Latest news with #IRGCQudsForce
Memri
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Memri
At Melbourne, Australia Pro-Islamic Republic of Iran Rally, Protesters Chant: We Respond to Your Call, Oh Khamenei, Qasem Soleimani; Away with Humiliation!
In a video from a June 15, 2025 protest in Melbourne, Australia, posted by Youii Teeba on TikTok, demonstrators chanted that they were responding to the call of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani. Protesters waved flags of the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as Palestinian and Lebanese flags. Additional footage from the rally, not included in this clip, showed participants carrying a placard featuring photos of Iranian military commanders assassinated by Israel on June 13.
Ya Libnan
15-02-2025
- Business
- Ya Libnan
Lebanon bars Iran airlines after Israel alleges Hezbollah cash smuggling
Iranian airlines Mahan Air and Iran Air, the country's flagship carrier, will not be allowed to fly to Beirut, Lebanese TV network LBCI reported, citing Lebanon's aviation authorities. The decision follows allegations by Israel's military that Iran's IRGC Quds Force uses civilian flights to smuggle cash to Hezbollah via Beirut airport. 'The Iranian Quds Force and the terrorist group Hezbollah have been exploiting Beirut International Airport international flights over the past few weeks in an attempt to smuggle funds allocated to arm Hezbollah with the aim of carrying out attacks against the State of Israel,' Israel's military spokesman in Arabic, Avichay Adraee, wrote on X. The cancellation of flights from Iran to Lebanon was on Thursday confirmed by Saeed Chalondari, CEO of Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport, who said permission had not been granted for Beirut flights. Shortly after the cancellations, images surfaced on social media purporting to show Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon blocking the road to Beirut Airport in protest against the refusal to allow Mahan Air to land. Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon blocked the road to Beirut Airport in protest against the refusal to allow Mahan Air to land .The decision follows allegations by Israel's military that Iran's IRGC Quds Force uses civilian flights to smuggle cash to Hezbollah via Beirut airport. On Monday, Lebanese media reported that incoming flights from Iraq to Beirut are being subject to inspection to prevent the transfer of money to Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Since the ceasefire began in November, both Israel and Lebanon have accused the other of dozens of breaches. Israel has accused Hezbollah of rearming after weeks of bombardment from Israel, targeting key infrastructure and the group's top leadership. Lebanon accuses Israel of territorial breaches and ongoing military action which has seen dozens of Lebanese killed amid the ceasefire. Two weeks ago, Israel accused Iran of sending tens of millions of dollars to Hezbollah through clandestine cash deliveries, lodging formal complaints with the US-led committee overseeing the ceasefire, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. Iranian envoys have been flying into Beirut from Tehran with suitcases stuffed with US dollars to finance Hezbollah's operations. Additionally, Israel has reported that Turkish nationals have been used as couriers to transport funds from Istanbul to Beirut, the report said. The US State Department designated Hizballah as a foreign terrorist organization in October 1997. More than 60 other countries and organizations, including the EU, the Arab League, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, have also designated Hizballah—either in part or in its entirety—as a terrorist group. Iran Intl
Gulf Insider
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Trump Warns He Left Instructions to Destroy Iran if He Is Assassinated
It's been a longtime conservative media and Republican talking point that Tehran is looking for opportunities to take out President Donald Trump, in retaliation for his ordering the drone killing of IRGC Quds Force chief Qasem Soleimani on January 3, 2020 outside Baghdad International Airport during his first administration. President Trump has this week warned that he has left instructions ordering the destruction of the Islamic Republic in the event he is assassinated by Iranian agents. The unexpected and somewhat unprecedented contingency, which we would expect at the very least would require the approval of Congress, was issued Tuesday while Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office restoring 'maximum pressure' to Iran. Trump hailed the action as 'very tough on Iran'. That's when he was questioned by reporters over Iran and its proxies threatening to assassinate him, to which the commander-in-chief responded: 'They haven't done that and that would be a terrible thing for them to do. Not because of me— if they did that, they would be obliterated. That would be the end. I've left instructions, if they do it, they get obliterated, there won't be anything left. And, they shouldn't be able to do it.' He laid blame in part on the prior Biden administration for being weak on Iran, and allowing alleged plots to fester without taking firm action. He soon after received Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. 'Biden should have said that but he never did, I don't know why. Lack of intelligence perhaps but he never said it. If that happens to a leader or close to a leader— frankly, if you had other people involved also—you would call for total obliteration of a state that did it. That would include Iran,' Trump said. Back in September of last year, Trump said at an event in North Carolina: 'As you know, there have been two assassination attempts on my life that we know of, and they may or may not involve – but possibly do – Iran.' He also wrote on X at the time, 'Big threats on my life by Iran. The entire US Military is watching and waiting. Moves were already made by Iran that didn't work out, but they will try again. Not a good situation for anyone. I am surrounded by more men, guns, and weapons than I have ever seen before.' 🚨BREAKING: Trump says he has left instructions to OBLITERATE Iran if they assassinate him: 'That would be a terrible thing for them to do. If they did that, they would be obliterated. I've left instructions.''There would be nothing left.' — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 4, 2025 Trump's campaign at the time said they were briefed on the alleged Iranian threat by officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence under Biden, which was led at the time by Avril Haines. The president was also asked Tuesday to assess how close he thinks Iran is to developing a nuclear weapon, to which he responded, 'too close' – and added, 'They're pretty close.' But the CIA recently assessed it doesn't think Tehran is pursuing a bomb at this point.
Ya Libnan
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Hezbollah chief rejects cease-fire extension: ‘Israel should get out', he says
Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem ( L) is shown with Ayatottal Ali Khamanei . Qassem fled to Tehran about 3 months ago on the plane of the Iranian FM . Iran's IRGC Quds Force has reportedly been handling the military activities of Hezbollah ever since its top commanders were assassinated. Hezbollah is on of the Quds force militias Tehran: Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said Monday that Israel should withdraw from the occupied border areas in southern Lebanon, rejecting the extension of the cease-fire arrangements to Feb. 18. 'Israel should get out. … We don't accept any extension of the deadline, and we will not accept any justification to prolong it even for a second,' Qassem said in a speech broadcast by Hezbollah-run Al Manar television station. His remarks came after the White House announced in a statement Sunday that a U.S.-brokered cease-fire agreement that ended the war between Lebanon and Israel on Nov. 27 'will remain in effect until Feb. 18.' The cease-fire's 60-day deadline expired at dawn Sunday, but Israel refused to complete the pullout of its forces from southern Lebanon, arguing that the Lebanese Army has been slow in redeploying, while Hezbollah still maintains its military presence in areas prohibited by the agreement. Lebanon has accused the Israeli military of procrastinating its troop withdrawal. Israel's decision to remain inside southern Lebanon prompted thousands of displaced residents to forcefully return to their towns and homes, most of which were destroyed by the 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah that broke out in October 2023. A total of 26 people were killed and 134 were wounded when Israeli forces opened fire on the returning residents Sunday and Monday, according to a new count by the Health Ministry. Qassem said the international community should exert pressure on Israel to withdraw, warning that Hezbollah 'has the right to act' to confront its continued occupation. He added that Israel violated the cease-fire agreement 1,350 times, while Hezbollah fully abided by the accord and refrained from violating it. Hezbollah was greatly weakened during the war after receiving devastating blows, with Israel killing its top leaders and dismantling its military infrastructure. Outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that Lebanon agreed to continue working under the cease-fire understanding until Feb.18 and 'not to give Israel any excuse not to withdraw from all Lebanese territories.' House Speaker Nabih Berri, who negotiated the truce deal on behalf of his Hezbollah ally, explained that he accepted the deadline extension on the condition that Israel immediately stops its violations and destruction of homes, 'in addition to a commitment on the issue of prisoners.' According to the White House statement, Lebanon, Israel and the United States will begin negotiations for the return of Lebanese prisoners captured after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hezbollah opened a 'support front' for Gaza. The prisoners reportedly include seven detained during the war and nine arrested Sunday. The war, which killed or wounded more than 20,000 people in Lebanon and displaced some 1.2 million, resulted in widespread destruction of villages, property, hospitals and schools in Beirut's southern suburbs and in southern and eastern Lebanon. Lebanese Army deploying more troops Lebanese armed forces were deploying to several more villages in southern Lebanon on Monday, shortly after an announcement that a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was being extended until February 18. Lebanese forces partially re-entered the towns of Mais al Jabal and Houla, located along the southern demarcation line with neighbouring Israel. Lines of cars and people carrying yellow Hezbollah flags were seen waiting at the entrance of the western sector of south Lebanon to enter their villages, accompanied by the Lebanese army. 'We are overjoyed that we can enter our villages despite the massive destruction,' one returnee told dpa. 'My son was killed here; I want to see if he was properly buried,' said another man. A large portion of the population in southern Lebanon are supporters of the Hezbollah militia or its allied Amal movement. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), tens of thousands of residents have returned to the south and other areas in Lebanon since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in November. However, many towns near the border remain deserted due to the continued presence of Israeli troops. Under the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese army is tasked with securing the southern part of the country. Hezbollah meanwhile is required to retreat north of the Litani River, approximately 30 kilometers from the southern border. Israeli military spokesman Avichai Adraee stated on the platform X that Israeli forces needed more time to ensure that 'Hezbollah cannot restore its military presence.' Qassem fled to Tehran Naim Qassem reportedly fled to Tehran on the plane of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi who visited Beirut about 3 months ago for fear of being assassinated after former leader Hassan Nasrallah and his heir apparent Hashem Safieddine were both assassinated in the southern Beirut suburb al Dhahieh UPI / DPA
