Latest news with #IranianRevolutionaryGuard
Khaberni
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Khaberni
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Warns Israel Against Any Attack
Khaberni - The Iranian Revolutionary Guard stated on Thursday that Israel would face "a devastating and decisive response" if it attacked Iran, days after CNN reported that US intelligence indicates Israel is preparing to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. Official media quoted the spokesperson of the Revolutionary Guard, Ali Mohammad Naeini, saying, "They try to scare us with war, but their calculations are wrong as they underestimate the strong public and military support that Iran can mobilize in war conditions." Tehran and Washington will hold a fifth round of nuclear talks on Friday in Rome amid sharp disputes over uranium enrichment in Iran, which the United States says could lead to the development of nuclear bombs, a claim Iran denies. CNN, citing intelligence officials, added that it is still unclear whether Israeli leaders have made a final decision, indicating a difference of opinion within the American government on whether the Israelis will ultimately decide to carry out the strikes. Diplomats say that the collapse of the US-Iran negotiations, or reaching a new nuclear agreement, does not diminish Israel's concerns about Iran developing nuclear weapons, which may prompt Israel to strike against its regional rival. According to official media, the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, described on Tuesday the US demands to stop uranium enrichment as "exaggerated and irritating," expressing his doubts about the success of the talks on a new nuclear deal. Tehran says its nuclear program is intended solely for civilian purposes.
9 News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- 9 News
First it was the Gulf of America. Now Trump is eyeing off another change
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Donald Trump plans to announce while on his trip to Saudi Arabia next week that the United States will now refer to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf or the Gulf of Arabia, according to two US officials. Arab nations have pushed for a change to the geographic name of the body of water off the southern coast of Iran, while Iran has maintained its historic ties to the gulf. The two US officials spoke with The Associated Press this week on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. The White House and National Security Council did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. This August 2023 photo released by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard shows speedboats during a drill in the Persian Gulf. (CNN) When asked about the name change at an Oval Office event, Trump told reporters that he would "have to make a decision" during his Middle East trip . "They're going to ask me about that when I get there, and I'll have to make a decision," Trump said. "I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. I don't know if feelings are going to be hurt." Trump added that he was "going to be given a briefing" regarding plans on renaming the gulf, adding he would make a decision after that. Arab nations have long pushed for the Persian Gulf, the body of water off the southern coast of Iran, to be renamed to reflect their countries. But Trump's comments appear to acknowledge that the Iranians , who have long pushed for the body of water off the southern cost of their country to continue being referred to as the Persian Gulf, will vehemently oppose to such a move. A spat developed in 2017 during Trump's first term when he used the name Arabian Gulf for the waterway. Iran's president at the time, Hassan Rouhani, suggested Trump needed to 'study geography". Donald Trump will visit a number of Middle East nations on his first official overseas tour next week. (Bloomberg) 'Everyone knew Trump's friendship was for sale to the highest bidder. We now know that his geography is, too,' Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote online at the time. Overnight, Iran's current foreign minister also weighed in, saying that names of Mideast waterways do 'not imply ownership by any particular nation, but rather reflects a shared respect for the collective heritage of humanity.' 'Politically motivated attempts to alter the historically established name of the Persian Gulf are indicative of hostile intent toward Iran and its people, and are firmly condemned,' Abbas Araghchi wrote on X. "Any short-sighted step in this connection will have no validity or legal or geographical effect, it will only bring the wrath of all Iranians from all walks of life and political persuasion in Iran, the US and across the world." The Persian Gulf has been widely known by that name since the 16th century, although usage of 'Gulf of Arabia' and 'Arabian Gulf' is dominant in many countries in the Middle East. The government of Iran — formerly Persia — threatened to sue Google in 2012 over the company's decision not to label the body of water at all on its maps. On Google Maps in the US, the body of water appears as Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf). Apple Maps only says the Persian Gulf. The US military for years has unilaterally referred to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf in statements and images it releases. The name of the body of water has become an emotive issue for Iranians who embrace their country's long history as the Persian Empire. Trump can change the name for official US purposes, but he can't dictate what the rest of the world calls it. The International Hydrographic Organisation — of which the United States is a member — works to ensure all the world's seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted uniformly, and also names some of them. There are instances where countries refer to the same body of water or landmark by different names in their own documentation. In addition to Saudi Arabia, Trump is also set to visit Doha, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, which also lie on the body of water. Originally planned as Trump's first trip overseas since he took office on January 20, it comes as Trump has tried to draw closer to the Gulf countries as he seeks their financial investment in the US and support in regional conflicts, including resolving the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and limiting Iran's advancing nuclear program. The US president also has significant financial ties to the countries through his personal businesses, over which he has retained ownership from the Oval Office. The Associated Press sued the Trump administration earlier this year after the White House barred its journalists from covering most events because of the organisation's decision not to follow the president's executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the 'Gulf of America' within the United States. US District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, an appointee of President Donald Trump, ruled last month that the First Amendment protects the AP from government retaliation over its word choice and ordered the outlet's access to be reinstated. World Donald Trump USA Iran Middle East CONTACT US
Ya Libnan
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Iran and its proxy in Lebanon should be sued for the $billions in damages caused by the war against Israel, says Ex- diplomat
Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) flags. Both bear a hand holding up a rifle and a globe Few days after the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel came into effect following over a year of fighting, and after the extent of the destruction in Lebanon became clear, with reconstruction costs estimated at $15-20 billion,[1] many prominent people in Lebanon, who are opposed to the Iran-led resistance axis, began calling for Iran to compensate Lebanon for the damages of the war. According to them, it was Iran – not the state of Lebanon that decided to start the war with Israel through its proxy militia, Hezbollah, and therefore it should be the one to bear the cost. If Iran refuses these demands, they said, Lebanon should sue it in international courts, or else deduct the cost of the war from Iranian assets frozen in the West. [2] Among the prominent people urging this course of action was Dr. Hisham Hamdan, a former Lebanese diplomat known for his opposition to the Axis of Resistance, who placed the responsibility for the destruction in Lebanon squarely on Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah. In an article published in the Lebanese daily Al-Nahar last December, he argued that the state of Lebanon had honored the Armistice Agreement ever it was signed on March, 23rd 1949 and that it was Syria, and later Iran, that violated it by imposing war on Lebanon through its proxy Hezbollah in order to serve its own interests. This, he claimed, constitutes 'a crime of aggression under international law,' and it is therefore the 'national duty' of the Lebanese state and its people to sue Iran in international courts. Hamdan also criticized the Lebanese politicians who have allowed Hezbollah to operate as a 'state within a state' in Lebanon in the service of Iran, a possible reference to former president Michel Aoun and his party the Free Patriotic Movement or FPM Hezbollah's. slain leader Hassan Nasrallah's portrait is amongst the debris of a destroyed building in souther Beirut The following are translated excerpts from Hamdan's article: Lebanon Was Never A Side In The Wars With Israel; The Wars Were Forced Upon It 'The war stopped in November 2024 and a ceasefire agreement was declared. The steps to implement this agreement are still in their early stages. Israel is still clearing the area south of the Litani of pockets of Hezbollah [fighters] and of hidden weapons and trenches [i.e., tunnels]. It has two months to complete this task. The ceasefire monitoring mechanism is not yet complete. Despite this, we hear religious and secular officials describing the ceasefire as a 'hudna,' [temporary lull in fighting] by which they mean that it is just a pause. We still see signs that Hezbollah refuses to acknowledge defeat and talks about going back to square one… 'Lebanon was not a side in any of the wars waged by the militias of Syria and Iran against Israel along the Lebanese border. Lebanon has no connection to the war that took place on its soil. All [these] wars were waged based on an Iranian decision and with Iranian weapons. [Therefore,] under no circumstances should Lebanon be required to bear the burden of [repairing] the damage caused by this war, nor should it be held responsible for the consequences of the damage caused by the actions of the mini-state [i.e., Hezbollah], which makes war and peace decisions outside the will of the state. Neither Lebanon nor the Lebanese should be held responsible for the wars waged by these militias and for the destruction caused to Lebanon by these wars. The Iranian militia Hezbollah] calls itself a resistance force that is fighting the Israeli occupation of Lebanon, yet the intended objectives of its actions clearly contradict the legal concept of the right to resist. 'Suing Iran and its collaborators is a national duty. Lebanon and its people are victims of external intervention in their internal affairs. In 1982, Iran, with the consent of the Syrian regime, established an armed militia in Lebanon which is subordinate to it militarily, financially, and ideologically, [since] Iran funded it and trained its members – and turned it into an arm of its [Islamic] Revolutionary Guard [Corps]. [This proxy militia] conducts wars against other countries in the region and beyond, in Iran's interests and according to its will. Despite the signing of the Taif Agreement in 1989, [3] the Syrian regime prevented the full restoration of sovereignty to [Lebanon]. It assassinated [Lebanese] president René Moawad, [4] and imposed a political regime that allowed the continued presence of [Syrian] weapons [in Lebanon] and kept the decisions of war and peace in [Syria's] hands, in cooperation with Iran and the militia under its control [Hezbollah]. When the Syrian regime [finally] left Lebanon, Iran became directly responsible for the violation of its national sovereignty.' Iran's Intervention In Lebanon Is A Violation Of International Law 'Iran's intervention in Lebanon is a crime of aggression under international law. Iran's establishment of armed groups, irregular forces, or mercenary [forces] that carry out armed operations in our country – [namely] Hezbollah and its supporters – counts as aggression as defined in UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 from December 14, 1974. This resolution was adopted by international consensus and serves as the international legal basis for the definition of aggression. 'According to legal theory, this definition [of aggression, as defined by Resolution 3314] is based on three criteria, all of which apply to Iran's intervention in Lebanon: 'The first criterion – Iran is a state. 'The second criterion Tts intervention makes it clearly liable as a state. Evidence of this is that, in the 1980s, Iran used its militia in Lebanon to assist it in its war against Iraq. [The militia did so] by carrying out attacks on French and American targets in Lebanon, and targets of countries that were aiding Iraq in its war against [Iran], countries whose nationals were present in Lebanon for purposes of keeping the peace there. Iran also used these militias in its regional and international struggles, as [evident from the fact that] many countries exposed terrorist cells belonging to it on their soil, preparing for military action. The war against Israel is another [factor] that fully reflects the depth of Iran's aggressive intervention in Lebanon, for it has turned [the country] into a battleground for its total war against Israel. 'The third criterion – this intervention has become sufficiently dangerous, for it led to direct war between the two countries [Lebanon and Israel], [a war] that threatened international peace and security, caused destruction, devastation and casualties in Lebanon and Israel, necessitated repeated interventions by the Security Council, and provoked Israeli responses under the pretext of self-defense – [all of] which led countries around the world to define [Iran] as a state sponsor of terrorism and to impose sanctions on it.' The Lebanese Government And People Must Sue Iran In International Courts 'We demand justice for Lebanon and its people. We demand that the government sue Iran for compensation in order to repair the destruction. We refuse to pay the price of its aggression. If Iran refuses to pay compensation, the government can sue it for compensation in the International Court of Justice. In addition, the victims can sue Iran's leaders in the International Criminal Court… The Iranians who committed the crime of aggression against Lebanon are in power and are directing Iran's political and military activities. Hezbollah acted as an agent of Iran – by its own admission. [5] 'We do not accept the idea of [Iran's] impunity… True, Lebanon is not a member of the Rome Statute [6] due to the objections of [Parliament] Speaker [Nabih] Berri, on well-known pretexts. However, by appointing expert lawyers, the victims can file this lawsuit in court… The Attorney General has enough evidence, as well as decisions from the Security Council, to show that the actions of the Iranian militia [i.e., Hezbollah] constitute aggression… 'The crime of the 2020 [Beirut] port [explosion] revealed the depth of the crime being committed against Lebanon and its people, under the heading of coexistence between the state [of Lebanon] and the mini-state [Hezbollah]. For Lebanon – including all its regions and facilities – has become a battleground serving the mini-state, and in return, the mini-state protects senior government officials and allows them to exploit Lebanon's resources. The result is that Lebanon – once referred to as the 'Switzerland of the East' – has collapsed economically… 'The crimes against the people and the homeland have escalated without [anyone being held] accountable. The idea of impunity has prevailed in the country. This must be confronted by resorting to international law and putting an end to the avoidance of accountability and punishment.' [7] [1] Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), November 29, 2024. [2] Nidaa Al-Watan (Lebanon), December 2, 2024. Iranian frozen assets in international accounts are calculated to be worth between $100 billion and $120 billion [3] The Taif Agreement of October 22, 1989, was a political accord that ended the Lebanese civil war. It called for extensive political reforms and established Lebanon's confessional system that divides the political, civil, and military powers among Lebanon's various sects. The agreement also stipulated that all the militias in Lebanon must be disarmed and that the Syrian forces must withdraw from the country. . [4] René Moawad was president of Lebanon for 17 days, from November 5, 1989 until his assassination on November 22. Pro-Syrian forces were suspected of being responsible, but the murderers were never caught. [5] Hizbullah's former secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, declared on several occasions that Iran armed and funded his organization. For example, in a 2016 speech, he said that 'the budget of Hezbollah, its salaries, its expenses, its food, its drink, its weapons, and its missiles come from the Islamic Republic of Iran.' And in September 191 he declared his allegiance to Iran and its Supreme leader Al Khamanei [6] The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is an international treaty that includes the basic principles according to which the ICC seated at the Hague operates. It was adopted at a diplomatic conference held in Rome on July 17, 1998, and went into effect on July 1, 2002. According to the statute, the ICC has the authority to investigate crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression, as defined in UN General Assembly Resolution 3314, which is referred to above. [7] Al-Nahar (Lebanon), December 7, 2024. Update from an article that was published by MEMRI last December
Yemen Online
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yemen Online
U.S. Airstrike in Yemen Kills Senior Houthi Commanders, Iranian Experts
A precise U.S. airstrike has killed 70 individuals, including senior Houthi commanders and Iranian Revolutionary Guard experts, in Yemen's western port city of Al-Hudaydah, according to an official statement by the Yemeni government on Friday. The announcement—uncommon in its clarity and scope—was delivered by Yemeni Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani, who detailed the operation's strategic implications and its role in disrupting Houthi plans to target vital maritime corridors in the Red Sea and beyond. According to al-Eryani, the airstrike, carried out on Tuesday, struck a high-level Houthi gathering south of the al-Fazah coastal region in Hudaydah province. 'The strike neutralized a key operational site used to coordinate terrorist attacks on commercial vessels and oil tankers transiting the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and Gulf of Aden,' al-Eryani said. 'This posed a grave threat to international maritime security and global trade routes.' The operation, described as 'surgical and accurate,' targeted a command center reportedly involved in orchestrating attacks against international shipping—part of a broader escalation by the Houthis in recent months that has drawn global condemnation. Wave of U.S. Strikes Dismantles Houthi Infrastructure The latest airstrike is part of a broader American military campaign launched on March 15, aimed at degrading Houthi military capabilities. Over the past two weeks, U.S. forces have conducted a series of concentrated aerial strikes targeting Houthi defense systems, command-and-control centers, fortified military structures, and weapon storage facilities across multiple provinces. These operations have, according to al-Eryani, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Houthi militants, including high-ranking operatives across the group's leadership tiers. 'The precision of these strikes has severely undermined Houthi military infrastructure and sown disarray within their ranks,' he noted, adding that the group continues efforts to obscure the scale of its losses and downplay the impact on its operations. Strategic Turning Point in Confronting the Houthis Al-Eryani characterized the U.S. campaign as a strategic inflection point in the long-standing conflict, sending a resolute message to both the Houthis and their backers in Tehran. 'This is a decisive warning that threats to regional security and the safety of international maritime lanes will be met with firm and immediate retaliation,' he declared. Despite the Houthis' attempts to maintain operational continuity and conceal the extent of their setbacks, reports from the battlefield suggest a growing atmosphere of confusion and disarray among the group's leadership.
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
British couple detained in Iran while on motorcycle journey around the world
A British couple have reportedly been detained Iran during their motorcycle journey around the world. Craig and Lindsay Foreman were reportedly held in January but the country's state-run media revealed this week they had been accused of security-related offences. In an Instagram post, Mrs Foreman had acknowledged that travelling to Iran, against Foreign Office advice, was 'slightly scary' but adding: 'Yes, we're aware of the risks. But we also know the rewards of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories, and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear.' The couple were ultimately heading for Australia, having crossed into Iran from Armenia on December 30, according to social media posts. Mrs Foreman was said to be carrying out a research project as part of the journey, asking people what constitutes a 'good life'. The latest post on Mr Foreman's Facebook page, from Isfahan in Iran, also on January 3, displays a number of selfies apparently showing the couple, along with the caption: 'What a wonderful place'. And now the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has said the Government must act 'more promptly' than it did to help free his wife when she was detained in 2016. Richard Ratcliffe said the dangers of travelling to the Middle Eastern country would be 'a lot clearer' if Foreign Office travel advice reflected 'the risks of hostage-taking' there. Mr Ratcliffe, who went on hunger strike twice as part of his campaign for his wife's release, said a court process may soon come 'to get the Government's attention'. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested on April 3 2016 by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard at Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran after a holiday visit. She was ultimately released and returned to the UK six years later after the UK agreed to settle a historic £400 million debt dating to the 1970s. Mr Ratcliffe told the PA news Agency: 'My heart goes out to them, and I hope they are not in for a long ordeal, and that the Government is able to respond more promptly than it did in our case. 'I do think the risks would be a lot clearer to people if the UK travel advice to Iran talked about the risks of hostage-taking. People would be more alert to the fact that it is not personal, and it doesn't matter whether you have travelled there with a good heart. 'The top priority for the Government should be to make sure they get to visit and that they are not being kept in solitary. It will be important they do not feel alone. A court process may soon come. It's not a real court. But it will be a form of brutal theatre to get the Government's attention. And it will hurt much the same. I really hope they will be ok.' The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Iran. 'Having a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you,' the guidance says. A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We are providing consular assistance to two British nationals detained in Iran and are in contact with the local authorities.'
