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Bloomberg Follow Israel’s Top Spy Worried Russia Could Sell Iran Advanced Weapons Story by Marissa Newman •9h (Bloomberg) -- Israel believes Russia could sell advanced weaponry to Iran, the director of the Mossad intelligence agency said, in rare public criticism of Moscow by an Israeli official. “We are concerned that the Russians will meet Iran’s demands to supply it with weapons and raw materials that will put Israel at risk,” Mossad’s David Barnea said in a speech on Sunday. Iran has been seeking sophisticated new air-defense systems from Russia, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News in March. Russia hasn’t said if it will supply the S-400s, which Israeli officials believe would hamper their ability to strike Tehran’s nuclear program. Israel has repeatedly vowed it won’t allow arch-nemesis Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and frequently threatens military action. Russia and Iran have bolstered their ties over the war in Ukraine, while Israel has issued only mild criticism of Moscow to keep its relations warm with the Kremlin on Middle East issues. In his public remarks Barnea said his agency foiled over two dozen planned attacks by Iran targeting Jewish and Israeli sites around the world this year, without providing specifics. The Mossad director threatened to strike Iranian officials and policymakers “from the bottom all the way to the top” should any attack plot linked to Iran harm Jews or Israelis. Israel’s retaliation would strike “deep inside Iran, in the heart of Tehran,” he warned.

I had been planning to go to Iran for a long time and finally made it a priority for me in 2016. Since I wanted to mix in sightseeing and pilgrimage in the same trip, I decided to go on my own instead of in a group. As it turned out, getting an individual visa for Iran when traveling from the US is a real hassle. We need to get permission from the Iran Foreign Ministry and then apply for the visa at the Iran Mission housed within the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, DC. After struggling for almost 3 weeks, I was able to find Taha Ziyarat Group (tahaziyarat@gmail.com) based out of Toronto that obtained the necessary approval for me for $90. Once I got my approval, I sent my passport off to the Iran Mission in Washington. I did have to follow up with them almost daily to ensure they processed my visa application expeditiously. I received my passport 4 days before flying out. While I was waiting for the visa approval, I booked my flights on Qatar Airways for a bargain price of $700 return to/from US-Tehran. For in-country arrangements, I know a maulana (NAJ) there who arranged everything for me based on my budget. Finally, the big day came and I left for Iran on Wed Mar 23rd arriving in Tehran late Thu evening (Mar 24th). NAJ had arranged for a driver to pick me up and drive straight to Qum instead of spending the night in Tehran. The drive from IKA (Imam Khomeni Airport) to Qum took about 90 minutes. The driver barely spoke English but knew where to pick me up from and where to drop me. We arrived at Qum International Hotel around 1245am (Fri Mar 25th). The hotel was about a *** US hotel, higher for Iran. Day 1 (Fri): We prayed fajr in our room and went back to bed. Since breakfast was included in our price, we went down for breakfast around 9a – nice long buffet. NAJ contacted me around 10am and picked me up from the QIH around 1030a to take me to the Roza of Masooma-e-Qum. We walked to the roza and were there at 1035a. The hotel is the closet one to the roza. NAJ showed us around the haram and provided us some background about Masooma and her roza. From 1130a – 2p, we were on our own to recite ziyarat, salah-e-jumah and dua. I wandered around the roza and made my way to the masjid adjoining the roza. It is an absolutely beautiful mosque. They had beautiful recitations of the quran and then some speeches followed by Azaan. The Jumah khutba was recited by an Ayatollah in Farsi (of course) and then namaz-e-jumah. Although I did not understand most of the khutba, one thing that was unmistakable was the ‘marg-al-Amreeka’ chants (down with America or death to America). They were loud and boisterous. Shrine of Bibi Masooma Qum (as). After salah-e-jumah, NAJ took us to the Suffrah of Masooma where were had a decent meal of rice with spinach with potatoes. We went to our hotel after lunch for some R&R and then returned to the haram for maghribain. After namaz, NAJ took us around the bazaar outside the haram. The clothing looked like they were from the 70s and 80s. Religious paraphernalia including irani chador were well stocked and affordably priced. Almost evey other shop sold halwa-suhan. Day 2 (Sat): We spent most of this day driving around to the various ziarats around Qum. Bait Al-Noor. Musallah of Masooma (as). This is where she spent time praying. Shrine of an Imamzadeh (Son of an Imam). Shrine of Hz. Hamza bin Musa Kazim (as). Day 3 (Sun): This was by far the most hectic day of the trip. We left around 5am to drive from Qum to Isfahan. It was about a 4-hour drive. I was surprised how much of the Iranian country was desert. The deserts in the Middle East countries (UAE, Saudi) have a lot of fine yellow sand. Iranian deserts are more rocky than sandy. Upon entering Isfahan, we visited the shrine of Masooma Zainab bint Imam Musa Khadim (as) – Masooma Qum’s younger sister. Next stop was the Jameh Mosque of Isfahan. We spent a few minutes here and then walked to Allama Majlisi’s tomb nearby. His house and surrounding are well preserved. Next was the more secular part of the Ishafan visit. We went to Naqsh-e-Jahan (half of the world) which is the main plaza of Isfahan. The weather was great and since the Nawroz holidays were still going on, it was packed with people. Within Naqsh-e-Jahan is the Ali Qapu Palace Panamoric View from Ali Qapu Palace Balcony of Naqsh-e-Jahan Since it was almost lunch time, we stopped by a street restaurant selling A’ash After lunch, we went to the Vank Cathedral. This Christian monastery was established in 1606. It contains some amazing art work. From here, we went to Khaju Bridge for some more sightseeing. At this point, we were too tired to do anything else so we headed back to Qum – 4 hour journey mostly spent napping. Day 4 (Mon): After a hectic day, sleep was going to be the primary thing on the agenda for this day but there was too much to do. We prayed fajr at the mosque next to Masooma-e-Qum’s shrine: Mosque adjacent to Masooma-e-Qum's shrine And then went back to our hotel for more sleep. We had breakfast and got ready for another fun-filled travel day. We started off by going from Qum to Mashad-e-Ardehal. This site contains the tomb of Sultan Ali son of Imam Muhammad Baqir (as) and brother of Imam Jafar Sadiq (as). Sultan Ali was brutally killed here by his enemies. From here we drove to a hilltop/mountaintop with streams running down. We had to walk down about 500 meters and got a great view of a waterfall. The most distinct feature of this area of the smell of rose water distilleries all over the place. You could get rose water for a variety of needs including simple hot rose water tea. The other distinct item being sold was fresh bee hives dripping with honey. And yes, we tried hot rose water tea with honey. From here, we went to the city of Kashan. Our first stop was an ancient archeological site called Tepe Sialk. The Sialk ziggurat Note: Entrance for most places have an Iranian Rate and a Foreigner rate (up to 3X in places). We had our driver buy the tickets and we would walk in with him talking to us in Farsi. Yes – very sneaky indeed. I excused myself by convincing myself that since both my wife and I are of Iranian descent, we qualify for the discount. Final stop of our day trip to Kashan was to the oldest extant garden in Iran known as the Bagh-e-Fin or Fin Garden. Although this was a less hectic day than the trip to Isfahan, we were still pretty tired so we drove back to Qum, had a 12-in falafel sandwich, prayed maghraibain at the haram and went to bed. Day 5 (Tue): The past couple of days had left us tired so we decided to take it easy. We went to the haram for fajr then went back to bed. We woke up just in time to catch breakfast and then went to the local market (wish I took pictures). From there we went for zohrain at the mosque adjacent to Masooma’s shrine. After a quick bite to eat, we left for the Koh-e-Khizr aka Mountain of Khizr. What was supposed to be a light day in terms of exercise became a very intense and steep climb to the top of Koh-e-Khizr. It was well worth it in the end because we got a great view of the entire city of Qum if not the whole province. Got more daunting as we got closer. For the record, the old gentleman in the pic IS NOT ME City/Province of Qum. Needless to say the climb down was nowhere near as arduous as the climb up. There was a small food vendor about half from the top. On our way up, we bought some water from him and then ice cream on the way down. After resting by the car for a few moments, we drove nearby to the Masjid-e-Jhamkaran, located on the outskirts of Qum. A brief history of this grand mosque is that it has long been a sacred place, at least since 373 A.H., 17th of Ramadan (22 February 984 C.E.), when according to the mosque website, one Sheikh Hassan ibn Muthlih Jamkarani is reported to have met Muhammad al-Mahdi along with the prophet Al-Khidr. Jamkarani was instructed that the land they were on was "noble" and that the owner — Hasan bin Muslim — was to cease cultivating it and finance the building of a mosque on it from the earnings he had accumulated from farming the land. As we had been told, the mosque starts getting filled up from about 5pm and gets fuller and fuller as the evening progresses. I am not sure if it was because of Nawruz season but it definitely had a very 'carnival' and festive feel to it. People had spread out their rugs all across the mosque courtyard and were reveling with family and friends. There was hot tea brewing and koobideh with naan being shared by one and all. Quran and then different duas were being recited, followed by maghribain and then more duas. We left around 830p to go back to our hotel. Mosque sparely populated around 4pm. Crowded!!! (730pm). Day 6 (Wed): Today was the big day when we would finally make our way to Mashad. We had packed the previous night so we left right after fajr – and yes, I skipped breakfast!!! First stop was First stop was an almost 2 hour drive to Ayatollah Khomenei’s mausoleum. It is located to the south of Tehran in the Behesht-e Zahra (the Paradise of Zahra) cemetery. Construction commenced in 1989 following Khomeini's death on June 3 of that year. It is still under construction, but when completed will be the centerpiece in a complex spread over 5,000 acres, housing a cultural and tourist center, a university for Islamic studies, a seminary, a shopping mall, and a 20,000-car parking lot. The Iranian government has reportedly devoted US$2 billion to this development. It is definitely one of the largest and most beautiful mausoleums I have come across. Visitors reciting fatiha for Ayatollah Khomenei. Please recite surah fatiha for Ayatollah Sayyid Ruhollah Mūsavi Khomeini. Next stop was the Astana Bibi Shehr Bano. On the ground level there is a cave which according to legends was the place where Zuljinah brought Bibi from Kerbala, and she was there until hostile people to Bani Hashim got news of her being there, and they tried to catch her. She climbed the hillock and then vanished in a mountainous wall. Now a zarih has been constructed together with prayer rooms for men and women. Zarih of Hz. Shehr Bano. View of other side of Tehran. who was a fifth generation descendant of Hasan ibn ‘Alī and a companion of Muhammad al-Taqī. A piece of paper was found in his pocket outlining his ancestry as being: ‘Abdul ‘Adhīm son of ‘Abdillāh son of ‘Alī son of Husayn son of Zayd son of Hasan ibn ‘Alī.Shah Abdul AzeemNext stop was the Shrine of Adjacent to the shrine, within the complex, include the mausolea of Imamzadeh Tahir (son of the fourth shia Imam Sajjad) and Imamzadeh Hamzeh (brother of the eighth Twelver Imām - Imām Reza). From here, we drove around the City of Tehran including the famed part known as Rey. I am fairly well traveled but I have to say that Tehran is one of the most picturesque cities I have visited. Situated in close proximity of the Alborz range and its majestic peak Mount Damavand , being the highest in Iran with a height of 18,550 feet ,it is a mega city of about Thirty Million People. You can see hundreds of buildings at the foot of the mountain. Not a bad view to wake up to every morning. After driving around for a couple of hours, our driver dropped us of at Tehran’s Mehrabad Intl Airport which is primarily used for domestic travel. The airport is in the heart of Tehran or at least within the city. The airport has a small cafeteria that serves hot meals of the local variety. They also have a coffee shop and ice cream parlor. After a 2-hour wait, we finally boarded our short (1-hr) flight to Mashad. The flight was as uneventful as all flights can be. I did enjoy a small boxed-meal they offered everyone despite the short flight. It made up for the breakfast that morning J. Naj had arranged a friend of his (Ali) to be our tour guide for the stay in Mashad. Since Ali’s English was a little weak, he brought along his sister (Afsanay) who was quite fluent in English. We checked into our Hotel (Hotel Omid). It is definitely one of the nicer hotels in Mashad. View of shrine from our hotel room balcony. We quickly refreshed and headed over to the Shrine of Imam Reza (as). Much to our pleasant surprise, the shrine was not as packed with zawar as we expected. It could have been the weather or Nawruz. About to enter the main hallway of the Shrine for the first time. Goose bumps. As salaam alai ka Ya Ghareeb Al Ghuraba (as) One of the many courtyards within the Shrine Complex of Imam Ali Reza (as). Day 7 (Thu): Although our intention was to go to the haram in Imam Al-Reza (as) for fajr, it was raining too hard with heavy winds to walk so we prayed in our rooms and went back to sleep. We woke up to this view: After a world class buffet breakfast, we met up with Ali and Afsanay to go to Nishapour. Once again, it was a very scenic drive. The mountain-desert country just has a certain serenity about it. On the way, we saw small villages celebrating nawroz in their own way. Our first stop was at the Qadamgah – where the footprints of the Holy Imam Al-Reza (as) can be found. Adjacent to it is a small stream said to bring benefits of all kinds to the zawar. Panoramic view of the building housing the footprint. Just before entering the area of the qadamgah is a small caravansary which use to house people back in the day. There were probably abour 20-25 room like the one shown above. Very basic room with a hearth in the middle. The rooms were considered high end. Outside the caravansary, there was just the open shelter (pretend there is no room just the outer part). Next stop was to the mausoleum of Bibi Shatitay. The legend goes that Imam himself came there and led the Namaz-e-janaza prayers for her. We made a brief stop at the historic Shah Abbas Inn/Caravansary which has been converted into several small shops selling jewelry or souvenirs. Nishapur is famous for its turquoise stone (firoza). Next stop was the shrines of Imamzade Mahruq bin Muhammad Al-Baqir bin Sajjad (as) and Ebrahim bin Ahmad bin Moosa bin Jafar (as). A short walk from here was the tomb of Omar Al-Khayam – one of the most influential thinkers of the Middle Ages. He wrote numerous treatises on mechanics, geography, mineralogy and astronomy. A short drive from here was the mausoleum of Abu Hamid bin Abu Bakr Ibrahim aka Attar Nishapuri - a Persian Muslim poet, theoretician of Sufism, and hagiographer from Nishapur who had an immense and lasting influence on Persian poetry and Sufism. If memory serves me right, next to Attar’s tomb was an archeological site from thousands of years ago. It was going through extensive renovations at the time. Our last stop was a very famous local restaurant called Emirat Restaurant. Undoubtedly the best lamb koobideh I have ever had!!! My wife and I had some very interesting conversations with Ali and Afsanay. They were both fascinated by our lives in America. They had no qualms about asking me my salary; the size and cost of our house; they were surprised if not shocked that it was okay for my wife to go grocery shopping by herself and it was perfectly safe. They were under the impression that any woman who stepped out of her house by herself was 'asking for it'. I thought it was hilarious. Now that I think about it, everything the Western media does to paint Muslims in a certain light happens in Iran too but backwards. The Western media takes 1 bad Muslim story and tries to apply it to all Muslims. The Iranian media takes a bad Western story and applies it to all Westerners. This was just my observation and nothing more. We had some other interesting conversations but those are for another day and another time. We drove back to Mashad and spent the evening the haram of Imam Al-Reza (as). Day 8 (Fri): We prayed fajr at the haram and went back to bed; then woke up to this beautiful view. Beautiful view of Roza of Ima Ali Reza (as). Since it was Friday, we stayed in our room until 11a or so and then headed to the haram again. Good thing we went early because it was fuller than we had seen since we got there. So I got a good spot in the mosque adjacent to the haram. I heard the Friday sermon (understood bits and pieces) and the “Death to American” chants, then prayed juma followed by Asr. Mosque adjacent to Imam Ali Reza's (as) shrine. Next was one of the most essential parts of the trip. One may not get this opportunity all the time. We had to take our passport to the office of Pilgrims situated in the Haram of Imam Ridha’s (as). They marked our passport and gives us a ticket for the meal. At the restaurant, they feed almost 4000 Zuwar each day. Thousands of Iranians must wait for years before they get a chance to have a meal at this restaurant. Lunch at Imam's restaurant (dastakhawan) Following lunch, Ali and Afsanay picked us up for some sightseeing. We drove around Mashad, saw her university and then went to ziarat nearby Ziarat near Mashad Iranian country side. Notice the marked difference in scenery from the previous pictures. On our way back, we stopped at an ice cream parlor for some traditional Persian ice cream. The last stop was a nearby pewter mountain. I was amazed to see people climbing it without any concern for safety. It was rainy and slick. Mrs ShiaMan14 bought a very nice souvenir. We came back, rested for a bit and then went to the haram for salah. Day 9 (Sat): This was the day to head back to Tehran. We spent the entire night at the haram until fajr. Then came back to get some rest. We got up after a couple of hours, had some breakfast and packed. We took all our luggage downstairs and went back to the haram for zuhrain. We also did the farewell ziarat, rushed back to the hotel since Ali was waiting for us. We got to the Mashad International Airport around 245pm for a 530p flight - plenty of time. Just as Ali left us, NAJ gave me a call informing me that my flight had been cancelled so he booked me on the last flight to Tehran (happened to be the cheapest option). This is when panic set in. If the last flight got cancelled, I would miss my flight from IKA to Doha and the subsequent flight to US. I could see on the monitors that there were several flights from the time now until my new flight time although all of them were on a different airline than mine. I called NAJ to ask if my ticket could be changed and he said it would not be possible. So I saw the flight I wanted about 1.5 hours later and went to their sales office. First, they couldnt understand why I wanted another ticket when I already had one. My farsi and their english were too awful to understand each other but nevertheless they allowed me to buy 2 tickets. Next problem - I did not have any Iranian Rials on me and the INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT did not have a Money Exchange! So I had to call Ali back to see if he had any rials that he could give me in exchange for dollars. By this time, he was about 20 minutes away so we had to wait for him to come back. In the meanwhile, the Sales Agent agreed to take my dollars at a fairly decent exchange rate. Basically, I bought 2 one-way tickets from Mashad to Tehran for about $100. Just as we finalized the transaction, Ali came back and I had to explain the whole thing to him as well. He, too, was confused as to why I would buy another ticket when I already had one. Anyway, we finally put all that behind us, checked-in and were on our way to Tehran. After an uneventful journey to Tehran, we drove all the way to Qum to sepnt about 3-4 hours in Qum at NAJ's house. We freshened up, ate a really nice meal and got ready to leave. Day 10 (Fri): We left Naj's house around 1am and reached IKA by 215am. Since this was the last or day after Nawruz holidays, the airport was jam packed. It took an hour to check-in, the security lines were considerably shorter so in another 15 minutes, we were at our gate. Boarding started just around fajr, so we prayed quickly and boarded our Qatar Airways flight to Doha. I was a bit nervous about returning to the US from Iran but had no problems whatsoever. A very placid end to a very hectic but thoroughly enjoyable trip. Summary: Iranians are a very joyous and happy people. There was no patch of grass where we didn't see a family setting up a picnic be it as a roadside or a courtyard of a shrine. I really wish relations between Iran and the West improves so the people can really experience the rich, colorful and impressive history, geography and culture Iran has to offer. Our entire 10 day trip cost about $1,600/pp. It was money well spent.

Is the film "Hussein, Who Said No" available on DVD outside of Iran? Is there a way to get a copy, cut or uncut? I live in the US and really would like to see this film.

Is a US or Isreali Airstrike or attack on Iran imminent? Will there be a major conflict in the middle east? WIll it incite War in the Region? What do you all think?

Saudi Crown pricne said: Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a television interview broadcast on Tuesday that his country could crush Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen where a Saudi-led military coalition is fighting to restore the government of president Abdrabu Mansur Hadi. Asked if Saudi Arabia was ready to open a direct dialogue with Tehran, Prince Mohammed said it was impossible to talk with a power that was planning for the return of the Imam Mahdi. Shiites believe Imam Mahdi was a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed who went into hiding 1,000 years ago and will return to establish global Islamic rule before the end of the world. "How do you have a dialogue with this (Iran)?" Prince Mohammed said. "Its (Iran’s) logic is that the Imam Mahdi will come and they must prepare the fertile environment for the arrival of the awaited Mahdi and they must control the Muslim world." Under Iran’s constitution, in place since the 1979 revolution, the country’s supreme leader is the earthly representative of the Imam until his return. http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/saudi-arabias-prince-mohammed-bin-salman-rules-out-dialogue-with-iran Trump to visit Saudi capital Riyadh to meet 50 countries alliance. The summit agenda is expected to focus on combating Islamist militants and the growing regional influence of Iran. Mr Trump has been a fierce critic of the Iran deal which eased sanctions in return for a curb on its nuclear activities. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39979189 so modern day Saqifa is in process to deny the Chosen representative Mahdi and his supporters and those awaiting for him.

https://english.alarabiya.net/amp/News/middle-east/2022/09/16/Iranian-woman-beaten-by-police-for-not-wearing-hijab-dies-after-coma Utterly disgusting.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, government and religious leaders meet with Min. Farrakhan (finalcall.com)

Description: When and how was Shia sect founded? And how can we say that more than one billion Muslims are wrong and Shia that is in minority is right? Response: Dear friend, in Quran logic, majority is never the criteria of rightfulness, as god almighty has mentioned to this point in Quran, god says in Quran fifteen times: “أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ” Most of them do not know. Chapters: AL-ANAAM / 37 /// AL-ARAF/ 13 /// AL-ANFAL / 34 /// YUNUS / 55,… Or this verse: “أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ” Most of them do not understand. Chapters: AL-ANKABOOT / 63 and AL-HUJRAAT, 55 On the other hand if you take a look around, you’ll see that most of the people around the world are “Christian”. According to studies done by experts and global statisticians in 2005, 33% of people around the world ore “Christian” while Muslims have the second place by 21%. So, if we say that majority is the criteria of rightfulness, so you should become “Christian”, because in your opinion, is that possible 33% of people are wrong and 21% of people of the world are right? Source: Wikipedia If you’re fair, you’ll find out that you’re wrong. As for this matter that why the population of Sunni is more than Shias, it requires independent conversation and it has different reasons either, at this time it’s irrelevant to our discussion, but we’ll talk about it later if it’s necessary. But about this saying of yours that Shia sect was founded in “Safvid dynasty”, we take it for granted that you’re not aware of history and issues written in your own books {Sunni books}, to resolve any ambiguity, pay attention to following issues: قال تعالي ( إن الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات أولئك هم خير البرية ) . لما نزلت هذه الآية قال الرسول لعلي يا علي ( ع ) هم أنت و شيعتك . When this verse: “But those who believe and do good deeds are the best of all creatures” was sent down, Prophet Muhammad [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] said to commander of the faithful Ali [AS]: the meaning of this verse is you and your Shias. Sura AL-BAYYINA, verse 7 “ibn Hajar al-Haytam”, Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, p 96 /// “Al-Hakim Haskani”, Shawahid al-Tanzil, v 2, p 356 // “Al-Khwarizmi”, Al-Manaqib, p 62 and 187 // Al-Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur, v 6, p 379 // “Tafsir al-Tabari”, v 3, p 146 /// “Al-Shukani”, Fath al-Qadir, v 5, p 477 // “Al-Juwayni”- Fara’id al-Simtayn- v 1, p 156 and …. “... أمير المؤمنين علي بن أبي طالب قال قال رسول الله ( صلي الله عليه وسلم ) يا علي إذا كان يوم القيامة يخرج قوم من قبورهم لباسهم النور علي نجائب من نور أزمتها يواقيت حمر تزفهم الملائكة إلي المحشر فقال علي تبارك الله ما أكرم هؤلاء علي الله قال رسول الله ( صلي الله عليه وسلم ) يا علي هم أهل ولايتك وشيعتك ومحبوك يحبونك بحبي ويحبوني بحب الله هم الفائزون يوم القيامة” Commander of the faithful Ali [AS] said: prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] told me: O “Ali” when day of resurrection comes up, some will come out of their graves that their clothing is made of light and are riding camels made by light and those camels’ tether is made of ruby, and angels will see them off to resurrection, then prophet said: they are those who have accepted your guardianship and Imamate, they’re your Shias, they like you because they like me and they like me because they like god, they get to salvation on the day of resurrection. “Ibn Asakir”- The History of Damascus, v42, p 332 روي ابن عساكر بإسناده عن جابر بن عبد اللّه، قال: كنّا عند النبي صلي اللّه عليه وسلّم، فأقبل علي بن أبي طالب، فقال رسول اللّه: «قد أتاكم أخي، ثمّ التفت الي الكعبة فضربها بيده. ثمّ قال: والذي نفسي بيده، إنّ هذا وشيعته لهم الفائزون يوم القيامة. ثمّ قال: إنّه أوّلكم إيماناً معي، وأوفاكم بعهد اللّه، وأقومكم بأمر اللّه، وأعدلكم في الرعيّة، وأقسمكم بالسويّة، وأعظمكم عند اللّه مزية». قال: وفي ذلك الوقت نزلت فيه: (إِنَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَتِ أُولَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ). البيّنة:7/98. كان أصحاب محمد صلي اللّه عليه وسلّم إذا أقبل علي قالوا: قد جاء خير البرية. “Ibn Asakir” quotes from “Jabir bin Ansari” who said: I was with prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] that “Ali” [AS] came to us, then messenger of god [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] said: your brother came, Then he turned towards “Ka’aba” and knocked it and said: swear by god that my life is in his hands, indeed, this man and his Shias get to solvation on the day of resurrection. Then prophet Muhammad [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] said: “Ali” is the first guy who believed in me, amongst you, he’s the most loyal one to divine promise and is the most steadfast one in divine orders and the most righteous one in dealing with subordinates and the fairest one and is better than all of you with god. “Jabir” said: then this verse “But those who believe and do good deeds are the best of all creatures”, was sent down about Hadrat “Ali” [AS], and whenever “Ali” [AS] would come, prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] would say: the best creature of god has come. “Ibn Asakir”, The History of Damascus- v 42- p 371 وعن ابن عباس ( رض ) قال : لما نزلت هذه الآية : ان الذين امنوا وعملوا الصالحات أولئك هم خير البرية قال : لعلي هو أنت وشيعتك تأتي يوم القيامة أنت وشيعتك راضين مرضيين ويأتي عدوك غضبانا مقحمين ... “Ibn Abbas” says: when this verse “But those who believe and do good deeds are the best of all creatures” was sent down, messenger of god [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] said to “Ali” [AS]: the meaning of this verse is you and your Shias, on the day of resurrection, you and your Shias will come while you’re pleased of god and god is pleased of you and your enemy will come while he’s angry and perished… “Zarandi al-Hanafi”- Nazm durari al-Simtayn- p 92 ... عن الشعبي عن علي قال : قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم : " أنت وشيعتك في الجنة " “Shu’bi” quotes from commander of the faithful [AS] that prophet Muhammad [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] said: {O Ali}, you and your Shias will go to paradise on the day of resurrection. “History of Baghdad”- v 12, p 284 “أن رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم قال لعلي أنت وشيعتك تردون علي الحوض رواة مرويين بيضة وجوهكم وان عدوك يردون علي الحوض ظمأ مقمحين” Messenger of god [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] said: O “Ali”! {On the day of resurrection} you and your Shias will come to me next to “Al Kawthar” {name of a river, its pool and springs} while you’re watered and your faces are bright and your enemy will come to me next to “Al-Kawthar” while he’s thirsty and perished. “Al-Tabarani”- al-Mu’jam al-Kabir- v 1, p 319, Hadith No. 948 There are about forty narratives with such contents in Sunni resources. Names of some of companions of prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] who were Shia: “Al-Dhahabi” says about “Hujr bin ‘Adi bin Jabala bin ‘Adi”: “وهو حجر الخير ... أبو عبد الرحمن الشهيد . له صحبة ووفادة ... وكان شريفا ، أميرا مطاعا ، أمارا بالمعروف ، مقدما علي الانكار ، من شيعة علي رضي الله عنهما” He’s “Hujr bin ‘Adi”, his nickname is “Abu abd ar-Rahman” who was martyred. He’s amongst the companions of Prophet Muhammad [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] and he was honorable man and obedient ruler and would order to the good a lot and he was always pioneer in forbidding from the evil and he’s amongst the Shias of “Ali” [AS]. “Al-Dhahabi”- Siyar al’A’lam al-Nubala- v 3, p 463 “Al-Dhahabi” writes about “Wahab al-Hamdani al-Khaywani al-Kufi”: “من كبراء شيعة علي ... أسلم في حياة النبي صلي الله عليه وسلم” He was amongst great Shias of “Ali” [AS]… he became Muslim during prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)]’s life. “Al-Dhahabi”- Siyar al-A’lam al-Nubala- v 3, p 180 “Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr” says about “abu al-Tufail al-Sahabi”: أبو الطفيل عامر بن واثلة الكناني .. وقد ذكره ابن أبي خيثمة في شعراء الصحابة... وكان متشيّعاً في علي. “Abu Tufail” …. “Ibn abi Khithamah” has said his names amongst poet companions and he was amongst Shias of “Ali” [AS]. “Al-Isti’ab”- Ibn Abd al-Barr, v 4, p 1696 “Ibn abi al-Hadid” says: “وكان سلمان من شيعة علي ( عليه السلام ) وخاصته” “Salman” was amongst Shias of “Ali” [AS] and his particular companions. “Ibn abu al-Hadid”- comments on the Peak of Eloquence- v 18, p 39 “Mas’udi Shafi’i” says: “أن الإمام عليا أقام ومن معه من شيعته في منزله بعد أن تمت البيعة لأبي بكر” After people swore allegiance with “Abu-Bakr”, Imam “Ali” [AS] and his Shias sat-in in Ali [AS]’s house. “Al-Mas’udi”- Ithbat al-Wasiyyah “Taqi al-Din Sabki” writes in the book “Al-Tabaqat al-Shafi’iyah” that “Mas’udi Sahafi’i” is one of the Shafi’i-faith scholars. “Al-Tabaqat al-Shafi’iyah”- v 3, p 456-457 “Subhi Saleh” says: “كان بين الصحابة حتي في عهد النبي ( صلي الله عليه وآله وسلم ) شيعة لربيبه علي ، منهم : أبو ذر الغفاري ، والمقداد بن الأسود ، وجابر بن عبد الله ، وأبي بن كعب ، وأبو الطفيل عمر بن وائلة ، والعباس بن عبد المطلب وجميع بنيه ، وعمار بن ياسر ، وأبو أيوب الأنصاري” even during prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)]’s life, some of companions of prophet were Shias of Ali -trained by prophet- such as: “Abu Dhar Ghifari”, “Meqdad bin Aswad”, “Jabir bin Abdullah, “Ubay bin Ka’b”, “Abu Tufail ‘Amir bin Wathilah”, “Abbas bin abd al-Mattalib”, “Ammar bin Yasir” and “Abu Ayyub al-Ansari”. “Al-Nazm al-Islamiyyah”- p 96 “Muhammad Kurd Ali” writes: عرف جماعة من كبار الصحابة بموالاة علي في عصر رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم ، مثل سلمان الفارسي ، القائل : بايعنا رسول الله علي النصح للمسلمين ، والائتمام بعلي بن أبي طالب ، والموالاة له ، ومثل أبي سعيد الخدري ... ومثل أبي ذر الغفاري وعمار بن ياسر ، وحذيفة بن اليمان وذي الشهادتين ، وأبي أيوب الأنصاري ، وخالد بن سعيد ، وقيس بن سعد . At the time prophet Muhammad [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)], many of companions would be known as the friends and followers of “Ali” [AS], such as “Salman” who said: we swore allegiance with prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] to do good deeds to Muslims and accept the Imamate and guardianship of “Ali” and like him. Other guys such as: “Abi Sai’id Khederi”… and “Abu Dhar Ghaffari”, “Ammar ibn Yasir”, “Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman”, “Abi Ayyub Ansari”, “Khālid ibn Sa`īd” and “Qais ibn Sa’d” were amongst those companions as well. “Khitat al-Sham”, v 5, p 251 – 256 “Ibn Hazm” says: “وروينا عن نحو عشرين من الصحابة أن أكرم الناس علي رسول الله ( صلي الله عليه وآله وسلم ) علي بن أبي طالب” We have narrative from about twenty of companions of prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] that “Ali bin Abi Talib” was the most respectable person with prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)]. “Al-Fasl fi al-Melal wa aI-Ahwa’ wa al-Nihal- v 3, p 32 The foundation of Shia in Sunni scholars’ quotation “Ibn Khaldun” says about the beginning of the appearance of Shia: “مبدأ دولة الشيعة: اعلم أنّ مبدء هذه الدولة، أنّ أهل البيت لمّا توفي رسول اللّه صلي اللّه عليه وسلّم كانوا يرون أنّهم أحق بالأمر وأنّ الخلافة لرجالهم دون سواهم من قريش. وفي قصّة الشوري أنّ جماعة من الصحابة كانوا يتشيعون لعلي ويرون استحقاقه علي غيره ولمّا عدل به إلي سواه تأففوا منه وأسفوا له مثل الزبير ومعه عمار بن ياسر والمقداد بن الأسود وغيرهم” “Ibn Khaldun” says about the beginning of the appearance of Shia: Know that the beginning of founding Shia is that when prophet Muhammad [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] passed away, “Ahl al-Bayt” [AS] would say that caliphate is our inalienable right and believed that men of “Bani Hashim” deserve caliphate and other men of “Quraysh” tribe have no right in caliphate. In the matter of “council” -in which Abu-Bakr was selected as caliph- some of companions were considered as Shias of “Ali” [AS] and they believed that no one deserves to be caliph other than “Ali bin abi Talib” [AS] and when another guy became caliph they express hatred, such as: “Zubayr”, “Ammar bin Yasir”, “Meqdad bin Aswad” and others. The history of Ibn Khaldun”- v 3, p 171 Master “Muhammad ibn Abd Allah Anan” says: “من الخطأ أن يقال : إن الشيعة ظهرت ولأول مرة عند انشقاق الخوارج . بل كان بدء الشيعة وظهورهم في عصر الرسول ( صلي الله عليه وآله وسلم ) حين أمره الله بإنذار عشيرته في الآية 214 من الشعراء : (وأنذر عشيرتك الأقربين) ولبي النبي فجمع عشيرته في بيته وقال لهم مشيرا إلي علي : هذا أخي ووصيي وخليفتي فيكم فاسمعوا له وأطيعوا” It’s wrong if someone says Shia was first founded at the time of “Khawarij” sedition, but the beginning of appearing Shia was during prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)]’s life, the beginning of prophetic mission, it means the same time that god said to his prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)]: “Warn your tribe and your near kinsmen”, then prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] gathered his relatives in his home and pointed out to “Ali” and said: this person is my brother, ad my successor amongst you after me, so listen to him and obey him. “Abd Allah Ni’ma”- The Sprite of Tashayyu’ – p 20 “Abu Hatam Razi Sahl ibn Muhammad ibn Uthman Sajistani” says: “الشيعة لقب لقوم كانوا قد ألفوا أمير المؤمنين علي بن أبي طالب - صلوات الله عليه - في حياة رسول الله - صلي الله عليه وسلم - وعرفوا به ، مثل سلمان الفارسي ، وأبي ذر الغفاري ، والمقداد بن الأسود ، وعمار بن ياسر ، وكان يقال لهم شيعة علي ، وأصحاب علي” Shia was the title of those who were the friends of commander of the faithful at the time of prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] and would be known as those who like “Ali” [AS], guys such as: “Salamn Farsi”, “Abu Dhar Ghaffari”, “Meqdad ibn Aswad”, “Amamr ibn Yasir”, and they were called Shia of “Ali” and companions of “Ali”. “Muhammad bin Sajestani”- the book of al-Zinat, p 65 /// “Saleh al-Wardani al-Mustabsar”- Shia in Egypt, p 10 “وكان عامّة المهاجرين وجلّ الأنصار لا يشكّون أنّ عليّاً هو صاحب الأمر بعد رسول اللّه” Most of “Muhajirin” {those who emigrated with Prophet Muhammad [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] from Mecca to Medina, the event known in Islam as The Hijra} and “Ansar” had no doubt that after messenger of god [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)], “Ali” [AS] is the caliph. “The History of Ya’qubi”- v 2, p 103

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Israel steps up military planning against Iran’s nuclear program - Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East

"Israel vs Iran Military Power Comparison 2023 covers all major defense parameters to compare Iran vs Israel Power Comparison 2023 here you can find how powerful is Israel Military Power 2023 and How powerful is Iran Military Power 2023 one can also find who is the most powerful country between Israel and Iran In this Israel vs Iran Military Comparison you can find Israeli airforce vs irani airforce irani navy vs Israeli navy israeli army vs irani land forces comparison." The above may be seen as a preliminary information. Final conclusion can not be drawn as many of the defense capabilities of Iran have been kept hidden, i assume. Any remarks from SC members will be appreciated. wasalam

Targeting Iran, US tightens Iraq's dollar flow, causing pain QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and ABBY SEWELL Thu, February 2, 2023 at 12:37 AM CST BAGHDAD (AP) — For months, the United States has restricted Iraq’s access to its own dollars, trying to stamp out what Iraqi officials describe as rampant money laundering that benefits Iran and Syria. Iraq is now feeling the crunch, with a drop in the value of its currency and public anger blowing back against the prime minister. The exchange rate for the Iraqi dinar has jumped to around 1,750 to the dollar at street exchanges in some parts of the country, compared to the official rate of 1,460 dinars to the dollar. In Baghdad, exchange houses were closed on Thursday, while the Kurdistan Regional Government banned exchange companies in Sulaimaniyah from making transfers. Mustafa Al-Karawi, a member of the parliamentary budget committee, told the state news agency that the Central Bank “must meet the requirements of the Federal Reserve to...reduce the scarcity of hard currency in the country." He said new domestic procedures would be rolled out to improve access to currency, while a delegation of Iraqi officials will travel to the U.S. for negotiations next Friday. - ADVERTISEMENT - The devaluation has already sparked protests. If it persists, analysts said, it could challenge the mandate of the government formed in October after a yearlong political stalemate. The dinar’s deterioration comes even though Iraq’s foreign currency reserves are at an all-time high of around $100 billion, pumped up by spiking global oil prices that have brought increasing revenues to the petroleum-rich nation. But accessing that money is a different story. Since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, Iraq’s foreign currency reserves have been housed at the United States' Federal Reserve, giving the Americans significant control over Iraq’s supply of dollars. The Central Bank of Iraq requests dollars from the Fed and then sells them to commercial banks and exchange houses at the official exchange rate through a mechanism known as the “dollar auction.” In the past, daily sales through the auction often exceeded $200 million per day. Ostensibly, the vast majority of the dollars sold in the auction are meant to go to purchases of goods imported by Iraqi companies, but the system has long been porous and easily abused, multiple Iraqi banking and political officials told The Associated Press. U.S. officials confirmed to the AP that they suspected the system was used for money laundering but declined to comment in detail on the allegations or the new restrictions. For years, large quantities of dollars were transferred out of the country to Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Lebanon through “gray market trading, using fake invoices for overpriced items," a financial adviser to the Iraqi prime minister said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The inflated invoices were used to launder dollars, with most of them sent to Iran and Syria, which are under U.S. sanctions, leading to complaints from American officials, he said. In other cases, the currency is smuggled across land borders under the protection of armed groups that take a cut of the cash, said Tamkeen Abd Sarhan al-Hasnawi, chairman of the board of Mosul Bank and first deputy of the Iraq Private Banks League. He estimated that as much as 80% of the dollars sold through the auction went to neighboring countries. “Syria, Turkey, and Iran used to benefit from the dollar auction in Iraq,” he said. A member of one of Iraq’s Iran-backed militias, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the subject, said the majority of Iraqi banks are owned indirectly by politicians and political parties that have also used the dollar auction to their benefit. Late last year, the Fed began imposing stricter measures. Among other steps, at the request of the U.S., the Central Bank of Iraq started using an electronic system for transfers that required entering detailed information on the intended end-recipient of the requested dollars. One hundred Central Bank employees were trained by the Fed to implement the new system, the prime minister’s financial adviser said. “This system started rejecting transfers and invoices that used to be approved by the central bank,” he said. “Around 80% of transactions were being rejected.” The amount of dollars sold daily in the auction plummeted to $69.6 million on Jan. 31, from $257.8 million six months earlier, according to Central Bank records. Far fewer of the dollars are going toward buying imports as well, down to around 34% from 90%. Even when transactions are approved, it takes banks up to 15 days to get the funds rather than two or three days, Hasnawi said. Unable to get dollars at the official price through banks, he said, traders turned to the black market to buy dollars, causing the price to rise. In November, the Central Bank of Iraq added four new banks to the list of those banned from dealing in dollars. Two U.S. officials confirmed that the Fed requested the four banks be blocked because of suspected money laundering. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on the case. A spokesperson for the New York Fed declined to discuss the specific measures taken with regards to Iraq. But the Fed said in a statement that it enforces “a robust compliance regime” for the accounts it holds. The statement said that this regime “evolves over time in response to new information, which we gather in the regular course of monitoring transactions and events that may impact an account and in communication with other relevant U.S. government agencies.” The system of keeping Iraq’s oil revenues at the Fed was originally imposed by U.N. Security Council resolutions after the 2003 ouster of Iraq’s Saddam Hussein by the U.S-led invasion. Later, Iraq chose to maintain the system to protect its revenues against potential lawsuits, particularly in connection to Iraq’s 1990s invasion of Kuwait. The new U.S. restrictions come at a time of increased tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Negotiations over a nuclear deal are floundering. Washington has imposed new sanctions and condemned Iran for cracking down on protesters and providing drones for Russia to use in Ukraine. Also, in Iraq, allegations came to light in October that over $2.5 billion in Iraqi government revenue was embezzled by a network of businesses and officials from the country’s tax authority The case “brought (U.S.) attention to the scale of corruption in Iraq” and how the corruption can benefit Iran and other parties hostile to the U.S., said Harith Hasan, head of the Iraq unit at the Emirates Research Center, an Abu Dhabi-based think tank. The new Iraqi prime minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who came to power via a coalition of Iranian-backed parties, does not have a strong relationship with the U.S. that could have enabled him to soften the implementation of the new financial measures, Hasan said. Al-Sudani has downplayed the current devaluation as “a temporary issue of trading and speculation.” He replaced the Central Bank governor and instituted measures intended to ensure a supply of dollars at the official rate. Al-Hasnawi said the government's recent measures will not stop the financial bleeding. If the current situation persists, he said, “within one year, most banks will declare bankruptcy” and there is likely to be mass civil unrest. “This U.S. pressure impacts the Iraqi street in a clear manner, and we do not see clear solutions until now,” he said. ____ AP staff reporters Samya Kullab in Baghdad and Christopher Rugaber in Washington contributed to this report. Sewell reported from Beirut. View comments

News|Military Iran thwarts drone attacks on Isfahan military site Iranian defence ministry says a loud blast heard in Isfahan was caused by ‘unsuccessful’ drone attacks. Members of the Iranian Army take part in a military exercise in Isfahan on September 8, 2022. [File: Handout/WANA via Reuters] Published On 29 Jan 202329 Jan 2023 Iran’s defence ministry has reported several drone attacks on a military plant in the country’s central city of Isfahan. The attacks were “unsuccessful” and there were no casualties, the ministry said in a statement early on Sunday. “One of [the drones] was hit by the … air defence and the other two were caught in defence traps and blew up,” said the statement carried by the state news agency, IRNA. “Fortunately, this unsuccessful attack did not cause any loss of life and caused minor damage to the workshop’s roof,” it said. The ministry did not say who was suspected of carrying out the attack. The statement came shortly after Iranian media reported a loud blast in Isfahan. News agencies published a video showing a flash of light at the plant, said to be an ammunitions factory, and footage of emergency vehicles and fire trucks outside the plant. The ministry said the attack “has not affected our installations and mission … and such blind measures will not have an impact on the continuation of the country’s progress”. Reports of the drone attacks in Isfahan also came as Iran’s state TV also said a fire had broken out at an oil refinery in an industrial zone near the northwestern city of Tabriz. It said the cause was not yet known as it showed footage of firefighters trying to extinguish the blaze. There have been several explosions and fires around Iranian military, nuclear and industrial facilities in the past few years. Sign up for Al Jazeera Week in the Middle East Catch up on our coverage of the region, all in one place. Sign up By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy They come amid a long-running shadow war between Iran and Israel. The two countries are at loggerheads over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Israel says Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, an allegation Tehran denies. In July last year, Iran said it had arrested a sabotage team made up of Kurdish fighters working for Israel who planned to blow up a “sensitive” defence industry centre in Isfahan. Iran also blamed Israel for the assassination of its top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, in 2020, as well as an attack on its underground Natanz nuclear facility in April 2021 that damaged its centrifuges. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attacks. Israeli officials rarely acknowledge operations carried out by the country’s secret military units or its Mossad intelligence agency. SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES

ONLY $6 FOR 1 YEAR Hurry, offer ends soon LOG IN ADVERTISEMENT NEWS EL RUKNS SOLICITED KHOMEINI, TAPES HINT By Liz Sly Chicago Tribune • Oct 31, 1987 at 12:00 am Player Version: 7.12.0 Player Key: 7WQ1xQNF-vJYVOHOP Configured as Smart Player: true Playlist Type: STANDARD Float Mode: onLoad volume_off -3:41 sd share closed_caption fullscreen Auto (225p) 225p 360p Subtitles Off Subtitles EN Top Videos: - Kiko Mizuhara’s Guide to Flawless Skin, and the Perfect Cat Eye Actor and model Kiko Mizuhara gives Vogue an inside look at her complexion-perfecting makeup routine, and offers advice on tracing a precise feline flick.Filmed at The Standard, High Line El Rukn gang members approached Iran`s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini for money after their efforts to solicit funds from Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi ran into difficulties, according to testimony Friday in U.S. District Court. Jeff Fort, the gang`s leader, was told that Khomeini had already agreed to meet with gang members by Melvin Mayes, a gang general, according to tape- recorded telephone conversations. The tape was played Friday at the trial of Fort and four El Rukn members on charges of conspiring to commit acts of terrorism for Libya. Tramell Davis, an accused gang member turned government witness helping the prosecution translate the conversations for jurors, testified that ''old friend'' is code for Khomeini, 87, while Gadhafi, 45, is called ''young friend.'' ''He already expecting us,'' Mayes tells Fort. ''Yeah, that sounds real good, I like our old friend,'' Fort replies. Davis testified that Khomeini had approved the idea of El Rukn members meeting with an Iranian representative to obtain money. Top S It was not clear whether gang members planned to travel to Iran-referred to in the conversations as ''the motherland''-or would meet a representative in Washington. In dozens of conversations played this week, jurors heard the gang plotting different means of persuading Gadhafi to give them money. Two gang members, Reico Cranshaw and Leon McAnderson, visited Libya in March, 1986, and returned saying Gadhafi had promised the El Rukns $2.5 million. But by the end of April, when the conversation regarding Khomeini took place, the tape has Fort sounding frustrated that no money had materialized. Fort accuses Cranshaw of making promises to Gadhafi that the El Rukns couldn`t keep. Cranshaw confirms that the only real commitment he made was that the El Rukns would make threatening phone calls on behalf of the Libyans but without any reciprocal promises of money. Throughout April, Fort directed gang members to impress the Libyans by preparing news clippings of violent incidents around the U.S. that the El Rukns would claim credit for, and by taping a video in which gang generals pledged allegiance to Gadhafi. Besides Fort, Cranshaw and McAnderson, the defendants are Alan Knox and Roosevelt Hawkins. Mayes was also charged but he fled, reportedly to Libya.

As i been reading in the news and reserching things, i come to a conclusion, that the protests in Iran and the war in Ukraine, were not a normal action and were carefully planned and orchestrated by the powers. As for Iran, i think the plan was to cause internal strife because of the failed nuclear deal, and a potential US or Isreali strike on its nuclear facilities. The plan was to start turmoil in iran from the inside, i guess a military strike would most likley lead to a wider conflict and i guess the idea was to cause internal strife or try to bring iran down from the inside to avoid this possibility. as For Russia and ukraine,i think this was the same strategy as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. To Arm and support the opposition like they did with the afghan mujahideen, to lower the moral of the russian army, to inflict losses and to possibly cause a strain finiancially like with the soviet union. Also to possibly incite a coup against Putin. So the whole plan was to shake these two regimes and possibly make it easier for the west to avoid any futrure or possible confrentations or conflicts,WWIII.

LA Times Gunmen attack major Shiite holy site in Iran, killing 15 Gunmen attacked a major Shiite holy site in Iran on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens. The attack came as protesters elsewhere in the country marked a symbolic 40 days since a woman's death in custody ignited the biggest anti-government movement in over a decade. [Mod Note: The photo from Tehran does not correspond with the terrorist attack in the city of Shiraz, so it was removed.] State TV blamed the attack on “takfiris,” a term that refers to Sunni Muslim extremists who have targeted the country's Shiite majority in the past. The attack appeared to be unrelated to the demonstrations. The official website of the judiciary said two gunmen were arrested and a third is on the run after the attack on the Shah Cheragh mosque, the second holiest site in Iran. The state-run IRNA news agency reported the death toll, and state TV said 40 people were wounded. An Iranian news website considered to be close to the Supreme National Security Council reported that the attackers were foreign nationals, without elaborating. Such attacks are rare in Iran, but last April, an assailant stabbed two clerics to death at the Imam Reza shrine, the country's most revered Shiite site, in the northeast city of Mashhad. President Ebrahim Raisi said that whoever led and planned the attack will “receive a regretful and decisive response,” without elaborating. IRNA quoted Raisi as saying, “This evil will definitely not go unanswered.” Earlier on Wednesday, thousands of protesters had poured into the streets of a northwestern city to mark the watershed 40 days since the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, whose tragedy sparked the protests. Deaths are commemorated in Shiite Islam — as in many other traditions — again 40 days later, typically with an outpouring of grief. In Amini's Kurdish hometown of Saqez, the birthplace of the nationwide unrest now roiling Iran, crowds snaked through the local cemetery and thronged her grave. “Death to the dictator!" protesters cried, according to video footage that corresponds with known features of the city and Aichi Cemetery. Women ripped off their headscarves, or hijabs, and waved them above their heads. Other videos showed a massive procession making its way along a highway and through a dusty field toward Amini's grave. There were reports of road closures in the area. State-linked media reported 10,000 protesters in the procession to her grave. Hengaw, a Kurdish human rights group, said security forces fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators. The semiofficial ISNA news agency said security forces fired pellets at crowds of demonstrators on the outskirts of Saqez and pushed back demonstrators who tried to attack the governor's office. It said local internet access was cut off due to “security considerations.” Earlier in the day, Kurdistan Gov. Esmail Zarei Koosha insisted that traffic was flowing as normal, calling the situation “completely stable.” State-run media announced that schools and universities in Iran's northwestern region would close, purportedly to curb "the spread of influenza." In downtown Tehran, the capital, major sections of the traditional grand bazaar closed in solidarity with the protests. Crowds clapped and shouted “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!” through the labyrinthine marketplace. “This year is a year of blood!” they also chanted. "[Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] will be toppled!" Riot police on motorbikes were out in force. A large group of men and women marched through the streets, setting trash cans ablaze and shouting Death to the dictator!” as cars honked their support. Police unleashed anti-riot bullets at protesters in the streets and sprayed pellets up at journalists filming from windows and rooftops. Anti-government chants also echoed from the University of Tehran campus. Amini, detained for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code for women, remains the potent symbol of protests that have posed one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic. With the slogan #WomanLifeFreedom, the demonstrations first focused on women's rights and the state-mandated hijab, or headscarf for women. But they quickly evolved into calls to oust the Shiite clerics that have ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The protests have also galvanized university students, labor unions, prisoners and ethnic minorities like the Kurds along Iran's border with Iraq. Since the protests erupted, security forces have fired live ammunition and tear gas to disperse demonstrations, killing over 200 people, according to rights groups. Untold numbers have been arrested, with estimates in the thousands. Iranian judicial officials announced this week they would bring over 600 people to trial over their role in the protests, including 315 in Tehran, 201 in the neighboring Alborz province and 105 in the southwestern province of Khuzestan. Tehran prosecutor Ali Salehi told the state-run IRNA news agency that four protesters were charged with “war against God," which is punishable by death in Iran. Iranian officials have blamed the protests on foreign interference, without offering evidence. Last week, Iran imposed sanctions on over a dozen European officials, companies and institutions, including foreign-based Farsi channels that have extensively covered the protests, accusing them of “supporting terrorism." The sanctions involve an entry and visa ban for the staffers in addition to the confiscation of their assets in Iran. Deutsche Welle, the German public broadcaster whose Farsi team was blacklisted, condemned the move on Wednesday as “unacceptable.” “I expect politicians in Germany and Europe to increase the pressure on the regime,” said DW Director General Peter Limbourg. In a separate development, most of the remaining portion of a 10-story tower that collapsed earlier this year in the southwestern city of Abadan, killing at least 41 people, fell on Wednesday, state-run media reported. The state-run IRNA news agency reported that a woman in a car parked near the site was killed. Other parts of the building had collapsed last month. The deadly collapse of the Metropol Building on May 23 became a lightning rod for protests in Abadan, some 410 miles southwest of the capital, Tehran. The disaster shined a spotlight on shoddy construction practices, government corruption and negligence in Iran. Videos spread online of the remaining tower crashing into the street as massive clouds of dust billowed into the sky. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

isnt tomorrow al quds day in Iran? Viva Palestine!!!!!

Is Iran in Detante with US especially democrats because of the nuclear deal(athough not finalized), and stoping hostility toward iran and muslim countries.Was The Obama administration in detante with the US? Peoplethought it was peace between the muslims and the US and American Muslims got exposure in entertianment and media and cultraly.

I know during the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khomeni ordered Blacks and Women freed first. Does Iran support womens groups like they suport minorites like Black Americans? Do they speak out for women in americaa and count them as oppressed too still?

Reports are emerging that on 12 Friday, Iran has targeted the US military base and consulate in Erbil Iraq, with as many as six missiles. © ASAAD NIAZI (AFP)Video showing an attack by Iranian missiles on a US base in Erbil Iraq have many wondering if the attack is related to the crisis in Ukraine. So far, officials with the Department of Defense have said no US casualties have been reported. Does the crisis in Ukraine relate to the attack? With global tensions high, many are wondering if the strike was motivated by the US' involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. At this point, it does not appear that the conflict in eastern Europe was a contributing factor. Rather, the attack in Erbil is reportedly related to the killing of two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) leaders in an Israeli air attack that took place in Syria earlier this week. Tensions have been increasing between the US and Iran over the last few years, prompted primarily from former-President Trump's rejection of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), otherwise known as the Iranian Nuclear Agreement. In January 2020, Iran conducted a similar attack on a US base in retaliation for the killing of IRGC general Qasem Soleimani. Since President Biden took office, the two countries have failed to return to the negotiating table over Iran's nuclear ambitions. These factors help to highlight that there are many other reasons, outside of the conflict in Ukraine, that could have motivated the attack. Does Iran support the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Western media has made it very clear that Russia's targeting of Ukraine has brought Europe, Canada, and the United States closer together. Very little has been reported on Russia's geo-strategic alliances and how other countries are interpreting the invasion. One of President Putin's first calls after declaring his intention to invade Ukraine was to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi who told the Russian leader that he supported his decision and affirmed that “NATO expansion is a serious threat to the security and stability of independent nations.” Some Iranians have taken to the streets to protests President Putin's actions, showing that support from the Russian regime is not uniform in the country. When the United States announced additional sanctions on Russia in early March, White House officials said that they were going to take an approach roe similar to that of Iran. This news came after the European Union announced that various Russian banks would be prohibited from using the SWIFT banking system. When various Iranian banks were removed, Russia provided them with a connection to their global transaction system.

Two Revolutionary Guards killed in Israeli Syria strike: Iran (msn.com) What do all think, Is Iran gonna retaliate?

Salaam, Jordan, Egypt, UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, Saudi Arabia (apparently) and now Morocco: https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020/12/10/israel-morocco-agree-to-normalise-relations-in-us-brokered-deal#click=https://t.co/banbRgkQLn Who's next in the chain of normalization and how can this change the political situation in the Middle-East in favor of Israel?

Im asking this because Iran Supports the African American community. The NOI has some relation to Iran nd it supports thre cause. The NOI also supports the hip hop music industry. So does that mean Iran supports the rap industry because NOI and African Americans support it.Even though music is haram? Do Shias support them?

Iran holds air defence drill over Bushehr nuclear plant (msn.com)

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