Latest news with #Ayatollahs
Ya Libnan
5 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
PM Salam: I knew 2 days in advance of the insult ambush at the sports city. Hezbollah is creating an imaginary enemy.
Nidaa Al Watan' quoted Lebanon PM Nawaf Salam as saying : I knew in advance about the insult ambush at the Sports City, and Hezbollah is creating an imaginary enemy. During a media chat at the Grand Serail, he said 'knew two about the organized insult ambush at the Sports City 2 days before, but he insisted on going ahead , placing Hezbollah's campaign against him within the framework of his efforts to create an 'imaginary enemy' that would divert the attention of his supporters from his suffering. Certainly Hezbollah had the wrong address, as he reviewed all the reconstruction efforts his government had undertaken, including government sessions and conferences, and indicated that the main obstacle to the contribution of some donors was instability, linked to daily Israeli attacks, which in turn are linked to the issue of Hezbollah arms.' Salam also revealed, according to the newspaper, that he 'visited Ain al-Tineh to ask Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to open an extraordinary Parliament session to accelerate the pace of reforms, not to repent, as 'some' media outlets have portrayed. The positions he has voiced in dialogues and forums do not require a 'catalog.' He emphasized his commitment to balanced relations based on mutual respect with all political components in the country, and that he is only an adversary to those who refuse to abide by the ministerial statement, from which he does not deviate in his positions, as this constitutes a translation of the contents of the 'speech of oath' and, more importantly, the 'Taif Agreement.' Those who refuse to abide by it should announce this publicly. He explained that his government has not been informed by the Palestinian Authority of any indication that it has withdrawn from the 'camps' weapons' program, which was originally initiated by the PA, and therefore the plan continues. He believes that the 'party' campaign and other campaigns of those affected and 'populist' outbidding will not succeed in dissuading his government from implementing its reform program. The newspaper added, 'While it was widely believed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi intended, during his visit to Beirut, to secure a photo opportunity to place on the table of the Grand Bazaar with America, to affirm the influence of the Ayatollahs in this sensitive region and pave the way for a trade-off. The hype surrounding his book was fabricated to divert attention from the book by the 'greatest' diplomat, Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Prime Minister explained that, in the closed session, Araghchi expressed his country's keenness to open a new page in relations with Lebanon, based on non-interference in its affairs, as part of Iran's path of openness and cooperation with the countries of the region.' The newspaper explained that, 'As Araghchi reviewed the path to developing relations with Egypt and the Persian Gulf, Salam intervened, correcting him by saying, 'I am happy to develop your relations with the Arabian Gulf,'' a term now commonly used globally. The senior Iranian diplomat smiled and did not respond. He presented the Prime Minister with a small, beautiful Persian carpet as a gesture of 'friendship' and to remind him of the diplomacy of the Persian 'carpet weaver,' characterized by patience and maneuvering between supply and demand.' Source: El Nashra
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Not-so-secret Iran talks could trigger world's next great crisis
Nothing is more sensitive in Iran than the prospect of direct negotiations with the United States, particularly when the president in question is called Donald Trump. This is the same Donald Trump who, in 2018, wrecked the first nuclear deal by imposing 'maximum pressure' on Iran even though the regime had, contrary to habit, been keeping the agreement. Then Mr Trump authorised the killing of Qassem Soleimani, a brutal Iranian general who the Ayatollahs were busily promoting as a national hero. So you can be sure that Iran's leaders did not want Mr Trump to tell the world that direct talks will begin on Saturday, let alone to make that revelation alongside their arch enemy, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. Thanks to Mr Trump's customary contempt for discretion, America's new effort to settle the confrontation over Iran's nuclear ambitions has got off to the worst possible start. In any case, the chances of success are low. Today, Iran would need only weeks to produce enough weapons-grade uranium for one nuclear bomb. Turning this into a warhead for delivery on a missile would take another year or so, but Iran is already a threshold nuclear state. So America's objective in the negotiations will not be to limit Iran's nuclear programme; instead, the US will seek the swift and verifiable rollback of Iran's progress. If that proves impossible, then Mr Netanyahu says that Israel will destroy Iran's nuclear facilities with precision strikes, made all the more devastating if America were to join in. Hence, the clock is ticking: Mr Trump has set a deadline of just two months to resolve the issue. Securing the first nuclear agreement in 2015, by contrast, required 12 years of negotiation. Now America has embarked on the diplomatic version of a sprint to achieve a tougher version of the same deal that Mr Trump casually sabotaged in his first term. The one glimmer of hope is that Iran's regime is weaker today than at any time since the end of its ruinous war with Saddam Hussein's Iraq in 1988. Israel has eviscerated Iran's client militias across the Middle East, pulverising first Hamas in Gaza and then Hezbollah in Lebanon, while also triggering the downfall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, previously Tehran's only Arab ally. Suddenly, Iran is isolated and intensely vulnerable. Last October, Israel retaliated for an Iranian missile attack by dispatching over 100 jet fighters to strike targets across Iran, destroying air defences and one nuclear installation, known as Parchin, where the regime had been suspected of testing triggers for warheads. Iran never hit back for that raid. Alone, embargoed and seemingly helpless in the face of Israeli assault, Iran badly needs an agreement that would see American sanctions lifted in return for rolling back its nuclear programme. But is the regime capable of taking the momentous decision to settle its confrontation with America? Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, will turn 86 on 19 April. A hidden struggle for the succession is underway, with his son, Mojtaba, believed to be a contender. Amid this uncertainty, would the weak and ineffectual president, Masoud Pezeshkian, risk proposing another nuclear agreement with the 'Great Satan'? Mr Netanyahu will doubtless insist that America sets the toughest terms for any deal, while threatening military strikes if he finds the outcome unacceptable. Perhaps Ayatollah Khamenei, at his moment of maximum weakness, will give way and allow an agreement that both America and Israel could live with. Barring that unlikely outcome, this could be the world's next great crisis. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Not-so-secret Iran talks could trigger world's next great crisis
Nothing is more sensitive in Iran than the prospect of direct negotiations with the United States, particularly when the president in question is called Donald Trump. This is the same Donald Trump who in 2018 wrecked the first nuclear deal by imposing 'maximum pressure' on Iran even though the regime had, contrary to habit, been keeping the agreement. Then Mr Trump authorised the killing of Qassem Soleimani, a brutal Iranian general who the Ayatollahs were busily promoting as a national hero. So you can be sure that Iran's leaders did not want Mr Trump to tell the world that direct talks will begin on Saturday, let alone to make that revelation alongside their arch enemy, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. Thanks to Mr Trump's customary contempt for discretion, America's new effort to settle the confrontation over Iran's nuclear ambitions has got off to the worst possible start. In any case, the chances of success are low. Today Iran would need only weeks to produce enough weapons grade uranium for one nuclear bomb. Turning this into a warhead for delivery on a missile would take another year or so, but Iran is already a threshold nuclear state. So America's objective in the negotiations will not be to limit Iran's nuclear programme; instead the US will seek the swift and verifiable roll-back of Iran's progress. If that proves impossible, then Mr Netanyahu says that Israel will destroy Iran's nuclear facilities with precision strikes, made all the more devastating if America were to join in. Hence the clock is ticking: Mr Trump has set a deadline of just two months to resolve the issue. Securing the first nuclear agreement in 2015, by contrast, required 12 years of negotiation. Now America has embarked on the diplomatic version of a sprint to achieve a tougher version of the same deal that Mr Trump casually sabotaged in his first term. The one glimmer of hope is that Iran's regime is weaker today than at any time since the end of its ruinous war with Saddam Hussein's Iraq in 1988. Israel has eviscerated Iran's client militias across the Middle East, pulverising first Hamas in Gaza and then Hezbollah in Lebanon, while also triggering the downfall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, previously Tehran's only Arab ally. Suddenly, Iran is isolated and intensely vulnerable. Last October, Israel retaliated for an Iranian missile attack by dispatching over 100 jet fighters to strike targets across Iran, destroying air defences and one nuclear installation, known as Parchin, where the regime had been suspected of testing triggers for warheads. Iran never hit back for that raid. Alone, embargoed and seemingly helpless in the face of Israeli assault, Iran badly needs an agreement that would see American sanctions lifted in return for rolling back its nuclear programme. But is the regime capable of taking the momentous decision to settle its confrontation with America? Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, will turn 86 on 19 April. A hidden struggle for the succession is underway, with his son, Mojtaba, believed to be a contender. Amid this uncertainty, would the weak and ineffectual president, Masoud Pezeshkian, risk proposing another nuclear agreement with the 'Great Satan'? Mr Netanyahu will doubtless insist that America sets the toughest terms for any deal, while threatening military strikes if he finds the outcome unacceptable. Perhaps Ayatollah Khamenei, at his moment of maximum weakness, will give way and allow an agreement that both America and Israel could live with. Barring that unlikely outcome, this could be the world's next great crisis.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
French TV channel shutdown causes outcry on the right
By Michel Rose PARIS (Reuters) - France's top administrative court has upheld a decision to shut down popular TV channel C8 for repeated failures to respect human rights and protect minors, causing an outcry among some right-wing politicians who alleged an assault on free speech. The C8 channel is part of the Canal+ group owned by conservative billionaire Vincent Bollore's media conglomerate Vivendi. The channel will go off air on March 1, after French media watchdog Arcom decided not to renew its 10-year licence and handed it to another bidding channel. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. That decision was upheld late on Wednesday by the highest administrative court, which said Arcom had lawfully removed the licence, given C8's repeated failure to meet its contract obligations to respect people's rights and protect minors, but also its failure to turn a profit. Right-wing politicians, including far-right opposition leader Marine Le Pen but also - more unusually - ruling conservatives were strongly critical. Le Pen called it a "worrying decision that rules in favour of the Ayatollahs of group think". Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, a conservative who is seen as having presidential ambitions, said C8 had "found an audience," and its removal was depriving it of a "space to express itself". The court's ruling comes as Europe's policing of what can and cannot be said - either online or on TV - has been questioned by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. Vice-President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk have framed European attempts to place safeguards around an increasingly vitriolic and polarised media landscape as an attack on free speech. Canal+ said it deplored the court's decision. Some 400 staff members and suppliers were likely to lose their jobs and C8 had proved its "liveliness" and popularity with more than 9 million viewers every day, it said in a statement. "A whole ecosystem is being sacrificed," the group said. Arcom imposed a record fine of 3.5 million euros ($3.66 million) on C8 in 2023 after its star show host, Cyril Hanouna, called a left-wing lawmaker a "piece of shit" and a "jerk" in 2022 for mentioning on its show the activities in Africa of C8's owner Bollore. One of the warnings C8 received was over a decision to invite on the show a 17-year-old to talk about his parents' recent career move into pornography, which the regulator said could lead to the child being stigmatised in future. Over the past few years, Bollore's media outlets have taken an increasingly right-wing turn, focusing on crime and immigration, as well as giving ample air time to politicians from Le Pen's party. Media historian Alexis Levrier noted the court decision was based on a 1986 law passed by the conservative government of the day to regulate the media landscape. "At the time, the moderate right knew that you can't allow everything on licences that belong to the state," he said on X. ($1 = 0.9565 euros)
Reuters
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
French TV channel shutdown causes outcry on the right
PARIS, Feb 20 (Reuters) - France's top administrative court has upheld a decision to shut down popular TV channel C8 for repeated failures to respect human rights and protect minors, causing an outcry among some right-wing politicians who alleged an assault on free speech. The C8 channel is part of the Canal+ group owned by conservative billionaire Vincent Bollore's media conglomerate Vivendi. The channel will go off air on March 1, after French media watchdog Arcom decided not to renew its 10-year licence and handed it to another bidding channel. That decision was upheld late on Wednesday by the highest administrative court, which said Arcom had lawfully removed the licence, given C8's repeated failure to meet its contract obligations to respect people's rights and protect minors, but also its failure to turn a profit. Right-wing politicians, including far-right opposition leader Marine Le Pen but also - more unusually - ruling conservatives were strongly critical. Le Pen called it a "worrying decision that rules in favour of the Ayatollahs of group think". Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, a conservative who is seen as having presidential ambitions, said C8 had "found an audience," and its removal was depriving it of a "space to express itself". The court's ruling comes as Europe's policing of what can and cannot be said - either online or on TV - has been questioned by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. Vice-President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk have framed European attempts to place safeguards around an increasingly vitriolic and polarised media landscape as an attack on free speech. Canal+ said it deplored the court's decision. Some 400 staff members and suppliers were likely to lose their jobs and C8 had proved its "liveliness" and popularity with more than 9 million viewers every day, it said in a statement. "A whole ecosystem is being sacrificed," the group said. Arcom imposed a record fine of 3.5 million euros ($3.66 million) on C8 in 2023 after its star show host, Cyril Hanouna, called a left-wing lawmaker a "piece of shit" and a "jerk" in 2022 for mentioning on its show the activities in Africa of C8's owner Bollore. One of the warnings C8 received was over a decision to invite on the show a 17-year-old to talk about his parents' recent career move into pornography, which the regulator said could lead to the child being stigmatised in future. Over the past few years, Bollore's media outlets have taken an increasingly right-wing turn, focusing on crime and immigration, as well as giving ample air time to politicians from Le Pen's party. Media historian Alexis Levrier noted the court decision was based on a 1986 law passed by the conservative government of the day to regulate the media landscape. "At the time, the moderate right knew that you can't allow everything on licences that belong to the state," he said on X. ($1 = 0.9565 euros)
