Russia says US doesn’t want talks

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February 11, 2024

Peskov made the remarks when asked whether the interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin gave to conservative American journalist Tucker Carlson earlier this week will help communicate Moscow’s position on various issues to Washington.

“The US authorities know our position very well, they are perfectly aware of all of Putin’s main points,” the spokesman stated.

However, the US has not demonstrated any readiness to actually engage in negotiations with Russia, according to Peskov.

“This is not an issue of knowledge, but an issue of desire. The desire to do something to get on to the track of negotiations. We have not yet seen such a desire or the political will for this [in the US],” Peskov emphasized.

Nevertheless, the Carlson interview provided a great opportunity for the Russian president to communicate his position to a wider audience in the West, according to Peskov.

“The main thing for us is that our president is heard. And should he be heard, that means more people will think about whether he is right or not. They will think, at least,” he stated when asked about the interest the interview has sparked.

The interview has elicited a “hysterical” reaction from the US authorities and mainstream media, who rushed to warn the public against watching it, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has claimed.

“They’ve had a hysterical fit – the White House, the Department of State, all the mainstream media are shouting at the top of their lungs one thing only: don’t watch [the interview], and that an American journalist shouldn’t conduct such an interview,” Zakharova told Russia’s Izvestia newspaper on Friday, describing such reaction to the conversation as a “phenomenal” one.

The two-hour-long conversation, which largely revolved around relations between Moscow and Kiev and the ongoing conflict, garnered over 100 million views in just one day on Carlson’s X account (formerly Twitter) alone.

The interview, which was published on Thursday, was the first between the Russian president and a US journalist since the Ukraine conflict began in February 2022.

Gaza death toll tops 28k with nearly 68k wounded

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IFP Media Wire

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February 11, 2024

“The Israeli occupation committed 16 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, leaving 117 martyrs and 152 injured during the past 24 hours,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people. The attacks have killed more 28,064 people, mostly women and children, and wounded 67,611 others.

The offensive has also left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while most of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

More than 650,000 people have no homes left to return to in Gaza and many more will be unable to return to their residences due to damage inflicted by Israel’s war on the territory and the risks posed by explosives left over from the fighting.

There is also an estimated 12 million tonnes of debris from Israel’s destruction of residential houses in the Palestinian territory that will take more than four years to clear, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) announced in its latest situation report.

The International Court of Justice in a provisional ruling mandated Israel to prevent genocidal attacks in Gaza, but it has continued with the assault.

Israel’s credit rating downgraded on war risks: Report

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IFP Media Wire

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February 11, 2024

Moody’s cut Israel’s credit score to A2, the sixth-highest investment grade, and kept its outlook as “negative”, meaning further downgrades are possible. The agency cited political and fiscal risks from Israel’s continued war with Palestinian militant group Hamas as the reason for the downgrade.

“The ongoing military conflict with Hamas, its aftermath and wider consequences materially raise political risk for Israel as well as weaken its executive and legislative institutions and its fiscal strength, for the foreseeable future,” the agency said in a statement on its website.

“While fighting in Gaza may diminish in intensity or pause, there is currently no agreement to end the hostilities durably and no agreement on a longer-term plan that would fully restore and eventually strengthen security for Israel,” Moody’s added. It noted that it “expects that Israel’s debt burden will be materially higher than projected before the conflict.”

Moody’s placed Israel’s credit rating on review back in October, less than two weeks after the country declared war on Hamas following a surprise attack by the group which killed around 1,200 Israelis. S&P and Fitch also placed Israel on negative ratings watch, but so far have not downgraded its credit score. S&P warned last month that it could also cut Israel’s sovereign rating if the war with Hamas expands to other fronts, such as Lebanon or Iran.

Commenting on the downgrade, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted it does not reflect the state of the country’s economy, but “is entirely due to the fact that we are at war”.

“The rating will go back up as soon as we win the war,” he stated in a statement, as cited by Bloomberg.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has also brushed off Moody’s downgrading of Israel’s credit rating, saying the decision linked to the Gaza war was not based on sound economic reasoning, and was tantamount to a pessimistic “manifesto”.

“The Israeli economy is strong by all measures. It is capable of sustaining all war efforts, on the front line and home front, until, with God’s help, victory is achieved,” he stated.

94th battle group of the Iranian Navy back home

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IFP Editorial Staff

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February 10, 2024

The group had been on a mission at the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in order to defend the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran and protect the shipping lanes of the country.

Rear Admiral Hossein Hassani, Commander of the Southern Fleet of Iran, said the consistent presence of the Navy in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea guarantees Iran’s intelligence and operational dominance.

Hassani described the deployment of the 94th battle group of the Iranian Navy in those waterways as vital.

IRGC officer killed during training mission in Iran’s southeast

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IFP Editorial Staff

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February 10, 2024

The IRGC identified the officer as Colonel Seyed Morteza Hosseini, saying he was killed in the Saravan border region.

It also said his body will be sent to be buried in his hometown of Esfarayen.

The circumstances surrounding Colonel Hosseini’s death are unknown.

Hamas urges UN to “convene immediately” over Israeli threats to attack Rafah

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IFP Media Wire

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February 10, 2024

“We call on the UN Security Council to convene immediately and urgently to confirm its determination to oblige the ‘Israeli’ occupation to stop the genocidal war it is committing against the Palestinians in Gaza,” read the statement, warning of a “catastrophe and massacre that could leave tens of thousands martyred and wounded”.

More than 1.3 million people are believed to be in Rafah, the majority displaced from other parts of Gaza, according to the United Nations. The city is the last major population center in Gaza not occupied by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday stated that IDF would “soon go into Rafah, Hamas’s last bastion”, and the next day directed the military to plan for the “evacuation of the population” from the city alongside the defeat of Hamas, his office said in a statement. He added it was not possible to both eliminate Hamas and leave “four Hamas battalions in Rafah”.

Ahmed al-Sufi, the mayor of Rafah, has told Al Jazeera that “any military action in the city crowded with more than 1.4 million Palestinians will lead to a massacre and a bloodbath”.

“We appeal to the international community and every living conscience to stop the genocide against the Palestinian people,” al-Sufi said.

He added that the city is facing famine due to a lack of supplies and the aid that enters through the Rafah crossing is sufficient for only 10 percent of the city’s population.

Despite the International Court of Justice’s provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on the Gaza Strip, where at least 27,947 Palestinians have been killed, including 12,000 children and 8,190 women, and 67,459 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Palestinians should determine Gaza post-war fate: Iran FM

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IFP Media Wire

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February 10, 2024

Amirabdollahian said the continuation of discussions with Lebanon and talks with the country’s officials are one of the top priorities for Iran.

He stressed Iran’s firm support for the stability and security of Lebanon and further said, “Certain parties sought to drive a wedge between the Lebanese government and people and the resistance, but they failed.”

Amirabdollahian praised Lebanon and the prime minister for lending support to Palestine and the Palestinian resistance.

He said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran, just like in the past, underlines the support for the resistance in Palestine, but at the same time it has made efforts during the past four months to prevent the spread of the conflict in the region by stopping the Israeli regime’s attacks against Gaza.”

The Iranian foreign minister also pointed to the recent US and British strikes on Yemen and noted that the provocative raids breach Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and are aimed at continuing support for the Zionist regime, warning that they would increase the risk of aggravating the crisis in the region.

Amirabdollahian also said the attacks run counter to the US claims that “it does not want to spread the scope of the war in the region,” and added that at the same time Washington has not even reduced its weapons shipments to Israel.

“Palestinians are the real owners of Palestine and they are the ones who should decide for Palestine and its future,” the top Iranian diplomat stated, adding, “We are aware that they have plans and political initiatives for the post-war phase.”

The Iranian foreign minister added, “Today the developments in Gaza are ushering in a political solution, but Netanyahu still sees war as the solution in order to save himself.”

Amirabdollahian called on everyone to do their utmost to come up with a political solution to immediately stop the Israeli aggression and war crimes against the Palestinians.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese prime minister said the situation in the region is “unstable and complicated” with the issue of Gaza and Palestine at the forefront. He emphasized that efforts should continue to immediately establish a truce in the blockaded territory.

He said, “We are looking for peace and stability in the region and efforts should be made to put an end to the war against Gaza and remove the risk of spillover of the conflict in the region.

Mikati shed light on the latest political developments in Lebanon and the situation at the Lebanese borders with the occupied territories. He expressed gratitude to Iran for supporting stability in Lebanon.

Some other issues, like bilateral relations in various areas, including the economic ties, were discussed during the meeting and both sides exchanged views.

Palestinian leaders say time is in favor of resistance front

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IFP Editorial Staff

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February 10, 2024

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, who is on a trip to the Lebanese capital Beirut, met with the leaders of the Palestinian resistance factions there.

The secretary general of the Islamic Jihad Movement Ziyad al-Nakhalah, a leader of the Hamas movement Osama Hamdan, and Deputy Secretary General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Jamil Mazhar took part in the meeting.

The participants discussed and analyzed the latest field and political developments in Palestine and the war against Gaza.

The leaders of resistance groups gave the latest on the situation on the ground in the Gaza Strip and the heroic steadfastness of the resistance movements and the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank during the past four months.

They stated, “As a result of the steadfastness and resistance, definite signs of victory for the Palestinian nation are on the horizon.”

They reiterated, “Time is in favor of the resistance, and while the Zionist enemy is under piling domestic and international pressure, it has not achieved any of its declared objectives.”

The resistance groups’ leaders congratulated Iran on the anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution and praised the Iranian Leader, government, and nation as well as the resistance groups in the region for their role and support for the Palestinian nation.

They also said the extensive diplomatic moves by Iran during the past four months were effective at the global level in supporting the resistance and the oppressed Palestinian nation.

The Palestinian leaders also underlined the importance of unity among Palestinian ranks in the current phase of managing the field and political battles and following the victory to tackle the problems of the people in the Gaza Strip as a result of the fallout of the war.

The Iranian foreign minister, for his part, congratulated the resistance for its triumphs in the battlefield, stating, “One of the achievements of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood was that the Palestinian issue once again became the main concern for the Islamic world and the international community, and the resistance also managed to stabilize its undeniable standing and role in the Palestinian scene and regional equations.”

Amirabdollahian also emphasized that stopping the Zionist regime’s crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank is a priority. He added Palestinian groups need to adopt a unified and united stance in managing the proposed political initiatives to stop the war on Gaza, deliver aid to the homeless people in the besieged enclave, and swap prisoners.

Pointing to his talks and discussions in recent weeks with officials of various countries and international organizations, the top Iranian diplomat said, “It is only the Palestinian nation and Palestinian groups that have the exclusive right to determine their own fate.”

He warned regional and international actors to stay away from imposing their plans, refrain from influencing the Palestinian people from outside Palestine and allow the Palestinian nation to decide their own destiny based on the mechanisms agreed by Palestinians.

Hezbollah chief says Resistance will emerge victorious against Israel

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IFP Editorial Staff

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February 10, 2024

Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in the Lebanese capital Beirut on Saturday.

During the meeting, they discussed and exchanged views on the latest developments in the region, with a focus on the war and genocide in Gaza, as well as the situation in Palestine and southern Lebanon.

The Hezbollah chief praised Iran’s Leader Imam Khamenei as well the Iranian president, government, and people for supporting the oppressed yet strong people of Palestine.

Nasrallah said the resistance movements are in a strong condition, adding the resistance groups are highly united and coordinated in supporting Palestine and Gaza.

He said, “The Zionist enemy is caught up in a crisis and is in a strategic bottleneck and has not achieved any of its objectives in the battlefield.”

Nasrallah stated “resistance is an important element in regional equations,” and reiterated that the Palestinian nation and resistance will inevitably achieve victory.

The Hezbollah secretary general added the Iranian Leader’s ‘wise, unequivocal and firm positions’ in the ongoing developments in Gaza and the West Bank are unique among world leaders.

During the meeting, Amirabdollahian also gave a report on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s diplomatic efforts in backing Palestine and the resistance movements with a focus on a political solution based on the Palestinian people’s rights in international venues.

He noted that resistance has been accepted as the main party in the political initiatives, saying it indicates its role and standing in Palestine and the region.

Amirabdollahian hailed that the Palestinian resistance for acting with ‘wisdom and authority’ both in the path of resistance and perseverance and in focusing on political solutions.

He further said, “The Palestinian people’s role and the consensus by Palestinian leaders and groups should be considered as the main axis in every political initiative.”

Fajr Film Festival draws to close, screens more movies

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IFP Editorial Staff

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February 10, 2024

Ahmad directed by Soheil Mavaffaq, Parviz Khan directed by Ali Saghafi, and the Passion of Love directed by Daryush Yari, Iranian film directors, were premiered during the Friday screenings.

The Fajr Film Festival is held every year to mark the aniversarry of Iran’s Islamic Revolution.

Don’t miss the pictures of the event below:

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