scenarios for an Iranian attack on the US 5th Fleet, located in Bahrain.

The scenarios included offensives by Iranian warships equipped with Russian-designed Shkval torpedoes.

Among the US warships currently present in the Persian Gulf are the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima and USS Mount Whitney as well as the Destroyer Squadron 50/CTF 55 and the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group.

Maj. Gen. Salehi also stated that the Iranian Navy is on a constant watch in the Persian Gulf as the Iranian Commander-in-Chief, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, has warned that the enemy is on the lookout for “a moment of neglect”.

Salehi’s remarks come shortly after chief Iranian navy commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said Saturday that Iran is “perfectly capable” of blocking the Strait of Hormuz to protect its sovereignty should the country come under attack.

“We are perfectly capable of blockading the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf and whoever doubts our capabilities can take a step and see the consequences,” Sayyari warned.

Iran, in further preparation has also upgraded the Asalouyeh Naval Base in the Persian Gulf and inaugurated a new naval base in the port of Jask located in the Sea of Oman in order to tighten its grip on the strategic region.

US gathering intel on Iran defenses?

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us-intelReports have suggested that escalating Israeli threats against Iranian national security have prompted the Islamic Republic to seek the sophisticated S-300 anti-aircraft system.

Tel Aviv alleges that Tehran, a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has plans to build a nuclear weapon.

While claiming that a nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat to Tel Aviv, Israeli officials argue that the use of military force is a legitimate option in halting the country’s nuclear progress.

According to the Kommersant-Ukraine daily, Ukrainian state arms exporter Ukrspetsexport has provided the US military with the 36D6 Tin Shield, a sophisticated radar used in the S-300 system.

The Pentagon, according to the paper, is interested in mastering the vulnerabilities and defense capabilities of the Tin Shield.

The 36D6 is a mobile radar system used as a reconnaissance and targeting system. It is highly effective in detecting low-, medium-, and high-altitude targets and is capable of moving in a broad speed range.

The Tin Shield, which enjoys high interference immunity under active and passive jamming conditions, allows the S-300 system to simultaneously track 100 targets 75 miles (120 km) away.

Officials in Tel Aviv have long lobbied to prevent Russia from selling the system to Iran. According to long-time Pentagon advisor Dan Goure, “If Tehran obtained the S-300, it would be a game-changer in military thinking for tackling Iran.”

Following the August conflict in the Caucasus, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Sallai Meridor, suggested Russia to be willing to provide the system to Iran but pleaded the Kremlin not to sell the system to the “adversaries” of Tel Aviv.

“We hope that, despite the events in Georgia, the Russians will not supply Iran with arms,” said Meridor after it was revealed that Israel provided weapons and intelligence, which were used against South Ossetia.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry in September denied reports that Tehran had acquired the S-300 system. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also commented on the issue in October, saying that Moscow would not sell the S-300 to countries ‘in volatile regions’.

According to Goure, should the Russian S-300 deal with Iran go through, “it could be the catalyst which would trigger Israel to launch a pre-emptive attack on [Iranian] nuclear sites”.

This is while a Sunday-leaked security assessment drawn up by Israeli military chiefs calls for the preparation of contingency plans for an attack on Iran, despite the common belief that a war with Tehran would push the US into another armed conflict in the Middle East.
The intelligence assessment indicates that Israel has a “limited” window of opportunity to act against Iran, raising fears that the Obama administration might lead up to the restoration of Washington-Tehran relations.

The Israeli call for military action comes after the release of the latest report on Tehran by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is the UN agency pertinent to the Iranian nuclear program.

The UN body says it has “been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran”.

The agency, however, insists that unless Tehran increases its cooperation with the agency, the UN body “will not be able to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran”.