Latest news with #Ayatollah
New York Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Iranian Supreme Leader sleeps and gets ‘high on substances' all day, Mossad-linked social media account claims
Following the 12-day war, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, spends most days snoozing and getting 'high,' an outrageous post from the Mossad's Farsi social media account mysteriously claimed. 'How can a leader lead when they sleep half the day and spend the other half high on substances?' the post asked. The statement came from a bizarre new premium X account that launched in recent weeks, claiming to be the official Farsi-language spokesperson — the official dialect of Iran — for the cunning Israeli intelligence agency, with regular posts trolling the Iranian regime. 3 An account claiming to be a Farsi spokesperson for the Mossad said the Ayatollah likes to get high. via REUTERS 'Using drugs and speaking to spirits are not appropriate traits for someone leading a nation,' the account said in another recent post. This isn't the way the Mossad typically communicates with the public — but according to two intelligence experts interviewed by JFeed, the strange Mossad account does appear to be authentic. 'It's a new battlefield tool,' said Zvi Yehezkeli, a leading Arab affairs commentator for i24News, who said Iranians have become so disillusioned with the regime and Mossad operates differently there than in other countries. 'Some of the information it has shared could only have come from Mossad,' agreed Beny Sabti, an Iran expert at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies and a former IDF Persian-language officer. 3 The Mossad is the notorious Israeli intelligence agency. REUTERS Claims of Ali Khamenei's drug use have been floated before. An Iranian academic said in a 2022 television interview on Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated television in Turkey that the Iranian Supreme Leader often uses drugs. 'Many viewers do not know this, but Khamenei himself uses drugs,' Nour Mohamed Omara said on Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated television in Turkey in 2022. 3 The Ayatollah has publicly called drugs 'un-Islamic.' AFP via Getty Images 'He has a special village in Balochistan, where the drugs used by the leader are produced. This village is run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and no one is allowed in.' Ironically, the Ayatollah has publicly declared drug use, especially opium, 'un-Islamic' after the 1979 Iranian Revolution — and penalties for drug-related offenses in the Islamic Republic include death. The Mossad has not officially confirmed or denied the claims about Ali Khamenei's drug use – or whether it is behind the social media account.
New Straits Times
6 days ago
- New Straits Times
2 Bangladeshis stopped for lugging chainsaw, brooms, signboards on motorcycle
SHAH ALAM: Two Bangladeshi nationals were stopped and fined on the main stretch of the Federal Highway near the Melawati roundabout here yesterday for riding their motorbike dangerously. They were seen hugging signboards and brooms, and one of them was even carrying a chainsaw, which the blade was protruding from the side. The pillion rider, believed to be in his 20s, was wearing a construction hardhat instead of a motorcycle helmet. They were stopped by policemen from the Shah Alam Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Division, who were conducting an operation in the area. The rider, known only as Ayatollah, 28, said he and his pillion were carrying their tools as they were working as landscapers along the highway. "This is my own motorcycle — I bought it two months ago and don't have a licence. I use it for work, cutting trees and cleaning both sides of the highway between Kuala Lumpur and Klang," he said. They were among hundreds of motorcyclists detained for various offences, particularly for failing to use the designated motorcycle lane on the Federal Highway. Most of the detained riders claimed that they were unaware of the motorcycle lane, despite commuting daily. A 36-year-old employee of a law firm said he forgot to switch his navigation app to motorcycle mode when travelling from Jinjang, Kepong, to the Shah Alam court complex. "I forgot to change to motorcycle mode, and I'm not really familiar with the Federal Highway and its motorcycle lanes. "The navigation app directed me along the main route. If I'd switched to motorcycle mode, perhaps it would have shown the special lane," he said. Yesterday, Shah Alam police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Iqbal Ibrahim said police issued 147 summonses against motorcyclists during a joint enforcement operation named Op Bersepadu at Km13.3 of the Federal Highway heading towards Klang. The operation – bolstered by drone surveillance – was conducted by the Shah Alam district Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Division, the Air Wing Unit and the Selangor Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department. "A total of 180 vehicles were inspected and 147 summonses were issued. The majority of offences involved failure to use the motorcycle lane, with 141 summonses issued for the violation," he said.
Cedar News
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Cedar News
Ayatollah Naimabadi Found Shot Dead in His Tehran Residence
Tehran – July 20, 2025: In a shocking development that has sent ripples through Iran's political and religious circles, Ayatollah Naimabadi, Tehran's current delegate to the powerful Assembly of Experts, was found shot dead in his private residence late Sunday evening. According to preliminary reports from Iranian state media, the incident took place under unclear circumstances. Security forces have cordoned off the area, and an official investigation is underway to determine whether the shooting was a targeted assassination or a personal incident. Ayatollah Naimabadi was a prominent cleric and a long-serving member of the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for appointing and overseeing the Supreme Leader of Iran. His sudden death raises serious concerns about internal stability within the religious establishment. Authorities have yet to release a formal statement, and no group has claimed responsibility as of this writing. Local sources indicate increased security presence around other high-ranking clerics in Tehran. The country now awaits further information as the investigation unfolds.
Newsweek
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Iran's President Gives Major Update on Nuclear Talks
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Iran is open to dialogue and is seriously pursuing diplomacy, President Masoud Pezeshkian said, as he set out his aim for a resumption of nuclear talks while warning that Iran would defend the "natural rights" of its people. Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment. Why It Matters Iran's president signaled a more diplomatic tone amid heightened tensions and distrust over nuclear negotiations weeks after both Israel and the United States launched strikes aimed at ending Iran's nuclear program. His remarks suggest Iran is looking to ease international pressure and avoid escalation. Resuming talks is key to enabling verification of Iran's nuclear program after it suspended its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following the Israeli and U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities. A man walks past traffic near a billboard depicting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei displayed in the centre of Tehran's Valiasr Square on July 13, 2025. A man walks past traffic near a billboard depicting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei displayed in the centre of Tehran's Valiasr Square on July 13, 2025. ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images What To Know Pezeshkian, in a message to Iranians living abroad, said his government was determined to follow a diplomatic solution. "The path ahead is clear for us, and the government will spare no effort in opening diplomatic doors and expanding horizons," Pezeshkian said. "We still believe that the window for diplomacy is open, and we are pursuing this peaceful path with determination and by mobilizing all political capacities," he said, according to the presidential website. Pezeshkian emphasized that his administration would "utilize all political and diplomatic resources" to prevent war, while continuing to defend what he described as the "natural rights of the Iranian people." Prospects for talks following Israel's 12-day bombing campaign and the U.S. strikes on three nuclear facilities last month have been in doubt given skepticism on all three sides and worries about renewed hostilities. Pezeshkian, in an interview with Tucker Carlson last week, said he believed U.S.-Iran tension could be resolved through talks but warned that a lack of trust remained a key obstacle. "While we were negotiating in good faith at the request of the U.S., Netanyahu dropped bombs - literally - on diplomacy. Israel torpedoed the talks and killed peace. The world should remember who derailed the process," he said. Despite significant damage to Iranian nuclear sites, it is not clear if key facilities have been put out of action. Iran says it continues to enrich uranium and develop advanced centrifuges, maintaining its nuclear ambitions. Iran has rejected a U.S. demand that it cut its uranium enrichment activity to zero and has called for the lifting of sanctions. It has also demanded compensation for damage caused by the U.S. bombing. What People Are Saying Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian: "To open new horizons, we must critically reflect on the past. What leads us toward a better future is the reconstruction of hope, readiness to learn, change, and create a new path through consensus, solidarity, and rationality." President Donald Trump said during a White House dinner with Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu last week: "They want to meet. They want to work something out. They're very different now than they were two weeks ago." What Happens Next No date has been set for the resumption of nuclear talks with the U.S. and Iran's military has warned against any more attacks.
The Sun
12-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Iran's aging & paranoid Ayatollah is hanging by a thread – I know how it will all come crashing down, says ex-ambassador
IRAN'S merciless regime is "fully on its heels" - leaving the Ayatollah's days numbered, a former US ambassador says. But the West will not be able to topple Tehran's brutal dictatorship, Mark D. Wallace, CEO & Founder of United Against Nuclear Iran, warned. 10 10 10 The ex-ambassador to the UN said it will be down to the Iranian people - who have suffered outrageous repression for decades - to finally end the regime's rule. Iron-fist fanatics have used violent and ruthless measures, including executions and torture, in a twisted bid to stamp out opposition and silence critics. The regime's future now appears to be hanging by a thread, however, as it sits in a "combustible state" following the obliteration of its nuclear empire by the US and Israel. Several of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's top military brass were wiped out in the 12-day war - leaving the barbaric ruler vulnerable. Power held by Iran's terror proxies - including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen - has also been severely depleted. Wallace told The Sun: "The regime isn't just wounded, they're fully on their heels. "The very old Ayatollah has been hiding in a bunker somewhere, and there's clearly going to be some sort of transition. "Remember, there have only been two Ayatollahs. The question is, is there going to be a third." Iran's first Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seized power during the revolution of 1979 - ousting the Shah empire and transforming the state into a theocratic Islamic republic. His bloody rule was taken over by Khamenei following his death a decade later. Iran's Ayatollah breaks silence after WEEKS cowering in bunker during Israel's blitz and 'obliterating' Trump strikes Since then, Tehran has ramped up its nuclear ambitions and become an increasingly bigger threat to not only the Middle East but the West too. The US and Israel then took decisive action last month by staging an unprecedented blitz of Iran's nuclear bases. It dealt a major blow to Khamenei's top military brass - wiping out the commander in chief, deputy commander and boss of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. At least seven other generals were killed, as well as politician Ali Shamkhani - a close confidant of the Ayatollah - and two nuclear scientists. Khamenei cowered in hiding in a bunker as the chorus of voices fighting against repression and calling for the regime to be overthrown grew louder. Before the 12-day war, Israel had almost diminished the capabilities of terror proxies largely funded by Ukraine. Wallace said the "incredibly weak" Ayatollah will now be fearing his remaining generals could be spies. 10 10 "And there's no clear succession," he added. "The Ayatollah is on his heels. When he finally came out [of hiding] he sounded very weak. He sounded like an 86-year-old man who had been hiding in a bunker, trying to keep his regime alive. "Really it does call into question how long he will be there. We know he's going to die of either natural or unnatural causes sometime in the next couple of years. "The question is, what happens next? And I think he's doing everything he can to try to find some sort of path to succession, to continue this revolutionary regime." Khamenei will now be scrambling to have a clear succession mapped out - with at least five of his top confidants thought to be in the running. The aging despot's son Mojtaba Khamenei is a cleric and close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, so could be high on the potential list of successors. Also in the running is likely to be Assembly of Experts members Alireza Arafi and Hojjatal Islam Mohsen Qomi and reform-minded presidents such as Hassan Rouhani. The head of Iran's judicial system Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i meanwhile is thought of as a front-runner to take the reins. The ruling establishment will try to immediately name a successor to Khamenei if he is killed or dies naturally. Despite the international outcry against the regime waging war against its own people and the threat of aggression to other nations, Wallace argued the West cannot help remove the fanatics. 10 10 10 "The only path ultimately is for the regime to fall - but that is solely in the control of the Iranian people," he said. "Sadly, the Iranian people will suffer, and a good number will likely have to die for that to happen, and they're being persecuted as we speak. "There's this regrettable debate going on about regime change, as if somehow we can engage in a direct strategy to engage in regime change. We can't. "We can do everything we can to support Iranian people and degrade the regime's ability to threaten all of us through nuclear weapons or threaten us with terrorism and transnational oppression. "We can also do everything we can to sanction and impede the ability of the state security apparatus to oppress its own people. "But, ultimately, the kinetic moment when the dry leaves and the twigs of a forest catch fire, as a metaphor for revolution, is up to the Iranian people." Inside Iran's brutal crackdown on its own people by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) TYRANNICAL leaders in Iran have demanded citizens act as undercover informants to turn in anyone who dares oppose the regime, insiders say. Panicked mullahs have also ordered "telecom cages" be installed around prisons as the regime wages war against its own people. Political prisoners - largely banished to death row on trumped-up charges - have been subject to extreme torture and a disturbing rate of executions in the face of growing tensions in the Middle East. Insiders say their treatment is being weaponised to deter opposition. The fight against repression has loomed large for decades in the rogue state - but the so-called 12-day war last month has made the barbaric Ayatollah more fearful than ever of being toppled. With Ali Khamenei's grip weakened by the unprecedented Israeli and US blitz, the incapacitated supreme leader has discharged fresh hell on his own people in a corrupt bid to stifle uprising. Sources inside Iran told The Sun how a direct alert has been issued to the public, urging them to report any activity linked to resistance groups of the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI/MEK). Regime loyalists have been implored to act as informants - compiling detailed reports with photos, times, locations, licence plates and facial features of suspected individuals.
