The 48-meter Gazou Waterfall in the Lefour region of Savadkuh is one of the tallest waterfalls in the province.
Not many tourists are willing to take the hard path through the forest, but if they do, the best time to go to the waterfall is from mid-spring to mid-fall.
Below are some of the pictures that show, only partially, the splendor of the waterfall.
In an interview with IRNA, Waleed Abu Hatab emphasized: “We urgently demand action to save the hospital; otherwise, the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip will collapse within a short period.”
He said: “The severe lack of medical equipment, medicine, and fuel in Gaza’s hospitals is evidence of the destruction impacting an entire generation.”
Abu Hatab added: “More than 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza lack basic health and delivery services. We are witnessing cases of precarious childbirth and inadequate access to healthy nutrition.”
He announced: “Since the start of the war, we have converted some maternity and special care departments into reception rooms for the wounded, leading to a shortage of beds.
Moreover, a considerable number of citizens from the northern Gaza Strip and Gaza City have migrated to the southern region, including pregnant women. This migration has also negatively impacted service levels due to the increased number of pregnant women.”
Abu Hatab warned: “We are grappling with a severe shortage of specialized medicines for pregnant women and related services.”
He noted: “We have had to cut off electricity to various hospital departments due to fuel shortages since the onset of the war against Gaza. Our focus has been on maintaining power supply and services to the special care department, the surgery rooms, and the children’s department.”
He highlighted that in a shocking display of contempt, the Zionist regime, the United States, and certain European countries have waged a war, targeting babies within Gaza’s hospitals to show their strength.
Salami added: “Isn’t it ignominious to witness the world’s so-called largest empires finding pride in massacring children and viewing surgery rooms as arenas for their victories?”
He further noted: “This signifies the impending demise of their empire. Their erratic behavior reflects internal decay, akin to the tumultuous noise some animals make in their final moments.”
The IRGC chief commander stressed: “The fear of an imminent collapse, a prediction made by the Supreme Leader within a span of 25 years, has stripped the enemy of the rationale for their actions, including the strategic, tactical, and operational aspects of their warfare.”
Washington’s desire to contain Moscow and Beijing globally is the root cause of a most profound crisis in the Russian-US relationship, the Russian diplomatic agency emphasized.
“Owing to Washington’s policy of rampant Russophobia, they [relations] <…> risk being severed at any moment. This is not Russia’s choice, but reckless moves on the part of the United States that spin the wheel of escalation, including the doctrinal task of inflicting a ‘strategic defeat’ on Moscow, risk leading to catastrophic consequences,” the foreign ministry warned.
According to the ministry, US political circles are “hopelessly and nonsensically focused on changing the regime and stirring up internal strife in Russia, a project into which substantial funds are being invested.”
However, the ministry recalled the good history the two countries had when building their cooperation on respect and a mutual consideration of interests.
“It is these principles which formed the basis of the 1933 agreement on re-establishing bilateral diplomatic ties that remain fully relevant in these unprecedented circumstances,” it concluded.
The member of Hamas added: “What is stated in the news published by the Reuters news agency about the meeting between the Ismail Haniyeh and the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, consists of pure lies and slander. Instead of providing information, this news agency has started to publish baseless lies.”
He further stated: “Everyone is aware of the nature of the relationship between the Hamas movement and the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as this country’s support for the Palestinian cause, nation, and its resistance, particularly the Hamas movement. They are also familiar with Ayatollah Khamenei’s stance in supporting the Palestinian resistance. Therefore, considering the necessity and nature of the relationship between the parties, it is impossible to believe such content.”
The Hamas member emphasized: “The meeting took place in continuation of the strong and distinctive relationship between Hamas and the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Nasser Kanaani said that the resolution was worthless and unacceptable amid Western countries’ indifference to the Zionist regime’s crimes in Gaza which is “a dishonor for them and shows their open hypocrisy and sheer lies in defense of human rights.”
Kanaani added, “How can the United States and some Western countries not see the massacre of children and women by the Israeli regime in Gaza and instead issue a resolution against Iran by repeating unfounded accusations based on false information and dishonest generalizations?”
The Iranian spokesperson highlighted the US, Canada and some other Western countries’ all-out support for Israel to commit “war crimes and genocide” against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
“These countries are not in a position to give human rights recommendations to the Iranian government and people,” he stated.
The spokesperson also censured the provisions of the resolution as “one-sided” and “unrealistic”, saying the move by its initiators was meant to abuse the concepts and high values of human rights in order to push forward their short-sighted political goals. He added the resolution lacks any legitimacy or validity.
Kanaani elaborated the Islamic Republic of Iran” is ready to engage in constructive dialogues and cooperation with all legitimate international mechanisms and countries interested in bolstering and truly backing human rights within the framework of mutual respect, equality of countries, as well as justice and fairness away from political motives.”
The Ukrainian head of state’s latest comments, made on Wednesday, follow an admission by the country’s top military commander, General Valery Zaluzhny, that Kiev and Moscow are locked in a “stalemate,” with neither side apparently in a position to pull off a decisive offensive.
Asked about the prospects of freezing the conflict, Zelensky insisted that “if there is a stalemate and a frozen conflict, we have to honestly say that our children, or our grandchildren, will have to fight” – something Kiev wants to avoid, he added.
According to the president, though his country has “already lost too many people”, Ukraine cannot afford to even think about freezing the conflict, “however hard it may be”.
“If we want to end the war, we must end it,” he proclaimed, insisting that Russia must be “put in its place”, or else it would strike again later on.
In an interview with Reuters last week, Zelensky stated that his country would continue fighting until it recaptured all territories within its 1991 borders, even if the US withdraws support. Earlier last week, he claimed that Kiev had a “plan” that would help bring some “results” on the battlefield by the end of the year.
The president’s recent series of statements follow a bombshell article in The Economist by Zaluzhny earlier this month, in which he conceded that Kiev’s military was unlikely to carry out a “deep and beautiful breakthrough”. The general also said the conflict in its present form could “drag on for years”.
Zaluzhny quickly came under fire from the Zelensky administration, with several media outlets having claimed since the clash that, behind closed doors, Western officials may be pushing Ukraine to finish the conflict, even if that means territorial concessions.
Speaking last Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov insisted that there was no way the Russian military could be defeated, adding that it was not deadlocked, contrary to Zaluzhny’s assessment.
As for the prospects for peace, the Russian leadership has never ruled out talks with Kiev and President Vladimir Putin repeatedly pointed out that it is Ukraine that is unwilling to engage in dialogue. A decree signed by President Zelensky, which bans any such negotiations, is cited by Moscow as evidence of this.
Last month, Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder claimed that, in March 2022, weeks after the outbreak of fighting, the US government wouldn’t allow Kiev to reach a peace agreement with Moscow – a version of events supported by Russian officials.
The court will determine later the amount of compensation Forafina Beleggingen, previously known as KBS Holland, has to pay to the victims of the chemical weapons attacks.
The Dutch company did not show up in court to defend itself.
The court acquitted a second company of liability in the same case on the grounds it was not aware that the supplied raw materials would be used by the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime for mustard gas.
The Iranian victims of chemical weapons filed complaints earlier this year against the two Dutch firms for supplying chemicals to Iraq between 1982 and 1984.
The five claimants suffered lasting injuries from mustard gas attacks during the war and endure respiratory issues and disability due to damage to their lungs, eyes, and skin.
The Iraqi army used chemical weapons against Iranians during the 1980-88 war, leaving tens of thousands dead on the spot and many more suffering for years to come.
“I made it clear to the Israelis I think it’s a big mistake for them to think they’re going to occupy Gaza and maintain Gaza,” Biden told a news conference in San Francisco.
“I don’t think that works,” he stressed.
Netanyahu said earlier this month that after the war Gaza would have to be “demilitarised, deradicalised and rebuilt” and that Israel would need to find a “civilian government” to govern the enclave, which has been run by Hamas since 2006.
The Israeli leader added there was no plan to “occupy” Gaza although many consider it an occupied territory already because Israel has full control of its borders, airspace and territorial waters despite having formally withdrawn its forces and settlers in 2005.
Speaking as the Israeli military continued its raid on Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital, Biden stated he had also discussed with Israeli leaders the need to “be incredibly careful” in its actions at the hospital, under which Israel says the Palestinian armed group Hamas had built its military headquarters.
Hospital officials and Hamas, which controls Gaza, deny the claim.
More than 11,500 Palestinians have been killed since Israel began bombarding the besieged enclave on October 7 after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 200 captive.
Biden, who was speaking to the media after a four-hour summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, insisted the only way to end the bloodshed was the “two-state solution”, with Israel and Palestinians living side by side.
While urging caution at al-Shifa, Biden repeated Israeli claims about the military headquarters and said Hamas was committing war crimes by housing such a facility beneath a hospital.
The raid on the hospital has drawn condemnation from the United Nations and the Palestinian Authority, which controls the West Bank and is a rival to Hamas.
Under international humanitarian law, hospitals can lose their protected status if used for military purposes. But civilians must also be given ample time to flee, and any attack must be proportional to the military objective — putting the burden on Israel to show the hospital was a big enough military target to justify the siege against it.
Biden added Israel had gone into al-Shifa, with a limited number of troops with guns, and that Israel had an obligation to use as much caution as possible in going after targets.
Israel has announced it is not only looking for Hamas fighters but also the captives, including a three-year-old US citizen, who have been held in Gaza for more than a month.
Netanyahu, who has led Israel on and off for 16 years and is facing corruption charges, is under intense domestic pressure to account for political and security failings that may have led to the Hamas attack, the worst in the country’s history.
Protesters have taken to the streets demanding more be done to secure their release.
Biden stated he was “mildly hopeful” there would be a deal to free them.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself here because I don’t know what’s happened in the last four hours, but we have gotten great cooperation from the Qataris,” he noted when asked about progress.
Qatar, where Hamas operates a political office, has been leading mediation between the group and Israeli officials.
The letter, spearheaded by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Betty McCollum, and Mark Pocan, states that without a call for a bilateral ceasefire, “this war will lead to a further loss of civilian life” and will also risk dragging the US into a “dangerous and unwise conflict with armed groups across the Middle East”.
“We thank the President for calling for a humanitarian pause so that humanitarian aid may flow and diplomacy may take place,” added the letter, which also included signatures from Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Cori Bush, and Ayanna Pressley.
“However, given the present lack of an apparent and clear strategic plan, we encourage a redoubling of efforts to achieve rapid de-escalation through a ceasefire and robust, regional engagement that includes international humanitarian organizations.”
US President Joe Biden and his administration have so far turned down calls from rights groups, Palestinians, and 120 UN member states calling for Israel to agree to a ceasefire. There is also dissent growing within the Biden administration itself, with multiple dissent cables showing that many Biden administration staffers are in favour of a ceasefire.
A recent poll released on Wednesday also found that nearly 70 percent of American respondents are in favour of calling for Israel to agree to a ceasefire.
And while the majority of Congress continues to oppose ceasefire calls, a growing number of congressional staffers have begun to push for a halt to Israel’s assault on Gaza.
Last month, a small group of progressive lawmakers introduced legislation urging the Biden administration to call for a cessation of the fighting. That bill currently has 17 cosponsors.
“War and retaliatory violence doesn’t achieve accountability or justice; it only leads to more death and human suffering,” Congresswoman Bush said in a statement announcing the bill.
The congressional letter also highlights concerns over the high number of child casualties in Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Out of the more than 11,000 Palestinians killed by Israel’s aerial bombardment and ground invasion of the enclave, nearly 40 percent have been children, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
According to this tally, one in every 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israel. Last week, the World Health Organisation said that Israel’s bombardment was reaching a point where at least one Palestinian child was being killed every 10 minutes.
“We are profoundly shocked by the grave violations of children’s rights in the context of armed conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” the letter added.
“International norms require that all parties to an armed conflict protect children and prevent the commission of grave violations against them, including killing and maiming, attacks on schools and hospitals, recruitment and use of children, abduction of children, and denial of humanitarian access.”
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