Jafferia Alliance Pakistan will hold a Majlis-e-Tahreem for isaal-e-sawab of Grand AYATULLAH UL UZMA AALI QADAR MOhammad Taqi Bahjat (R.A) at BARGAH-E-HUSSAINI Block-2 P.E.C.H.S society on Thursday 21st may at 9:00 Pm sharp. you are requested to attend.
Monthly Archives: May 2009
Moussa: Israel major threat to region and Arabs
Arab countries do not have any problem with Iran and efforts to reach a compromise with Israel have not produced any positive result, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa stated on Sunday.
“Actually, the Arab world does not have any problem with Iran. The main problem and major threat to the region and Arabs is Israel’s nuclear activity,” he said during a meeting on the Middle East peace process in Shuneh, Jordan.
Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi, Jordanian Prime Minister Nader al-Dahabi, and Russian special envoy to the Middle East Alexander Sultanov also attended the meeting.
Moussa said all parties must agree on a Palestinian government that will act responsibly in order to establish lasting peace.
Israel should not only halt building settlements but should also dismantle all of them because they have been built illegally; otherwise, dialogue will lead nowhere, he added.
If the Arab countries start a new round of talks with Israel without setting preconditions, specifically that Israel halt construction of new settlements and dismantle the old settlements, they are in fact acting against themselves, he noted.
“If Jewish settlements are not evacuated soon, we should halt all political efforts for reaching a compromise, and come to realize that we have no option but resistance. Well, if the two-state solution is not possible, we can focus on one state that is established based on votes cast by all real residents of the Palestinian territory. This is the international community’s responsibility.”
The Arab League secretary general also said, “I take Obama’s remarks about change and his interest in peace and dialogue seriously.” However, if there is no significant progress in 2009 with U.S. support, all hopes will fade.”
Moussa also defended Iran’s right to have a civilian nuclear energy program.
As long as the International Atomic Energy Agency has not reported any deviation in Iran’s nuclear program, no one is allowed to say Iran should halt its nuclear activities, he asserted.
“Nuclear disarmament is a global issue, and it is not possible to forget Israel and talk about the Iran ‘threat’ all the time. This is a mistake,” he added.
He went on to say that the community of nations must address the issue of Israel’s nuclear arsenal, pointing out that it is not possible to be an advocate of nuclear disarmament and at the same time ignore this issue.
Grand Ayatullah Muhammad Taqi Behjat has died
With deep sorrow and grief, J.A.P announce the sad demise of Ayatullah aali qadar Agha Taqi Muhammad behjat who passed away in Qum today at the age of 96 at Vali e Asr hospital. May his soul rest in peace. We extend our heartfelt grief to all momineens and to Imam Zamana a.f.
Grandeur lies in aspirations of Islamic Revolution
On the fifth day of his visit to Kurdistan province, the Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei regarded national dignity as a very effective factor in the brilliant future of the Iranian people.
Addressing a very enthusiastic gathering of the faithful, affectionate and brave people of Marivan, the IR Leader stressed: “The glorious future belongs to the youths and it has to be be fulfilled by relying on Islamic, national and indigenous recipes and avoiding alien recipes.”
In this gathering that was organized in Marivan’s Zagros stadium, Ayatollah Khamenei regarded fighting the aliens that seek the nation’s humiliation and abjection as a prerequisite for national dignity and said: “The enemies of this great land see no benefit for themselves in the progress and glory of Islamic Iran; therefore, any dependence to alien-written recipes is against national interests and would destroy the country’s independence, dignity and prosperity.”
The IR Leader regarded the inability of the Western capitalism in confronting economic crises as a clear reason for the weakness of management methods in Western countries, adding: “The officials, the people and especially the youth and thinkers should contemplate on this reality.”
He considered the pure Islam, namely the Islam of Qoran, Sunna and Ahl-ul-Bait as the base and original recipe for the movement and progress of the nation and system, stressing: “We do not call anyone to the petrified and narrow-minded Islam, but the Islam that we regard as treatment for pains and guarantee for the country’s progress and glory is an Islam that calls the human being to thinking and contemplation and is able to create a historical and magnificent movement like the Islamic Revolution.”
Ayatollah Khamenei criticized those who in different times including in election periods, repeat the Westerners’ remarks to attract people’s attention, adding: “Such remarks are not considered as privilege. They are opposition to the Islamic-Iranian thought and identity.”
In another part of his speech, he termed Kordestan and Marivan as a land full of glory, braveness and natural beauty, and full of the feeling of affection and loyalty, saying: “I regard this area as one of the gifts and blessings that God has granted to the country and the system.”
Referring to his visit to Marivan and surrounding area in 1980 at the peak of Baathist Saddam’s attack on Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “The enemies of this nation’s progress relying on hireling and dependent agents wanted to create a deep valley of suspicion between the people of this very important and sensitive area and the people of other parts of the country, but the faithful, zealous and loyal Kords foiled this conspiracy very well. The young generation of the country and the area should become very well familiar with these instructive realities.”
Reminding Saddam’s war crimes including his chemical attacks, the IR Leader regarded the bitter incidents of eight years of sacred defense in western areas including Kordestan as a big laboratory for proving the deception and insincerity of Saddam’s supporters and the claimants of human rights.
“The ups and downs of thirty years of the Iranian people’s perseverance and victory should be explained as instructive lessons for the youths, so that the weight and real nature of today’s propaganda of the arrogance become clearer for them,” he added.
Ayatollah Khamenei considered the admittance by the world’s politicians and policy-makers to the regional and global position of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a sign for the stability and power of the country.
“The Islamic system, by God’s help, is in a position that it can focus on long-period projects of progress and prosperity,” he stressed.
The IR Leader termed the 20-year prospect document as the guide, director and real agenda for the officials of different forces and organizations and said: “In order to achieve the goals of this very credible and important document, both the officials and people bear great responsibilities, and we should be cautious that the enemies of the country’s progress do not distract the minds to marginal issues.”
Ayatollah Khamenei then noted that the province was in need of industrial and agricultural investment, especially in light of the hazards of joblessness in the area which among others include a tendency among the youths for smuggling induced by poor job opportunities.
Ayatollah Khamenei then noted that security was a prerequisite for investment and wealth production, adding that enemies would try to hinder any investment in the area through creation of insecurity however the powerful force of Islamic Republic with the help of valiant and loyal youths of the province will take a tough line on any spawners of insecurity.
The IR Leader then noted that the Kordestan visit was a bid to attract public attention to the talented, green and scenic area and expand affective ties among different Iranian ethnicities. He noted that Kord, Fars, Tork, Lor, and Baluch form a unified body called the great Iranian nation.
Ayatollah Khamenei concluded his remarks by noting that the nation and system would be viable once the nation and authorities attend to Islamic Revolution’s aspirations non-stop.
Civilians victims of Pak army-militants clashes
Residents of the violence-hit Swat Valley have said that civilians are the main victims of the Pakistani army’s operations against militants.
The Internally Displaced People (IDP) told Press TV on Sunday that most of those who have been killed in the army’s attacks are the civilians who had been trying to flee the conflict zone.
Army spokesman Athar Abbas, however, rejected the claims, saying the strikes have only killed militants.
Military officials claim that nearly 900 militants have been killed in the offensive against the insurgents on the outskirts of the troubled Swat valley.
Obama says Iran war not off the table
President Barack Obama says the US has not taken military action against Iran over its nuclear program off the table ahead of the Israeli premier’s trip to Washington.
In an interview with Newsweek on Saturday, Obama made it clear that he did not take any options off the table when asked about war with Iran.
“I’ve been very clear that I don’t take any options off the table with respect to Iran. I don’t take options off the table when it comes to US security, period,” said Obama.
Iran would be a main topic of talks during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with President Obama in Washington this week.
The new government of Barack Obama says it wants to engage diplomatically with Iran to resolve the country’s nuclear issue but has simultaneously followed in the Bush adminestration’s footsteps by pursuing double-edged policy of carrots and sticks with Iran.
“What I have said is that we want to offer Iran an opportunity to align itself with international norms and international rules,” the US president noted in his Saturday interview.
President Obama once again accused Tehran of being a threat to the region.
The Islamic Republic of Iran could be “a member in good standing of the international community and not a threat to its neighbors,” according to the first black leader in the US.
Obama also justified later US government decisions if nuclear talks do not stop Iran’s pursuit of the nuclear know-how which Tehran — a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty — refuses to relinquish as its inalienable rights according to NPT regulations.
“If it doesn’t work, the fact that we have tried will strengthen our position in mobilizing the international community, and Iran will have isolated itself, as opposed to a perception that it seeks to advance that somehow it’s being victimized by a US government that doesn’t respect Iran’s sovereignty,” Obama said.
In April, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told US lawmakers that Washington was ‘willing’ to engage diplomatically with Iran but at the same time threatened Tehran with ‘very tough, crippling sanctions‘ if the desired results were not achieved.
The US president also ruled out making decision for Tel Aviv to prevent the regime from launching a unilateral war against Tehran.
“I don’t think it’s my place to determine for the Israelis what their security needs are,” he said.
“I can make an argument to Israel as an ally that the approach we are taking is one that has to be given a chance and offers the prospect of security, not just for the United States but also for Israel that is superior to some of the other alternatives.”
However, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon earlier on Saturday said that he could not imagine any attack against Iran without Washington’s approval.
Washington and Tel Aviv — the sole possessor of a nuclear warhead in the Middle East — have stepped up accusations that Iran is amassing weapons-grade uranium.
According to the latest International Atomic Energy Agency figures, however, Iran has produced some 1,010 kilograms of low enriched uranium (LEU) — a level “less than 5 percent.”
Only enriched to high levels of above 90 percent, can uranium be used for production of nuclear weapons.
Sri Lanka 'kills 70 Tigers' fleeing war zone
The Sri Lankan army says it has killed more than 70 Tamil Tigers trying to escape a tiny strip of land in the northeast encircled by government troops.
Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the rebels were killed Sunday while trying to cross Nanthi Kadal lagoon in boats.
“Troops observed the six boats in the lagoon and destroyed them. We recovered 70 bodies and an identification process is underway,” Nanayakkara said, adding that the top Tamil leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, was not among the dead.
On Saturday Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared a victory over the separatist Tamil Tigers, saying government forces had taken control of the island’s entire coastline for the first time in decades.
But there are reports that fighting continues in the area where the rebel leaders are believed to be cornered and that the rebels are preparing to recapture some areas lost to the army.
Currently only one and a half square kilometers are under the rebels’ control.
Leader Calls Muslims to Unity and Vigilance
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei urges Iranians and Muslims in general to resist enemy efforts to fuel sectarianism.
“Those who are targeting our national unity using faith as an excuse… they are the elements of the enemy,” the Leader said in the western Iranian city of Sanandaj on Tuesday.
“Those who try to sow discord among Shia and Sunni are mercenaries of the enemy, whether they realize it or not,” Ayatollah Khamenei told the large crowd gathered for the speech.
“The miserable Salafi and Wahhabi groups who are fed petro-dollars to carry out terrorist acts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere, many of them are not aware that they are mercenaries of the enemy.”
Speaking in the Kurd and Sunni majority province of Kurdestan, Ayatollah Khamenei went on to say that Shias who insult Sunni beliefs, and vice versa, are also working for the interests of world powers and adversaries of Islam.
Moderate Sunni and Shia Muslims are of the belief that the Wahhabi ideology, which leaders of groups such as the Taliban and al-Qaeda seek to promote, bears no resemblance with Islam.
Comments made by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a congressional hearing confirm that Washington supports such groups as part of its pursuit of its regional interests.
“And great, let them come from Saudi Arabia and other countries, importing their Wahhabi brand of Islam so that we can go beat the Soviet Union,” she said on the Taliban’s creation in the 1980s.
During the Tuesday speech, Iran’s most senior official said that the Iranian nation would defend its territorial integrity against powers that do not want a united Iran.
Kurdestan is the Iranian province where PJAK separatists, offshoots of the internationally-recognized terrorist group the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), seek to gain ground by carrying out violent attacks.
According to a November 2006 article published by The New Yorker, the US military and Israel provide PJAK with equipment, training and vital intelligence to destabilize the Iranian government.
Saudi Wahhabi Government's another anti-Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) Act
Shock and disbelief was the initial response last Wednesday as pilgrims to the Jannat al-Baqi cemetery were faced with a barrier cordoning off the graves of the four Shia Imams buried there. According to a report by the Ahlul Bayt News Agency (ABNA), the graves of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba, Imam Zainul Abideen, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, and Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (peace be upon them) in the al-Baqi cemetery have been barricaded, preventing individual from even casting their glance on the holy sites. Security personnel present at the site informed the pilgrims that the barriers will be permanent.
This is the latest act of oppression in the cruel reign of terror initiated against the holy sites of Islam by the al-Saud dynasty. In 1925, the shrines for the four Imams and countless other companions and members of the Prophet’s household in the Jannat al-Baqi and Jannat al-Mualla cemeteries were demolished by the government. Since then, the Saudi government has continued to destroy numerous other relics of Islamic history in the name of preventing “polytheism”.
Pilgrims who attempt to pay their respects to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny), his family members, or his companions are often met with unrestrained and unchecked physical violence at the hands of the infamous religious police. Only a few weeks ago, several dozen Shia pilgrims from the eastern provinces of Saudi Arabia were physically attacked by the religious police. The very country that Muslims look towards to face the House of Allah five times a day has become breeding grounds for hatred towards the Prophet of Allah and his Household.
As the oppression continues with barriers and religious police being stationed at every corner of the al-Baqi graveyard to prevent pilgrims from going near the holy graves, the Shia pilgrims were not suppressed. Through simply the visual visitation, the pilgrims still gathered in the hundreds to pay their respects.
Grand Ayatollah Safi Gulpaygani has issued a statement calling the Saudi government’s construction of the barrier a betrayal to the history of Islam.
“Such moves would lead to full annihilation of the historic monuments of the Islamic history, and the future generations would thus be left with no heritage as reference,” he said, according to a report by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). “Committing such moves is anti-cultural, since how can we claim ten thousand years from now that we had once had registered records of our Islamic civilization? Unfortunately, the Saudi government at our time resorts to annihilation of any sign that is left from the Prophethood era.”
IRNA reports that following a meeting with Ayatollah Gulpaygani, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani has said that the Islamic Republic will pursue the matter with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
where is her grave?
The Muslims have been deeply pained.
Their beloved prophet has passed away.
And especially for his kith and kin,
it is one of their live’s saddest day.
A lady who happens to be his daughter,
Above all, is the most afflicted one.
She was the nearest to her father.
Alas! Her troubles have just begun.
What in the Prophet”s eyes was her status?
Unfortunately the people shall forget.
She should be respected by all of us.
But a harsh treatment, she”ll be met.
Everyone had heard her father say,
“My daughter is a part of me”.
For her safety he would often pray;
Not wanting her to bear any agony.
But his words fell on deaf ears
As his followers were lead astray.
And were realized those worst fears,
Because his tidings were disobeyed.
Each forthcoming day brings her sorrow
And only a few more months she”ll live.
Each night she worries about her woes.
Her tormentors, she may not forgive.
In her last days, she is seen weeping.
Awake all night, she seldom sleeps.
Of her troubles, she keeps thinking.
The wounds in her heart are so deep.
The thoughts of her father alone
Cause tears from her eyes to flow
And what will happen to her children?
What fate do they have in stow?
“Be kind to them and take care”,
She wills about her poor children,
Because she”ll be no longer near
And they”ll soon be orphans.
As she spends the time crying,
Her neighbors come and complain.
But look! She is already dying.
Their complaint will be in vain.
And that dark moment finally comes,
For her heavenly abode, she departs.
Holding back their tears, her children,
See baba leaving with a heavy heart.
Hands trembling and with great anguish,
He takes away her coffin during the night.
And he makes sure to fulfill her last wish.
She will rest, out of everyone’s” sight.
Has gone from this world forever,
The mother of children so brave!
But why was she buried in a manner
That no one knows where is her grave?
What is a Family Day
Family Day
–”A Day to Eat Dinner With Your Children “is a national effort to promote parental engagement as a simple, effective way to reduce substance abuse by children and teens and raise healthier children. Family Day emphasizes the importance of regular family activities in parent-child communications and encourages them to make family dinners a regular feature of their lives. Parental engagement is the single most potent weapon in preventing substance use and abuse among youth! Since 1996 research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA*) at Columbia University has consistently found that the more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use illegal drugs. In 2001, CASA launched Family Day as an annual event.
Family Day teaches the importance of frequent family dinners and parental involvement in the lives of their teens. In U.S “Share More Than Meals” created a national pledge drive to encourage Americans to have dinner together on Family Day which resulted in more than 1.3 million Americans pledging to sit down as a family on Family Day.
Whether you’re gathering around the table for macaroni and cheese or a five-course meal, don’t underestimate the power behind the simple act of taking time to eat dinner with your kids regularly.
The stories and laughs that you share during dinnertime help you stay connected to your kids. Did you know that the more often kids and teens eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink and use illegal drugs?
What You Can Do as a Family
Start the pattern of family dinners when children are young.
Encourage your children to create menu ideas and participate in meal preparation.
Turn off the TV and let your answering machine answer calls during dinnertime.
Talk about what happened in everyone”s day: school, work, extracurricular activities or current events.
Establish a routine to start and end each meal. Light candles, say grace or tell a story.
After dinner play a board game or serve dessert to encourage the family to continue the conversation.
Keep conversation positive and make sure everyone gets a chance to speak.
Begin making family dinners a regular feature of your daily routine!
Adapted, excerpted and modified from the different Sources.
Pakistan takes Swat war to next level
Pakistani war planes have carried out air strikes on suspected Taliban hideouts amid ground operations aimed at retaking the troubled northwestern Swat Valley.
Ground forces backed by helicopter gunships on Thursday targeted al-Qaeda- and Taliban-linked insurgents in the Khawazakhela area, about 25 kilometers north of the main town in Swat called Mingora.
Military sources reported that they managed to kill dozens of Taliban militants in Swat and its surrounding regions.
“We have orders to target militants’ hideouts and the writ of the government is to be established at any cost,” a local official said.
Pakistani military sources put at over 300 the number of insurgents killed since April 26 — when the anti-Taliban offensives began from the Lower Dir and Buner districts, located about 62 miles (100km) from the capital Islamabad.
Pakistan intensified its military operations after the Taliban turned a blind eye to government efforts to enter a peace deal with the militant group and announced plans to infiltrate into Islamabad and other major cities across the nuclear-armed country.
In another move expected to prompt a Taliban response, the eldest son of pro-Taliban cleric Sufi Mohammad, who mediated talks between the government and the insurgents, was killed in government air strikes on an area near a town in Lower Dir.
Meanwhile, the Taliban have planted countless landmines in populated Swat areas to stop civilians from fleeing the volatile region to nearby makeshift hospitals and refugee camps set up by the Red Cross.
Pakistan, which expects up to 500,000 people to be displaced in Swat, says the Taliban is using civilians as human shields. The situation in Swat is such that the Red Cross has warned that a major humanitarian crisis is looming on the horizon.
According to a UN official in Mardan, up to 60,000 displaced people have already registered at centers in the besieged town.
Sources in the volatile valley have revealed that most of the al-Qaeda and Taliban militants in the troubled northwestern region are of Arab origin and have come from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.
The revelation is in line with remarks made by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a congressional hearing in which she explained how the US along with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) created the Taliban in the 1980s to counter then Soviet influence in the country.
“And great, let them come from Saudi Arabia and other countries, importing their Wahhabi brand of Islam so that we can go beat the Soviet Union,” Clinton said.
Moderate Sunni and Shia Muslims are of the belief that the Wahhabi Taliban ideology bears no resemblance with Islam and that the group was created by the world powers to fuel extremism and to encourage Islamophobia.
The US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 pushed Taliban militants across the border and into Pakistan. Ever since, the restive tribal belt between the two neighbors has become a scene of daily violence.
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates during his recent visit to Riyadh reached out to Saudi officials — who according to Washington maintain close ties with al-Qaeda and Taliban elements — in an effort to pacify the situation in Pakistan.
The renewed tensions come as US President Barack Obama discussed the surge in militancy with his Pakistani and Afghan counterparts in Washington.
Pakistan urging residents to flee
Pakistan’s government has lifted a curfew in the Swat valley to allow residents to escape an intense battle between the army and Taleban militants.
The curfew has trapped tens of thousands of people attempting to flee the violence.
The army is trying to reverse militant advances in the area, in what the prime minister has called a “fight for the survival of the country”.
The army said dozens of militants had been killed in fighting on Saturday.
The government said the curfew would be lifted for seven hours on Sunday, beginning at 0600 local time.
It asked civilians to take the chance to flee the area.
Cars and buses have started arriving to pick up residents from Mingora, the biggest town in the region, and the nearby towns of Kambar and Raheemabad.
BBC regional analyst Anbarasan Ethirajan says the lifting of the curfew is a sign that the army offensive is likely to intensify over the coming days.
Pakistan’s government signed a peace agreement with the Swat Taleban in February, allowing Sharia law there, which was sharply criticised by Washington.
The militants then moved towards the capital, Islamabad, causing further alarm.
Up to 15,000 troops have been deployed in the Swat valley and neighbouring areas to take on 4,000-5,000 militants.
The military has said it intends to “eliminate” the Taleban fighters.
The fighting has already displaced some 200,000 people, while a further 300,000 are estimated to be on the move or about to flee, the UN says.
The government also said on Saturday that refugee camps would be set up in Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province, and to the north-east in Naushara.
Footage on local television showed people at one camp desperately looting UN supplies including blankets and cooking oil.
‘Road jammed’
Earlier, fighting was reported to have reached Mingora, which the army has been trying to recapture.
One resident in the town told the Associated Press news agency he was too scared to flee, and was running out of food for his three children.
“We have no electricity, no running water, and we are almost out of food, milk and other things,” said the man, Ikramullah Khan. “We do not know what to do.”
The army said it had killed 55 more militants on Saturday, having said that more than 140 militants had died in earlier clashes.
Due to the intensity of the fighting and the cutting of phone networks, it is difficult to get independent information on the fighting or verify the army’s claims, correspondents say.
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani told reporters on Saturday called the conflict “a guerrilla war”.
“This is our own war. This is war for the survival of the country,” Reuters news agency quoted him as saying.
Residents have been blaming both sides for the violence, our correspondent says, as the military continues to bombard the area while the Taleban reportedly prevents people from fleeing.
One Mingora resident was quoted by Reuters saying he had not been able to escape during an earlier curfew.
“We are feeling so helpless, we want to go but can’t,” said Sallahudin Khan.
“We tried to leave yesterday after authorities relaxed the curfew for a few hours, but we couldn’t as the main road leading out of Mingora was literally jammed with the flood of fleeing people.”
Election fever running high in Iran
The fever of presidency is running high in Iran as prominent figures officially register their candidacy for the June 12 election.
Reformist Mehdi Karroubi
On Saturday, two-time Iranian Parliament Speaker Mehdi Karroubi officially registered his candidacy for the 10th presidential election.
Karroubi, the Reformist leader of the National Confidence party, entered the presidential race with the campaign slogan ‘Change’ within the frameworks of the Islamic Revolution’s Constitution.
Speaking to reporters after his registration, the 72-year-old candidate described the upcoming election as the “most important test” for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government and the Guardian Council — the electoral and constitutional watchdog tasked with overseeing the elections and vetting presidential candidates before the final line-up is revealed.
Karroubi called on the Interior Ministry — the body in charge of holding elections — and the Guardian Council to remain impartial and be very careful in guarding the people’s vote.
Karroubi also contested in the 2005 presidential election. The cleric was the speaker of Iran’s Parliament (Majlis) between 1990 and 1992 and once more between 2000 and 2004.
Independent Mir-Hossein Moussavi
On Saturday, Mir-Hossein Moussavi also registered in the Interior Ministry.
Known for his successful economic management in a tough period of war in the 80s, Moussavi said he entered the race as an “independent” hopeful to cross political boundaries.
“I have joined the race for presidential election to prevent political boundaries from imposing limitations on this clear path,” Moussavi said.
As a vocal critic of President Ahmadinejad and his policies, the last Iranian prime minister criticized what he termed as an inappropriate situation in the country which is “not in the prestige of the Iranian nation and the Islamic Revolution.”
He also vowed to revive dignity of the Iranian nation and to uphold its rights.
Incumbent Principlist President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
After months of leaving his candidacy in a blur, President Ahmadinejad accepted the challenge on Friday and officially signed up to add another four-year term to his presidency.
Her had earlier urged the nation to use the election as an opportunity to strengthen unity.
“The elections should not promote pessimism in the country, but rather lead to the strengthening of national unity and solidarity,” Ahmadinejad said Tuesday.
“No one is allowed to interfere in the electoral process or to negatively impact the right of the Iranian nation to decide who will lead them,” he added.
Ahmadinejad’s campaign focuses on the message of justice, morality and spirituality.
Independent Mohsen Rezaei
Secretary of the Expediency Council and the war-time commander of Iran’s Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Mohsen Rezaei, has also decided to enter the presidential race.
On May 6, after months of efforts to introduce a coalition government before the election day, Rezaei announced his bid to challenge the incumbent president and on Friday registered his candidacy.
He has said that he joined the presidential race to save the country from “the path of destruction” taken by the current administration.
“The truth is that our nation has two very different paths at hand. If President Ahmadinejad gets his way, we will fall off the cliff … we will be defeated,” Rezaei said on May 3.
The Election
Iran’s presidential elections will take place on June 12. It will be the tenth since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979 that ended the reign of the country’s monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
More than 250 people have so far enrolled as candidates for the June 12 election, since registration officially opened May 5.
The registered candidates will be vetted by the Guardian Council who are also in charge of supervising the elections. The influential body will announce the final list of approved candidates on May 20th and 21st.
Taliban militants 'on the run' in Swat Valley
Amid concerns about the Taliban’s recent advances to the Pakistani capital, the army says its new full-scale offensive is purging the Swat Valley of the insurgents.
After Taliban insurgents fired rockets at a military base in Mingora on Saturday, the army moved to launch a full-scale operation with helicopters targeting Taliban hideouts in the hotly contested areas of the country’s northwest.
Military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said on Saturday that the security forces had killed 140 militants in the region.
According to the military spokesman, nearly 4,000 militants estimated to be in the Swat Valley were fleeing the military offensive.
“They are on the run and trying to block the exodus of innocent civilians by preventing their departure through coercion,” Athar said.
Other sources in the military claimed to have killed at least 170 insurgents across the valley and its adjoining districts over the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, fresh troops and military enforcement were sent to the valley and its adjoining areas after earlier on Thursday Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani ordered the army to “eliminate militants and terrorists” battling government forces in the region.
The escalating violence has prompted massive displacement in the insurgency-plagued area.
Red Cross has warned that a major humanitarian crisis is looming in the region, where an estimated half-million people are being displaced.
The US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 pushed the militants across the border and into Pakistan. Ever since, the restive tribal belt between the two neighbors has become a scene of daily violence.
Islamabad government says it will force the militants to lay down their arms, but the military’s top spokesman, Major General Athar Abbas, said on Friday the operation in Swat was difficult and he declined to give a timeline for clearing the valley.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has vowed to continue the offensive against the Taliban in the Swat region until normalcy is restored to the volatile valley.
Suicide bombing Attack in Chakwal – 26 Shaheed
26 Shaheed, more then 35 injured in this Suicide Attack At Chakwal Imambargah-e-Sarpak
Suicide Bomber Blow him Self , During the yearly Majalis of Imam bargag-e-Sarpak Chakwal, almost 26 momeen shaheed till yet, more then 35 momeen are injured.
more then 2000 people were their for majalis-e-Aza.Blast Near the Checking Gate of Imambargah after Majalis.
Initial report are says few names of the Momineen who embraces shahadat at this tragic event are:
1- Mohd Bashir (Mutawali)
2- Mohd. Jawwad
3- Ch. Mazahir Hussain (Advocate)
4- Ghulam Raza
5- Ch. Zulfiqar
6- Ali Haider (Child)
7- Arsalan Haider (Child)
8- Habib Khan
9- Ch. Ajaz
10- Tawakul
11- Murtaza
12- Raza
13- Nawazish Abbas
14- Shahzad
15- Mohd. Jahangir
16- Jamshaid
17- Asif Hussain
18- Hahi Wasif
19- Nusrat Hussain
20- Syed Farhat Abbas
21- Karam Illahi
22- Main Khan
23- Shabir
24- Shahryar
3- Ch. Mazahir Hussain (Advocate)
4- Ghulam Raza
5- Ch. Zulfiqar
6- Ali Haider (Child)
7- Arsalan Haider (Child)
8- Habib Khan
9- Ch. Ajaz
10- Tawakul
11- Murtaza
12- Raza
13- Nawazish Abbas
14- Shahzad
15- Mohd. Jahangir
16- Jamshaid
17- Asif Hussain
18- Hahi Wasif
19- Nusrat Hussain
20- Syed Farhat Abbas
21- Karam Illahi
22- Main Khan
23- Shabir
24- Shahryar
Please recite a fateha for Shohada-e-Islam wa Shohada-e-Millat-e-Jaffaria Pakistan, and pray for all the injured people in the incident.
Protest against blind law (D.I Khan)
Today in D I Khan Qari Abdl Zahir has confess his all dues that he has killed a lot of Momin (Shia) named,
Today in D I Khan Qari Abdl Zahir has confess his all dues that he has killed a lot of Momin (Shia) named,
Rajab Ali Shah
Qamber SHO
Hassan Ali Shah Kazmi
Khursheed Adv
and many more…
In spite of confessing his all dues the Judge didn’t proclaim the punishment, We appeal to Government specially President of Pakistan and Prime Minister of Pakistan, That they should bring that person in the court of Judgment and order Death Punishment at least 3 times and order to arrest his staffs, friends and co-workers.
Government Contact No:
Fax PM of Pakistan: 0519207629
GOVT NWFP: 0919210751- 0919210899
Rehmaan Malik: 0519202624
Sada-e-Mazlomeen
Bomb Blast in Imam baragah Kotli Imam Hussain
The death toll of Dera Ismail Khan suicide attack has reached to 32.
Bomb Blast in Imam baragah Kotli Imam Hussain
The death toll of Dera Ismail Khan suicide attack has reached to 32.
Army took the control of the city due to deteriorating law and order situation. According to initial reports, a suicide blast occurred in funeral procession near imam baragah Kotli Imam Hussain killing 32 and 150 injured people. Police said the explosion happened near Shobra hotel.
Sipah e Yazeed Firing on Namaz-e-Janaza of Aseem Raza in Shah Faisal Colony, Karachi.
Last Night, Aseem Raza age 22, martyred by firing of a group near Hussaini Mission Imambargah at Drugh Road, Shah Faisal Colony Karachi. One of his associate was injured.
After Namaz e Janaza Momineen do protest on Sharah e Faisal, Road. During the protest again Sipah e Yazeed open fire on Momineen. Two more Momin’s shoot dead by sipah e Yazeed in Shah Faisal Colony. One Shop and One house also burned by Sipah e Yazeed. No action taken from GOVT, on this martyred. We strongly condem on it, no local media channel coverage of this protest on TV & Newspapers. We appeal all momineen specially Anjuman’s, who gives the expensive advertisment on Newspapers of Anjumans programs and other issue, its responsiblity of all condem D.I. Khan Blast and also condem Aseem Raza Martyred. Show strength and unity of nation on media. Shaheed ki jo Mout hay woh Qoum ki Hayat Hay.. Labaik Ya Hussain (a.s).
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei's letter to Hamas leader Ismail Haniya
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
“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
Arsalan 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
After 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
Top 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?
Reports 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”.
Roza Hazrat Abbas a.s
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