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15 killed, over 4,700 injured in Iran’s year-end fire festival incidents

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iran’s year-end fire festival

Jafar Miadfar said there were 189 cases of amputation of body parts and 1070 cases were related to eye injuries, adding the figures will be updated.

The capital Tehran, Eastern and Western Azarbaijan provinces topped the list of casualties.

The gloomy figures, however, showed a decline compared to the deaths and injuries in previous years, added the official.

The Iranian festival of fire is an ancient tradition celebrated ahead of the New Year but in recent years strong explosives and fireworks have replaced the traditional small bonfires, making the event more boisterous and dangerous.

The celebration falls on the eve of the last Wednesday before Nowruz, the Iranian New Year that starts on March 21.

White House trying to walk back Biden’s remarks about Rafah onslaught being a red line for US

By
IFP Media Wire
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White House

“The president didn’t make any declarations or pronouncements or announcements. The red line came up in a question he was responding to that question. I think he gave a full answer to it,” National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters during a news briefing.

In his Saturday interview on MSNBC, Biden said that an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be a red line before adding in the same breath that crossing it would not result in punitive measures against Israel.

“It is a red line, but I am never going to leave Israel,” Biden stated, adding, “The defense of Israel is still critical, so there’s no red line I’m going to cut off all weapons.”

On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would push ahead with a military offensive in Rafah, where 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering in southern Gaza. However, multiple Israeli officials said the offensive is not imminent.

When pressed by reporters, Sullivan seemed to blame the media for turning the idea of a red line into a “national security parlor game for the president”.

Sullivan added, “He’s really focused on the substance, on the policy on his concern about the protection of civilians, and about Israel being able to sustain a campaign in a way that ultimately leads to an outcome in which the people of Israel are secure. Hamas is crushed and there is a long-term solution to stability and peace in the region.”

Israel has waged a retaliatory offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, which killed nearly 1,200 people. The offensive has killed around 31,200 Palestinians and injured over 72,900 others amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Palestinian enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

EU officials say Russia’s response to asset seizure could trigger global financial collapse

By
IFP Media Wire
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Rouble

The West has frozen roughly $300 billion in holdings belonging to the Russian central bank since the start of the Ukraine conflict two years ago. Brussels-based Euroclear holds around €191 billion ($205 billion) of them, and the EU is reportedly fast-tracking the decision to send Kiev the first tranche of up to €3 billion ($3.2 billion) from profits generated by frozen Russian assets as early as July.

However, Brussels will have to “ensure that there is no breach of financial stability,” an unnamed EU official told Reuters on Tuesday.

“The moment the war ends and all settlements can be made, all the money that was provisionally retained will also be transferred to Ukraine. But we need a significant amount in Euroclear… because Euroclear will face a lot of claims,” the official added.

Should the West proceed with expropriating the funds, the Russian central bank is likely to seize some €33 billion of Euroclear money held in the national securities depository in Moscow, the official noted. Russia may also sue to seize Euroclear cash from depositories in Hong Kong and Dubai.

Moscow has repeatedly warned that it will respond in kind if the West goes through with threats to confiscate Russian assets. The finance ministry said last month that Western states and companies themselves still have holdings in Russia that could be jeopardized if the frozen funds were tapped.

If Western banks begin suing Euroclear for the loss of their money invested in Russia “that’s the mechanism how Euroclear could be totally emptied”, the EU official warned.

The Euroclear Bank boasts of over €37 trillion of assets in custody globally, but if it runs out of liquidity amid a litany of lawsuits – the Belgian central bank may be forced to withdraw its license, causing a global financial crisis, the official warned.

A number of Western countries remain divided over expropriating Russia’s frozen assets to aid Ukraine. While the US and UK support the direct seizure of the assets, some EU member states, including France and Germany, have recently warned that the move could negatively affect financial stability and erode trust in the euro’s status as a reserve currency.

US announces $300mn emergency security assistance package for Ukraine

By
IFP Media Wire
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Western weapons flow to Ukraine's military

“Today, on behalf of President [Joe] Biden, I’m announcing an emergency package of security assistance of $300 million worth of weapons and equipment to address some of Ukraine’s pressing needs,” said Sullivan during a press briefing.

Sullivan added that the package was made possible because of unanticipated cost savings in contracts the Defense Department negotiated to replace equipment already sent to Ukraine through previous drawdowns.

The new US $300 million aid package for Ukraine will include Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets for their High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), he noted.

“This emergency package that we’re announcing contains a large tranche of artillery rounds and GMLRS,” he said.

Media reported that the package will also include ATACMS, the US long-range, precision-strike, surface-to-surface missile system.

Sullivan also added that the new $300 million US emergency security aid package for Ukraine is not enough to meet Kiev’s needs on the battlefield and will not prevent it from running out of munitions in the coming weeks.

“This ammunition will keep Ukraine’s guns firing for a period, but only a short period.”

“It is nowhere near enough to meet Ukraine’s battlefield needs and it will not prevent Ukraine from running out of ammunition in the weeks to come.”

Western countries have provided hundreds of billions of dollars worth of aid to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s special military operation in February 2022. Aid shipments began in 2022 with artillery munitions and training and have escalated to include tanks, advanced air-defense systems, missiles and cluster munitions. All while making false statements about the so-called “Russian threat” and simultaneously conducting full scale military drills close to Russian borders.

The Kremlin has consistently warned against the West’s continued arms deliveries to Ukraine, saying that they only prolong the conflict, adding that Western military equipment will be eventually destroyed. Moscow also cautioned that NATO countries “are playing with fire” by providing Kiev with arms.

UN says more children killed in Gaza war than in 4 years of worldwide conflict

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

“Staggering. The number of children reported killed in just over 4 months in #Gaza is higher than the number of children killed in 4 years of wars around the world combined,” Philippe Lazzarini said on X, formerly Twitter.

His post referenced United Nations numbers showing that 12,193 children had been killed in conflicts worldwide between 2019 and 2022.

It compared that to reports from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza indicating that more than 12,300 children died in the Palestinian territory between last October and the end of February.

“This war is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood and their future,” Lazzarini added.

The brutal war began with the unprecedented October 7 Hamas attack that resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel. The fighters also took around 250 hostages, dozens of whom were released during a week-long truce in November. Israel believes about 130 captives remain in Gaza, including 32 presumed dead.

Israel’s retaliatory bombardment and ground offensive have killed nearly 31,200 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s health ministry.

Israel, Hamas “nowhere near a deal” over Gaza: Qatar

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

“We are right now engaged in constructive dialogue between both sides; the situation on the ground is very much difficult, and we are nowhere near a deal at the moment,” Al-Ansari told CNN.

Al-Ansari added issues remain, including finalizing where Israeli troops would end up, how many people would be moving in and out of Gaza, and how aid could enter the enclave.

“We are exchanging language between the parties and waiting to see if that will accomplish something in the next couple of days.”

Qatar was integral in mediating the only pause in fighting in the five-month war back in November. Al Ansari said a new format is needed this time around.

“We tried the day-to-day pause formula of last time, and that did not work, because at the end, both sides will disagree over the lists and how to implement them. We need a more comprehensive first phase that would allow us some time to enact negotiations for the next phases,” he added.

The Qatari official stated some officials — including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — “have the keys to secure a deal right now”, urging them to consider negotiations.

“Every day that goes by is a risk to the life of the hostages, a risk to the life of civilians in Gaza, and it’s not in anybody’s interest — especially the people of Israel and the security of Israel — for this war to continue,” he continued.

CIA Director Bill Burns on Tuesday offered a small measure of hope for progress in the indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel over a potential ceasefire deal. There is “still the possibility” of such a deal, Burns said, but it is “a very tough process”.

“I don’t think anyone can guarantee success. The only thing I think you can guarantee is that the alternatives are worse,” Burns stated during congressional testimony.

“They’re worse for innocent civilians who are suffering in Gaza. They’re worse for the hostages and their families. And I think they’re worse for all of us.”

Burns has been a lead negotiator for the US side, as the United States, Qatar and Egypt have worked to broker a deal that would exchange the release of Hamas-held hostages for a pause in the fighting.

At least 1,140 people were killed and about 250 captives were taken in Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7. More than 100 captives were released during a weeklong ceasefire in November.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive on Gaza has killed more than 31,000 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The nearly five months of fighting have left much of Gaza in ruins and created a worsening humanitarian catastrophe, with many, especially in the devastated northern region, scrambling for food to survive.

Democratic senators ask Biden halt military aid to Israel amid Gaza war

By
IFP Media Wire
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Biden

The senators argued in a letter to Biden that Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act requires the Biden administration halt the sale and transfer of weapons to Israel if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government continues to block US humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip.

“The United States should not provide military assistance to any country that interferes with US humanitarian assistance,” they wrote, noting the language of the statute would still allow the United States to provide missile defense systems and supplies, such as the Iron Dome, to protect Israeli civilians from rocket attacks.

But the senators say the law clearly prohibits the transfer of weapons such as 155 mm artillery shells that are being used to bombard neighborhoods in Gaza.

Sens. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) also signed the letter. Sanders, an Independent, caucuses with Democrats.

The death toll in Gaza has topped 31,000, according to Palestinian officials.

“Federal law is clear, and, given the urgency of the crisis in Gaza, and the repeated refusal of Prime Minister Netanyahu to address US concerns on this issue, immediate action is necessary to secure a change in policy by his government,” the senators added.

Public attention has become more focused in recent days on the starvation of civilians in Gaza, such as Yazan Kafarneh, a 10-year-old boy whose skeletal image was featured prominently on the front page of Sunday’s New York Times.

“Your Administration has repeatedly stated, and the United Nations and numerous aid organizations have confirmed, that Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian access, both at the border and within Gaza, are one of the primary causes of this humanitarian catastrophe,” the senators wrote.

They cited the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act, which states “no assistance” shall be provided under that law or the Arms Export Control Act to any country that restricts, directly or indirectly, the transport or delivery of US humanitarian assistance.

“We urge you to make it clear to the Netanyahu government that failure to immediately and dramatically expand humanitarian access and facilitate safe aid deliveries throughout Gaza will lead to serious consequences,” they wrote.

Iran Leader says Palestine to bring Israel to its knees

By
IFP Media Wire
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Ayatollah Khamenei

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with Quran reciters and memorizers on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the capital Tehran on Tuesday.

“Today, what is coming to pass in Gaza is the apex of crime, malice and brutality,” the Leader said as he pointed to the 158th day of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

“The [Palestinian] resistance is still standing strong and will bring the Zionists to their knees.”

Some Muslim countries, the Leader added, are taking sides with the Israeli regime in its brutal aggression.

“In the Islamic world, some governments help the enemies of the oppressed Palestinian people. God willing, they will see the punishment for this perfidy.”

The Leader stated it is a disgrace to Western civilization that Israel has committed unprecedented crimes in Gaza, such as the killing of children and babies through starvation and thirst.

“Although the Zionists have all kinds of weapons and aid coming from the United States and the West, they have not been able to do anything whatsoever in the face of the unique patience of the people of Gaza and the resilience of resistance fighters.”

The holy fasting month of Ramadan started in the Gaza Strip, with a population of approximately 2.3 million, on Monday. The territory has been under the occupying regime’s incessant bombardment for more than five months.

Israel had rejected multiple calls from the international community, organizations and rights groups for a humanitarian truce to take effect before the holy Muslim month.

Israel began the genocidal war on October 7, 2023, after Hamas-led Palestinian resistance groups carried out Operation al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

Since then, the regime has at least 31,100 Palestinians and injured some 72,900 others.

The regime has also imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the Palestinians living there.

Traffic chaos grips Tehran over Scarlet Wednesday or Chaharshanbeh Suri

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iranian People Celebrate Persian Fire Festival (9)

Citizens find themselves trapped in queues stretching several hundred meters at public transport stations, desperately trying to make their way home from work.

Exploiting the current predicament, some private taxi drivers are capitalizing on the chaos by charging exorbitant fares.

Reports indicate that fares as high as 8,000,000 rials are being demanded for routes that typically cost citizens a mere 500,000 rials.

Many opted to forgo their private vehicles in an effort to evade the expected traffic congestion. However, this strategy seems to have backfired, as they now find themselves caught in what can only be described as the “public transport trap”.

Chaharshanbeh Suri, also known as Scarlet Wednesday, is a vibrant Iranian festival celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year before Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

During this lively event, people gather to jump over bonfires as a symbolic gesture to cleanse themselves of illness and bad luck, while welcoming the arrival of spring with joy and anticipation.

Homecoming in style: NASA’s “Cro-7” mission astronauts, including Jasmin Moghbeli, return to Earth

By
Golrokh Askarieh
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Jasmin Moghbeli

The quartet safely landed in the SpaceX Dragon capsule, gently splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola Beach, Florida.

Jasmin Moghbeli, who gained global attention during the mission, not only showcased her exceptional spacefaring skills but also brought a touch of earthly culture to the International Space Station.

Moghbeli made headlines when she demonstrated her hairdressing prowess aboard the ISS, proving that even in the vastness of space, astronauts can maintain a sense of style.

Moghbeli also shared her culinary expertise by posting a video of herself preparing Ghormeh Sabzi, Iran’s renowned herb stew, with rice.

The delightful cooking demonstration not only highlighted the astronaut’s ability to adapt to unique challenges but also offered a glimpse into the diverse cultural backgrounds of space travelers.

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