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President Raisi: Iran won’t initiate any war, but will decisively confront bullies

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Ebrahim Raisi

Addressing a gathering in the southern Iranian city of Minab in Hormozgan Province on Friday, President Raisi said that Iran does not pose any threat to any regional country with its military might, but it rather establishes security in the region.

The president added Iran’s defense power has given the country a greater deterrence against the enemies.

“In the past, when they wanted to talk to us, they used to say the military option is on the table. Now they say they have no intention of a conflict with Iran,” the president said.

In an apparent reference to the US and Israel, he noted that the hostile forces were amazed at Iran’s innovation in the defense industry, pat of which was showcased in an exhibition held by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

The Iranian president, who is on a trip to the southern province, visited the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Naval Progress Exhibition earlier on Friday that displays the latest achievements in technological and knowledge-based capabilities of the IRGC Navy, including speedboats, new generation of missile launchers, and sea missiles among others.

US imposes sanctions on several Israeli settlers over West Bank violence

By
IFP Media Wire
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Palestine Israel

The announcement comes amid increasing pressure on President Joe Biden over his unwavering support for Israel’s war on Gaza as he campaigns for re-election in November.

The sanctions target David Chai Chasdai, Einan Tanjil and Yinon Levi, who are accused of assaulting and intimidating Palestinians. They also target Shalom Zickerman, who is accused of assaulting Israeli activists.

The sanctions will freeze the individuals’ assets in the US and restrict financial dealings with them.

Earlier, Axios reported that the Biden administration had considered sanctioning ultranationalist government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, but decided against the move.

“There are no plans to target with sanctions Israeli government officials at this time,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Thursday, adding that the US informed the Israeli government before announcing the sanctions.

The White House also announced a new decree to penalise perpetrators of “extremist settler violence” in the West Bank.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement that settler violence “poses a grave threat to peace, security, and stability in the West Bank, Israel, and the Middle East region, and threatens the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States”.

The executive order coincides with Biden’s visit on Thursday to Michigan, a Midwestern swing state that is home to a large Arab American community.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to reject the US move, saying that the overwhelming majority of West Bank settlers are “law-abiding citizens”.

“Israel acts against all Israelis who break the law, everywhere; therefore, exceptional measures are unnecessary,” his office announced in a statement.

The announcement comes as the Biden administration continues to work to secure $14bn in additional aid to the Israeli government, whose forces often accompany and protect settlers during their attacks on Palestinians.

Raids by Israeli settlers and soldiers against West Bank towns and villages have increased since the outbreak of the war on Gaza on October 7, killing hundreds of Palestinians.

“This [executive order] will allow the United States to issue financial sanctions against those directing or participating in certain actions, including acts or threats of violence against civilians, intimidating civilians to cause them to leave their homes, destroying or seizing property, or engaging in terrorist activity in the West Bank,” Sullivan added.

In the same statement, the US national security adviser emphasised Washington’s support for what he called “Israel’s right to defend itself”.

Despite growing calls for a ceasefire globally, and mounting evidence of Israeli abuses, the Biden administration has pushed on with its support for the war on Gaza, arguing that Hamas must be eliminated.

Washington says it has been in discussions with Israel to minimise civilian casualties and allow more aid into Gaza. But Biden has so far resisted calls to use his administration’s assistance to Israel as leverage to pressure the US ally to end rights violations against Palestinians.

Israeli leaders – including Netanyahu – have been openly defying the Biden administration in their vocal rejection of the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Iran’s Zarif denies report on mediatory role to deescalate tensions with US

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Javad Zarif

In an interview with Entekhab news website on Friday, Zarif said the claims by the US daily on his mediation role and acting as a conduit to transfer the messages between both sides are wrong.

The Times quoted a political analyst on Thursday as saying that three years after sidelining the former foreign minister, the circle close to ruling establishment in Iran has once again begun regularly consulting Zarif, who is considered a moderate to American officials.

“They called on Mr. Zarif because he can better analyze the situation for them and explain it to an audience and in this sensitive time they need top foreign policy experts,” said the political analyst.

The source added, “The goal is to navigate this serious crisis with every tool and in a manner that results in America not attacking Iran.”

The crisis was triggered after three American troops were killed in a drone strike in Jordan last week. The US blamed Iran for having a role in their death, a claim Iranian officials have refused.

The recent attacks on Israeli-owned and Israel-bound ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, in retaliation for the Israel’s onslaught against Palestinians, is another source of friction between Iran and the US, with Washington claiming that Tehran has been involved in the raids.

Iranians enjoy skiing in Abali resort

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iran Snow

The ski resort was reopened after the safety conditions and the height of snow was approved by technical experts.

Below, you can see the images of the skiers enjoying a wintry day:

Report: Iranian military advisor killed in Israeli strike in Syria

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Syria Damascus

The IRGC advisor, Saeed Alidadi, was a member of the IRGC Quds Force’s Holy Shrines Defenders in the south of Damascus to help the Syrian government in its anti-terror operations.

Israeli warplanes launched the aerial strikes on several locations in Sayyidah Zeinab district, causing material damage, the Syrian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The Syrian air defense systems intercepted some of the missiles and prevented further damage.

Iranian military personnel are in Syria on an advisory mission at the request of the Syrian government to confront the remnants of militant groups.

The Israeli regime has upped the ante against Iranian forces in recent weeks. Experts believe that the move is aimed at diverting the world attention from its ongoing genocidal campaign in Gaza by opening up new fronts.

Prominent IRGC Commander Razi Mousavi was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike in Syria on December 24.

Two killed in ‘inadvertent’ shooting in Iran’s Pakdasht، near Tehran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Crime Scene

A soldier, who was not identified, ‘unintentionally’ shot an officer at the police station in the city’s Hesar Amir district, which led to the injury of the officer. He was taken to the hospital but he succumbed to his wounds, the police said.

The distressed soldier shot himself dead on the spot.

The circumstances of the deadly shooting are not clear yet.
The police said they have launched a probe into the incident and will release the details after the investigation.

Israel plans ground operation in ‘last refuge’ for Gaza’s displaced

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

This has spread fear among the displaced and concerns from global aid organisations as the last place designated as a “safe zone” by the Israeli army in Gaza comes under threat while Israel continues to hamper the flow of aid.

“The Khan Younis Brigade of the Hamas organisation is disbanded, we will complete the mission there and continue to Rafah,” Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in a post on the social media platform X late on Thursday.

“We will continue until the end, there is no other way.”

About 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are crammed into Rafah near the border with Egypt, staying in residential buildings or sleeping in the streets without protection or basic infrastructure.

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, the Israeli army has killed more than 27,000 people, mostly women and children, since the war began on October 7, and Palestinians believe Israel’s latest war plan will mean more death and destruction.

The United Nations and international human rights organisations have been raising alarms as the Israeli military gradually expands its ground operations in southern Gaza.

In the past few weeks, Israeli soldiers and tanks have been “encircling” Khan Younis, killing thousands of Palestinians and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee farther south towards Rafah.

Nasser Hospital and al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis have been under heavy siege by Israeli snipers, tanks and bombs as patients, medical staff and displaced Palestinians are trapped inside.

The UN’s humanitarian office has voiced concern about the hostilities in Khan Younis.

“I want to emphasise our deep concern about the escalation of hostilities in Khan Younis, which has resulted in an increase in the number of internally displaced people seeking refuge in Rafah in recent days,” stated Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

“Thousands of Palestinians have continued to flee to the south, which is already hosting over half the population of some 2.3 million people. … Rafah is a pressure cooker of despair, and we fear for what comes next.”

Israel’s attacks on Khan Younis and its planned expansion into Rafah come after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) made a provisional ruling last week on measures requested by South Africa in its genocide case against Israel. The ICJ directed Israel to take measures to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza and to allow more humanitarian aid into the strip.

Talks to stop the war – at least temporarily – are being conducted between Israel and Hamas with mediation from the United States, Qatar and Egypt. But it appears unlikely that a potentially imminent agreement could stop Israel’s ground incursion into Rafah.

Intelligence Ministry: Iran identifies dozens of Mossad-linked spies in 28 countries

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Mossad

The Iranian Intelligence Ministry, in a statement on Friday, said, “In the largest combined operation, dozens of Mossad spies were identified in 28 countries.”

According to the documents obtained, some ‘thugs’ involved in several terrorist operations in Iran were also detained, the statement read.

It also added some Iranian nationals were among the recognized spies, without specifying the nationalities of the other ones.

The Iranian Intelligence Ministry stated that the spy services sought to communicate with the Iranians on the internet and through immigration sites, trying to lure them into terrorist operations by giving them promises.

The operation came as Iran is celebrating the 45th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the toppling of the former of US-backed Shah regime.

Iran FM to EU’s Borell: Military coalitions in Red Sea to fail

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Josep Borrell & Hossein Amir Abdolahian

Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs، and Borell discussed the latest status of relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the European Union, as well as regional and international developments.

In this conversation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, referred to the developments in Gaza and emphasized the necessity of stopping the “war crimes” of the Zionist regime in the killing and genocide of the Palestinian people, considering it a fundamental step in stopping the crisis in the entire region.

Amirabdollahian stated: “Any coalition and convulsive measures similar to what the U.S. and England did by attacking Yemen will not only fail to help restore stability to the region but will also lead to a more complicated situation.”

Referring to the Gaza crisis, Amirabdollahian added: “The Islamic Republic of Iran advises all parties to take immediate, effective, and sustainable measure, focusing on the main roots of the crisis, because the root of the crisis lies in the occupation.”

Amirabdollahian praised Borrell’s “positive role” and welcomed the importance of continuing dialogue in the path of diplomacy and solving crises, emphasizing the existence of a strong and constructive dialogue channel between the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Expressing concern over the escalation of tension in the Red Sea, Borrell also pointed to the European Union’s decision to form a maritime alliance, saying: “This alliance is only for the protection of European commercial ships against possible attacks in the Red Sea and has no military nature against any country.”

The two sides highlighted the importance of dialogue in facilitating the return of regional and international stability and stated the necessity of maintaining contact at various levels between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the European Union.

They also discussed the latest developments related to the Iran nuclear agreement.

Russia says Biden has made Americans complicit in Ukrainian POWs deaths

By
IFP Media Wire
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Joe Biden

On Thursday, Russia’s Investigative Committee released a report stating that the cargo plane was destroyed using two US-made MIM-104A missiles fired by a Patriot air-defense system. The Il-76 came down in Russia’s Belgorod Region last Wednesday. All of those on board – 65 Ukrainian POWs, three Russian troops, and six crew members – were killed.

Russian investigators stated that Ukrainian troops fired the missiles from a staging area in Kharkov Region, not far from the village of Liptsy, some 10km from the Russian border. They based their conclusion on 116 missile fragments found at the crash site bearing inscriptions in English.

Responding to the report, Zakharova said in a Telegram post that US citizens “need to know where their money is going”, arguing that President Joe Biden and his administration have made Americans “complicit in a bloody tragedy”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin previously also stated that the Il-76 was shot down using a US-made Patriot system, and called for an international investigation into the incident. He noted, however, that it’s unlikely that any official international organizations would be willing to conduct a probe.

Kiev, meanwhile, has refused to admit responsibility for the attack. The Ukrainian military intelligence agency, the GUR, stated that it was not informed by Moscow that the POWs, which were due to be exchanged later in the day, were being transported by air over Belgorod Region.

Moscow has insisted that Ukrainian authorities were made aware of all the details of the prisoner transfer ahead of time.

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