** Iran Today ** Summary of News for Events in Iran - English
After his reelection as Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad extends an invitation to his American counterpart Barack Obama for a debate before the...
After his reelection as Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad extends an invitation to his American counterpart Barack Obama for a debate before the eyes of the world.
Addressing Iranian heads of medical universities on Saturday, President Ahmadinejad offered to debate President Obama at the United Nations headquarters in New York before the eyes of all nations of the world.
President Ahmadinejad had previously urged a debate with former US president George W. Bush.
The Iranian president wrote an 18-page letter to President Bush in 2006 that touched on religious values, history and international relations. The letter was viewed as an offer extended to the United States for dialogue.
However, the Iranian official's letter never received an answer from the former US president.
Under the former US president, Washington pursued a carrot-and-stick policy toward Tehran over its nuclear program and by setting preconditions, snubbed calls by President Ahmadinejad for talks on the long-standing dispute.
Meanwhile President Obama has adopted a new tone for engaging Tehran, drawing a sharp line between his foreign policies regarding Iran and that of his predecessor.
The call for talks come as earlier in February, Ahmadinejad expressed willingness for dialogue but stressed that negotiations should be held "in a climate of fairness with mutual respect."
Earlier in May a report by the Israeli daily Haaretz said the United States had set October as its deadline for engaging Iran in the first round of talks over the country's nuclear activities.
The report quoted the special US envoy on Iran, Dennis Ross, as saying that "unless the US sees a change in Iran's position on its nuclear program, Washington's stance toward Tehran will stiffen at that time."
An Iranian lawyer has said that his client Hossein Rassam, a British Embassy staffer who remains detained over recent unrest, has been accused of "acting against national security."
Lawyer Abdol-Samad Khorramshahi told AFP on Saturday that he was seeking permission to see his client, saying, "I have not met with him yet, but I will ask the judiciary for an appointment."
"I was told by a close relative that he is accused of acting against national security,” he added.
Iran became the scene of violence in recent weeks amidst rallies staged in protest at the outcome of the June 12 presidential election -- which saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad elected for a second term in office.
After warning other countries against interfering in its internal affairs, the Tehran government arrested nine Iranian nationals working at the British Embassy and said that these people had played a role in encouraging the post-election violence.
The British government said that seven of those arrested in Tehran have been released. However, Iranian state television has said that just one of them remains in detention.
In a statement on Friday, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he was "urgently seeking clarification" from Iranian officials, dismissing allegations that the staffers were involved in any illegal act.
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Hajj is a symbol of monotheism and spirituality - Leader Hajj Message...
In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds and may Allah’s blessings be...
In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds and may Allah’s blessings be upon our Master, Muhammad al-Mustafa and his immaculate Family and his elect Companions.
As a symbol of Islamic unity and honour and the emblem of monotheism and spirituality, the Holy Ka’bah, during the Hajj season, is host to the ardent and hopeful hearts, who come hurrying from all over the world to the birthplace of Islam in response to the call of the Glorious Lord. At this time, the Islamic Ummah can have a bird’s eye view of its own great extent and diversity, seen through the eyes of its envoys who gather here from all over the world, and be witness to the profound faith that rules over the hearts of the followers of the True Religion, and appreciate its great and peerless heritage.
This self-discovery of the Ummah enables us as Muslims to become aware of the position which is worthy of them in the world, today and tomorrow, and to keep moving towards it.
The expanding wave of Islamic awakening in the world today is a reality that heralds a bright future for the Islamic Ummah. This powerful surge started three decades ago with the victory of the Islamic Revolution and establishment of the system of the Islamic Republic. Our great Ummah has continued to march ahead non-stop, removing the obstacles from its way and conquering new fronts. The sophisticated stratagems of the global Arrogance and its costly maneuvers aimed at countering Islam are also a consequence of these victories.
The extensive propaganda of the enemy to spread Islamophobia, its offhand efforts to create discord among Muslim sects, to incite sectarian prejudices, to bring about pseudo-confrontations between the Sunnis and the Shi’ah, to create disunity between Islamic states and to aggravate their differences, to change them into hostility and unsolvable conflicts, its employment of intelligence and espionage outfits to propagate corruption and immorality amongst the youth—all these are nervous and bewildered responses to the steady and firm advances of the Islamic Ummah towards awakening, honour and freedom.
Today the Zionist regime is no more the undefeatable monster of 30 years ago. The United States and the West are also no more the unquestionable decision-makers of the Middle East that they were two decades ago. Contrary to the situation that existed ten years ago, the nuclear know-how and other complex technologies are no longer considered inaccessible daydreams for Muslim nations of the region. Today the Palestinian nation is an acknowledged paragon of resistance, the Lebanese nation has single-handedly demolished the fake awesomeness of the Zionist regime and emerged as the victor of the 33-day war, and the Iranian nation is at the vanguard of the movement towards the looming peaks.
Today the arrogant United States, the self-styled commandant of the Islamic region and the real sponsor of the Zionist regime, is bogged down in the quagmire of its own making in Afghanistan. As a result of all its crimes against the people of Iraq, it is in the course of becoming isolated in that country. It is hated more than ever before in disaster-stricken Pakistan. Today, the influence of the anti-Islamic front which since the past two centuries has acted as a despotic overlord over Islamic nations and states and plundered their resources, is receding before the heroic resistance of the Muslim nations.
On the opposite side, the wave of Islamic awakening is steadily advancing and growing in depth day by day.
On the one hand, this hopeful and promising situation should inspire us, the Muslim nations, to keep marching ahead towards the desirable future with ever greater confidence. On the other hand, the past lessons and experience should make us more vigilant than ever before. This general imperative undoubtedly calls for greater commitment from religious scholars, political leaders, intellectuals and youth than the others and requires them to be at the vanguard of the struggle.
The clear and living message of the Noble Qur’an is addressed to us:
You are the best nation ever brought forth for mankind: you bid what is right and forbid what is wrong, and have faith in Allah. (3:110)
In this majestic address the Islamic Ummah is declared as one which has been brought forth for the sake of humanity. The aim of its birth is the good of mankind and its deliverance.
Its major duty is to urge what is good and to forbid evil while maintaining unshakeable faith in God. There is no ‘right thing’ (ma’ruf) more significant than rescuing nations from the satanic claws of the global Arrogance, and there is no ‘wrong thing’ (munkar) uglier than dependence on the Arrogant and servitude to them.
Today the major duties of the elite of the Islamic Ummah is to provide help to the Palestinian nation and the besieged people of Gaza, to sympathize and provide assistance to the nations of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Kashmir, to engage in struggle and resistance against the aggressions of the United States and the Zionist regime, to safeguard the solidarity of Muslims and stop tainted hands and mercenary voices that try to damage this unity, to spread awakening and the sense of responsibility and commitment among Muslim youth throughout Islamic communities.
The glorious spectacle and stage of Hajj provides us with an opportunity for the fulfillment of these duties and summons us to intensify and redouble our resolution and efforts.
Peace and Allah’s mercy be upon you!
Sayyid Ali Hussaini Khamenei
1 Dhul Hijjah, 1431
(8 Nov., 2010)
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[26 May 2012] US accomplice to Bahrain regime crimes - English
The Bahraini regime forces backed by troops from Saudi Arabia have once again attacked protesters in the tiny Persian Gulf littoral state....
The Bahraini regime forces backed by troops from Saudi Arabia have once again attacked protesters in the tiny Persian Gulf littoral state.
Security forces on Friday fired teargas and sound grenades at the demonstrating crowds in several towns and villages around the Bahraini capital, Manama.
Clashes then erupted between government forces and the pro-democracy protesters demanding the ouster of the Al Khalifa regime. Several people were injured during the demonstrations. The protesters also voiced their anger at the US government for its support of the Manama regime.
Anti-American sentiments are high in Bahrain after Washington announced earlier this month that it would resume arms sales to Bahrain. However, Bahraini opposition groups and activists condemned the decision, saying it could encourage further human rights violations in the Persian Gulf country.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Kamel Wazni, political analyst, to hear his opinion on this issue. The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Press TV: First of all we are hearing slogans on the streets in Bahrain against the United States now besides those slogans that were against the regime. People it seems are now very strongly and clearly saying that they want the United States to cut its support for the Manama regime, however we are seeing that support continue.
Do you think that these slogans are going to be heard by Washington?
Wazni: Obviously they will resonate in the White House and on the streets of America because this is the voice of the people and for very long time the Americans felt they are not mentioned on the streets and the Americans know sometimes this hostility that is taking place by the Bahrainis because they continue support of the Americans for the Bahraini regime and the approval of the Americans to sell weapons and arms to the Bahraini regime despite the crackdown that is taking place by the Bahraini regime against the civilian demonstrators of the country.
I think there is voice on the streets saying anyone who sided with the criminals who are committing crimes against humanity should be condemned and today because the Bahraini authority, the Bahraini monarchy is committing crime and America being accomplice to this crime, then you see the people are voicing their sentiment and making their voice to be heard across the world.
They are not intimidated, they are not afraid. They wanted democratic system and a country, that is the basic principle of human dignity to live free in his own or her own country where will be no discrimination, no crackdown, no torture.
This is the basic principle of any human wanted to live in peace and prosperity and the Americans by siding with the Bahraini regime preventing the aspiration of the Bahraini people to make this happen so the Americans should not be shocked by what they are hearing. That is what they actually worked on by helping the Bahraini authority and if Obama is listening and Mrs. Clinton should listen to the human rights when they actually condemn the torture that is taking place by the Bahraini government.
The systematic torture that is taking [place] day after day should be heard by the American administration.
There are a lot of committees being established by the UN bodies, by even the King and they all indicated there is a huge torture and killing taking place on the streets of Bahrain. So is anybody listening?
Press TV: What you referred there to the United Nations also other human rights groups we know for instance that the UN Human Rights Council recently in Geneva started to discuss the situation in Bahrain. We know groups like Amnesty International and other human rights organizations in and outside of Bahrain have been saying they have documents and proved that these violations are taking place but does that mean that they are going to give any support to the Bahraini revolutionaries and do you think without that support on the ground the Bahraini revolution can get anywhere?
Wazni: Well obviously the public opinion on the international appeal is important but eventually the legwork has to be done by the people of Bahrain because the people of Bahrain made a pledge and they are determined to carry their own cause despite all the obstacles and all the atrocity that is committed by the Bahraini regime against the civilian in Bahrain.
But having the public support of the international community from the UN, from other bodies is actually attested to the reality that is taking place.
There is a crime taking place in Bahrain by the monarchy, by the royal family supported by the Americans and somebody has to listen but I do not think the Bahraini people are counting on the West or the Americans because they think the Americans are participant in what is taking place in Bahrain and despite all of that they have the will and the determination to carry their cause to the end.
They know the sacrifice and they are willing to take that sacrifice and we hear the leadership of the Bahraini talking, when we hear Sheikh Ghasem say this is the will of the people and they will carry their duty to bring honorable justice to Bahrain despite all the killing and torture [that] is committed by the Bahraini with the help of the Saudis.
The people will prevail in the end, will be costly process but you have to trust the people and the people will carry their duties.
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US-NATO - Humanitarian Intervention in Syria: Towards a Regional War? -...
Prof. Michel Chossudovsky, Director of the Centre for Research on Globalization weighs in on the insurrectionary nature of the Syrian conflict and...
Prof. Michel Chossudovsky, Director of the Centre for Research on Globalization weighs in on the insurrectionary nature of the Syrian conflict and its potential to generate a larger regional conflict in the Middle East.
As the Syrian crisis enters its 16th month, the recent massacres in Houla and Hama have revived calls for foreign intervention and the toppling of President Bashar al-Assad. US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice has recently hinted that the United States would soon take action outside of the Annan plan and the authority of the United Nations if the persistent violence in Syria continued unabated. While the Syrian opposition severs its commitment to uphold Kofi Annan's peace plan and openly calls for a UN- no-fly zone to replace the monitoring mission, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced a new transition plan that would remove Assad from power completely. As outside forces plan a post-Assad transition strategy, the people of Syria are fast approaching a historic crossroads, of which may lead to a broader sectarian conflict that would forever reshape the Middle East
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Exposing Salman Rushdie - An Agent of the west [English]
In this video we expose Salman Rushdie for being an agent of the west and the United states. Salman Rushdie shows how the Satanic verses was a...
In this video we expose Salman Rushdie for being an agent of the west and the United states. Salman Rushdie shows how the Satanic verses was a western project to insult Islam and the source of this project was and is the the Great Satan United States. When imam Khomeini (ra) responded to this clown, the United States and its servants rushed to protect their asset.
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US National debt $13 trillion Congressman says the more debt you are in...
The United States national debt officially went over the 13 trillion mark which is one of the largest in the world at the present time How much can...
The United States national debt officially went over the 13 trillion mark which is one of the largest in the world at the present time How much can $13 trillion buy In 2004 United States Vice President Dick Cheney emphatically stated during a cabinet meeting that deficits do not matter But do debts and deficits really matter
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Israeli FM Calls For Expulsion of Palestinians And Rejects Settlement...
Israel's FM rejects freeze extension
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has rejected international calls for extending Tel Aviv's...
Israel's FM rejects freeze extension
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has rejected international calls for extending Tel Aviv's partial settlement freeze in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Israeli official told his British counterpart William Hague on Saturday that Israel would not extend the moratorium in the West Bank.
"Israel has made numerous gestures over the past year, and now it's the Palestinians' turn. Israel will gladly continue negotiating without preconditions, including those related to the moratorium," Lieberman said.
His remarks came after the United Nations, the European Union, and the United States have all called on Israel to extend the freeze to help the continuation of talks between Tel Aviv and the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Last November, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a 10-month freeze on illegal settlement expansion projects, which will expire late September.
Acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas has warned that he would leave the negotiations if Israel continues its settlement activities in the occupied territories.
The Israeli foreign minister claimed that the freeze was merely an "excuse" for the PA to thwart the talks.
"Those who look for excuses will find them even if the freeze is extended," Lieberman went on to say.
The latest round of direct talks between Abbas and Netanyahu held in Washington, Egypt, and al-Quds (Jerusalem) ended with no progress earlier this week.
Article Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/143041.html
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US-led Afghan war is criminal - 03nov2010 - English
Renowned Jewish-American scholar Noam Chomsky says US invasion of Afghanistan was illegal since to date there is no evidence that al-Qaeda has...
Renowned Jewish-American scholar Noam Chomsky says US invasion of Afghanistan was illegal since to date there is no evidence that al-Qaeda has carried out the 9/11 attacks.
"The explicit and declared motive of the [Afghanistan] war was to compel the Taliban to turn over to the United States, the people who they accused of having been involved in World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist acts. The Taliban…they requested evidence…and the Bush administration refused to provide any," the 81-year-old senior academic made the remarks on Press TV's program a Simple Question.
"We later discovered one of the reasons why they did not bring evidence: they did not have any."
The political analyst also said that nonexistence of such evidence was confirmed by FBI eight months later.
"The head of FBI, after the most intense international investigation in history, informed the press that the FBI believed that the plot may have been hatched in Afghanistan, but was probably implemented in the United Arab Emirates and Germany."
Chomsky added that three weeks into the war, "a British officer announced that the US and Britain would continue bombing, until the people of Afghanistan overthrew the Taliban... That was later turned into the official justification for the war."
"All of this was totally illegal. It was more, criminal," Chomsky said.
The 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan was launched with the official objective of curbing militancy and bringing peace and stability to the country.
Nine years on, however, the American and Afghan officials admit that the country remains unstable and civilians continue to pay the heaviest price.
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Protesters in Washington back Egypt uprising - 28 Jan 2011 - English
Demonstrations took place around the country Friday in support of the mass protests in Egypt this week. At the National Press Club in Washington,...
Demonstrations took place around the country Friday in support of the mass protests in Egypt this week. At the National Press Club in Washington, Egyptian leaders gathered to ask the White House to stand with the Egyptian people in their demands to the nation's government.
The United States has expressed its firm support for the Mubarak regime and although vague expressions of concern for the freedoms of the Egyptian people have been made, an outright denunciation of Hosni Mubarak is yet to be heard. Dr. Samia Harris of the Alliance of Egyptian Americans had this message for Vice President Joe Biden in response to his affirmation of the Mubarak government.
Egyptian rights activist Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim called the events in Egypt as a revolution, and in response to a question about the impact of revolution on the United States' so-called War on Terror, he had this to say:
After the press conference, demonstrators rallied in front of the White House to make their demands known. These include withdrawing military and economic aid from Egypt, which is the second highest recipient of foreign aid from the U.S. after Israel, at an annual $2 billion.
Though the world's eye is currently transfixed on Egypt, these demonstrators turn to the White House in demanding an end of U.S. support for the Mubarak regime.
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Muslim Brotherhood Hails Imam Khamenei - Persian and English
Muslim Brotherhood Hails Imam Khameneis Support. A senior member of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has expressed gratitude to the Leader of the Islamic...
Muslim Brotherhood Hails Imam Khameneis Support. A senior member of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has expressed gratitude to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for his support of the Egyptian revolution.
Kamal al-Halbavi made the remark in an interview with the state-funded BBC Persian on Sunday night.
Halbavi further expressed hope that Egypt would have "a good government, like the Iranian government, and a good president like Mr. Ahmadinejad, who is very brave."
When asked about the Muslim Brotherhood's opinion of Ayatollah Khamenei's statements on Egypt's developments, Halbavi said, "Many thanks for Imam Khamenei and all who support the revolution in Egypt."
Ayatollah Khamenei said in Tehran's Friday prayers last week that the recent developments in North Africa are the result of "Islamic awakening, which followed the great Islamic Revolution of the Iranian nation."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution made reference to Egyptians' fight for "dignity and honor" and noted that Mubarak's biggest crime was turning Egypt into an instrument in the hands of the United States.
The Muslim Brotherhood member added that he wants his country to develop in all spheres "like Iran, achieving more technological and scientific advances and becoming a regional power."
Troubled Egypt has been the scene of violent clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces during the past two weeks.
Egyptians on Sunday took to the streets on the thirteenth consecutive day of demonstrations, called the "Day of Martyrs," to honor hundreds of protesters killed during the revolution in the crisis-hit country.
The number of people killed in the Egyptian revolution is reported to be at least 300, and thousands were also injured in clashes that have rocked Cairo, Suez, and Alexandria, according to the United Nations.
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[English][LQ][FULL] Ahmadinejad Speech to mark the 32nd anniversary of...
Ahmadinejads Speech at Azadi Square to mark the 32nd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that...
Ahmadinejads Speech at Azadi Square to mark the 32nd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that a new Middle East will be created in the near future without the United States and Israel.
"I assure you that despite all evil and complicated plans, and thanks to the resistance of nations, there will be a new Middle East but without the US and the Zionist regime [of Israel]," he told the Iranians gathering at Tehran's Azadi Square to mark the 32nd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
The Iranian president also urged the arrogant powers not to interfere in the internal affairs of the region's countries such as Egypt and Tunisia.
"What are you doing in Afghanistan? What are these military bases in the region for? Are you compassionate or hypocrite?" Ahmadinejad asked.
He also argued that the West is deceitful in claiming that with the two-state slogan it can pave the way for Israel to dominate the region.
Hailing the revolution in Egypt, the Iranian president warned the Egyptian people to be vigilant, insisting that "It is your right to be free. It is your right to decide your government, and it is your right to freely express yourself about your country and global issues."
"Be united and do not fear corrupt governments, and victory is near," he added.
In Egypt, thousands of people gathered outside the presidential palace in Cairo on Friday after President Hosni Mubarak refused to step down amid repeated calls for his resignation.
Tensions are expected to escalate further on the eighteenth day of pro-democracy protests as millions are to come together at mosques for Muslim communal prayers on Friday.
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Bahrain Rally in Ottawa, Canada - English 19Mar2011 مظاهرة في...
Saturday, March 20th 2011
The people of Ottawa and Montreal gathered at the Canadian Parliament demanding the Canadian government to take action...
Saturday, March 20th 2011
The people of Ottawa and Montreal gathered at the Canadian Parliament demanding the Canadian government to take action against the injustices and violations of human rights taking place in Bahrain, by the Bahraini government and the Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and other gulf country (GCC) forces.
The demonstration then marched towards the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Canada, demanding it halts the killing of innocent men, women, children, including nurses and doctors, and demanding it leave Bahrain.
Later, the crowd moved to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) embassy to demand it remove its forces from Bahrain, as well.
Hundreds of people participated in the demonstration, including Muslims, both Sunnis and Shias, and non-Muslims.
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***VIEWER DISCRETION*** Turkey leads anti-Syria smear campaign - 13Jun11...
Turkey's smear campaign against the Syrian government is much worse than the propaganda spread by Arab media to tarnish the image of Damascus with...
Turkey's smear campaign against the Syrian government is much worse than the propaganda spread by Arab media to tarnish the image of Damascus with regards to its recent unrest.
While Syrian officials and residents of crisis-hit Syrian regions have repeatedly said that armed groups are responsible for the deadly clashes in the country, Turkey has tried to portray Iran and the Lebanese Resistance Movement, Hezbollah, as being behind the unrest in Syria and that they help Damascus quell protests.
The Turkish NTV news channel recently claimed that the Syrian soldiers who refused to open fire on protesters were shot dead by their commanders.
The broadcaster reported that a Syrian soldier taking refuge in the country says that he and his comrades were trying to avoid hurting protesters by firing warning shots, but those who refused to open fire on protesters were shot dead.
"I've seen Iranians and Hezbollah operators giving instructions to shoot, and those who refused were immediately shot dead," the alleged fugitive Syrian soldier told NTV, adding that the soldiers were mostly shot from behind or in the neck.
The Turkish broadcaster has also claimed that Syrian forces have opened fire on unarmed civilians in al-Rastan.
"We opened fire on everyone, the young, the old... Women were raped in front of their husbands and children," the army defector told NTV.
Political analysts in Middle East affairs have accused Ankara of playing a double game -- claiming to support the Damascus government in order to have greater influence in the Middle East, while at the same time supporting and providing a safe haven for armed gangs seeking to incite revolt in Syria.
Iranian analyst Hadi Mohammadi says that the United States has now formed operational headquarters in southern Turkey close to the border with Syria to direct the riots in the Arab country after its attempts to cause unrest in southern Syria were unsuccessful.
Mohammadi said that the United States has assigned Turkey to carry out its anti-Syria plan. It has hence provided aid to the Turkish Army to assist Syrian dissidents in crossing into Turkey and settle in tent villages set up in Turkey's Hatay Province.
Meanwhile, a mass grave with bodies of at least 10 Syrian security forces was discovered near the northwestern town of Jisr al-Shughour on Monday.
Syria's state TV says the victims were killed by armed gangs and the bodies bore marks of torture.
Heavy clashes were reported as troops and tanks moved into the city on Sunday and gunmen targeted civilian areas including a hospital.
The government says it entered the town to restore order after some 120 security forces were killed there about a week ago. People in Jisr al-Shughour gathered to thank government troops for protecting them against the gunmen.
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Cracking Stuxnet - A 21st-century cyber weapon against Iran - Ralph...
When first discovered in 2010, the Stuxnet computer worm posed a baffling puzzle. Beyond its unusually high level of sophistication loomed a more...
When first discovered in 2010, the Stuxnet computer worm posed a baffling puzzle. Beyond its unusually high level of sophistication loomed a more troubling mystery: its purpose. Ralph Langner and team helped crack the code that revealed this digital warhead's final target -- and its covert origins. In a fascinating look inside cyber-forensics, he explains how.
The idea behind the Stuxnet computer worm is actually quite simple. We don't want Iran to get the Bomb. Their major asset for developing nuclear weapons is the Natanz uranium enrichment facility. The gray boxes that you see, these are real-time control systems. Now if we manage to compromise these systems that control drive speeds and valves, we can actually cause a lot of problems with the centrifuge. The gray boxes don't run Windows software; they are a completely different technology. But if we manage to place a good Windows virus on a notebook that is used by a maintenance engineer to configure this gray box, then we are in business. And this is the plot behind Stuxnet.
So we start with a Windows dropper. The payload goes onto the gray box, damages the centrifuge, and the Iranian nuclear program is delayed -- mission accomplished. That's easy, huh? I want to tell you how we found that out. When we started our research on Stuxnet six months ago, it was completely unknown what the purpose of this thing was. The only thing that was known is very, very complex on the Windows part, the dropper part, used multiple zero-day vulnerabilities. And it seemed to want to do something with these gray boxes, these real-time control systems. So that got our attention, and we started a lab project where we infected our environment with Stuxnet and checked this thing out. And then some very funny things happened. Stuxnet behaved like a lab rat that didn't like our cheese -- sniffed, but didn't want to eat. Didn't make sense to me. And after we experimented with different flavors of cheese, I realized, well, this is a directed attack. It's completely directed. The dropper is prowling actively on the gray box if a specific configuration is found, and even if the actual program that it's trying to infect is actually running on that target. And if not, Stuxnet does nothing.
So that really got my attention, and we started to work on this nearly around the clock, because I thought, well, we don't know what the target is. It could be, let's say for example, a U.S. power plant, or a chemical plant in Germany. So we better find out what the target is soon. So we extracted and decompiled the attack code, and we discovered that it's structured in two digital bombs -- a smaller one and a bigger one. And we also saw that they are very professionally engineered by people who obviously had all insider information. They knew all the bits and bites that they had to attack. They probably even know the shoe size of the operator. So they know everything.
And if you have heard that the dropper of Stuxnet is complex and high-tech, let me tell you this: the payload is rocket science. It's way above everything that we have ever seen before. Here you see a sample of this actual attack code. We are talking about -- round about 15,000 lines of code. Looks pretty much like old-style assembly language. And I want to tell you how we were able to make sense out of this code. So what we were looking for is first of all is system function calls, because we know what they do.
And then we were looking for timers and data structures and trying to relate them to the real world -- to potential real world targets. So we do need target theories that we can prove or disprove. In order to get target theories, we remember that it's definitely hardcore sabotage, it must be a high-value target, and it is most likely located in Iran, because that's where most of the infections had been reported. Now you don't find several thousand targets in that area. It basically boils down to the Bushehr nuclear power plant and to the Natanz fuel enrichment plant.
So I told my assistant, "Get me a list of all centrifuge and power plant experts from our client base." And I phoned them up and picked their brain in an effort to match their expertise with what we found in code and data. And that worked pretty well. So we were able to associate the small digital warhead with the rotor control. The rotor is that moving part within the centrifuge, that black object that you see. And if you manipulate the speed of this rotor, you are actually able to crack the rotor and eventually even have the centrifuge explode. What we also saw is that the goal of the attack was really to do it slowly and creepy -- obviously in an effort to drive maintenance engineers crazy, that they would not be able to figure this out quickly.
The big digital warhead -- we had a shot at this by looking very closely at data and data structures. So for example, the number 164 really stands out in that code; you can't overlook it. I started to research scientific literature on how these centrifuges are actually built in Natanz and found they are structured in what is called a cascade, and each cascade holds 164 centrifuges. So that made sense, it was a match.
And it even got better. These centrifuges in Iran are subdivided into 15, what is called, stages. And guess what we found in the attack code? An almost identical structure. So again, that was a real good match. And this gave us very high confidence for what we were looking at. Now don't get me wrong here, it didn't go like this. These results have been obtained over several weeks of really hard labor. And we often went into just a dead-end and had to recover.
Anyway, so we figured out that both digital warheads were actually aiming at one and the same target, but from different angles. The small warhead is taking one cascade, and spinning up the rotors and slowing them down, and the big warhead is talking to six cascades and manipulating valves. So in all, we are very confident that we have actually determined what the target is. It is Natanz, and it is only Natanz. So we don't have to worry that other targets might be hit by Stuxnet.
Here's some very cool stuff that we saw -- really knocked my socks off. Down there is the gray box, and on the top you see the centrifuges. Now what this thing does is it intercepts the input values from sensors -- so for example, from pressure sensors and vibration sensors -- and it provides legitimate code, which is still running during the attack, with fake input data. And as a matter of fact, this fake input data is actually prerecorded by Stuxnet. So it's just like from the Hollywood movies where during the heist, the observation camera is fed with prerecorded video. That's cool, huh?
The idea here is obviously not only to fool the operators in the control room. It actually is much more dangerous and aggressive. The idea is to circumvent a digital safety system. We need digital safety systems where a human operator could not act quick enough. So for example, in a power plant, when your big steam turbine gets too over speed, you must open relief valves within a millisecond. Obviously, this cannot be done by a human operator. So this is where we need digital safety systems. And when they are compromised, then real bad things can happen. Your plant can blow up. And neither your operators nor your safety system will notice it. That's scary.
But it gets worse. And this is very important, what I'm going to say. Think about this. This attack is generic. It doesn't have anything to do, in specifics, with centrifuges, with uranium enrichment. So it would work as well, for example, in a power plant or in an automobile factory. It is generic. And you don't have -- as an attacker -- you don't have to deliver this payload by a USB stick, as we saw it in the case of Stuxnet. You could also use conventional worm technology for spreading. Just spread it as wide as possible. And if you do that, what you end up with is a cyber weapon of mass destruction. That's the consequence that we have to face. So unfortunately, the biggest number of targets for such attacks are not in the Middle East. They're in the United States and Europe and in Japan. So all of the green areas, these are your target-rich environments. We have to face the consequences, and we better start to prepare right now.
Thanks.
(Applause)
Chris Anderson: I've got a question. Ralph, it's been quite widely reported that people assume that Mossad is the main entity behind this. Is that your opinion?
Ralph Langner: Okay, you really want to hear that? Yeah. Okay. My opinion is that the Mossad is involved, but that the leading force is not Israel. So the leading force behind that is the cyber superpower. There is only one, and that's the United States -- fortunately, fortunately. Because otherwise, our problems would even be bigger.
CA: Thank you for scaring the living daylights out of us. Thank you Ralph.
(Applause)
10m:40s
9305
[FARSI][17Sep11] اجلاس بيدارى اسلامى Islamic...
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011....
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1523
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=17271
بسمالله الرحمن الرحیم
السلام علیکم و رحمة الله و برکاته
الحمدلله رب العالمین و الصلوة و السلام علی سیدنا محمد و آله الطیبین و صحبه المنتجبین
قال الله العزیز الحكیم : بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم : يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلا
(O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (1). And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. (2) And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.(3) Surat Al-Ahzab)
I welcome our honored audience and dear guests. What has brought us here together is the Islamic awakening, which comes from the stronger inspiration and greater understanding among Muslim ummah. This awakening has led to a major development among nations of our region and has brought about uprisings and revolutions that could never have been contemplated in the calculations of the dominant regional and international satanic powers. These are momentous uprising that have razed to the ground the autocratic and imperialist strongholds and vanquished the tyrants guarding them.
There is no doubt that colossal social upheavals have always relied on solid foundation of history and civilization and are products of accumulation of wisdom and experiences. Over the past 150 years, the presence of great intellectual and jihadi personalities that have been opinion leaders and behind Islamic movements in Egypt, Iraq, India and other countries in Asia and Africa has served as precursors and pioneers for the present situation in the Islamic world.
The developments in the 1950’s and 60’s led to coming to power of regimes that were mostly inclined to materialistic ideologies and thoughts, and because of their inherent character fell into the trap of Western imperialist and colonialist powers. These are experiences that are lessons to learn from, and have contributed substantially to evolution of general and profound understanding in the Islamic world.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran that was hailed by Imam Khomeini as “victory of blood over sword”, and establishment of the lasting, robust, courageous and progressive Islamic republic, and its impact on present Islamic awakening is itself a long story that deserves to be debated and researched. There is no doubt that Islamic Revolution of Iran will be accorded a thorough and comprehensive chapter in the analysis and writings of history of the present situation of the Islamic world.
For that reason, the present and mounting facts and truths in the Islamic world are not simply events that are severed from the past historical roots, social and intellectual backgrounds to allow our adversaries and the shallow-minded to present them as a passing wave and short-lived phenomenon in order to snuff out hope in the hearts of nations by their warped and biased analyses.
In this brotherly dialogue with you I want to place greater emphasis on three areas:
1. Taking a glance at the identity of these uprisings and revolutions
2. Major threats and harms lying on their way.
3. Recommendations to find solutions and prevent these threats and harms.
Regarding the first point, I believe the most important element in these revolutions is the actual and mass presence of people in the arena of action, struggle and jihad. They were present, not only with their heart, desire and faith, but also with their body and souls. There is a big difference between this presence and the presence of a military group or even armed combatants in front of uncaring people or even concerned people.
In the events of 1950’s and 60’s in some countries of Africa and Asia, the heavy load of the revolution was not on the shoulder of diverse segments of population and the youth from all parts of the country, but rather on the shoulder of coup d'etat or small and limited armed groups. They decided and acted, and they themselves or the succeeding generation changed their ways as a result of certain motivations. The revolution became its own enemy and the enemy managed again to prevail over their countries.
This is totally different than the change that comes from the people. It is the people that bring their body and soul to the arena of action, and by their jihad and devotion push back and defeat the enemy. It is the people that make the slogans and set the goals, identify and introduce and pursue the enemy. They draw their desired future, although not comprehensively, and as a result do not allow departure from the path of the revolution or conceding to the enemy, or change of course by compromising and the tainted few with special interests, and above all thwart the schemes of enemy’s agents.
In such a grass-root movement, the revolution may be slowed, but can stay away from short-sightedness and being on shaky ground. Quran says “Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء
Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? (24" Ibrahim )
When I saw the brave body of the proud people of Egypt on television in Tahrir Square, I became convinced that their revolution will triumph.
Let me confess something to you. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic republic in Iran which caused an earthquake among the worldly materialistic rulers in East and West and brought unprecedented uproar and joy to Muslim nations, we expected that Egypt would be next in line to rise. The reason was the history of jihad, progressive thinking and presence of great mojahids and intellectuals in Egypt. I was reciting in my heart this poem by Abu Faras:
أراك عصيّ الدمع شیمتك الصبر ما للهوی نهی علیك و لا أمر ؟
When I saw the people of Egypt in Tahrir Square and squares in other cities, I knew I have received my response. The people of Egypt told me with words coming from their heart:
بلی أنا مشتاق و عندي لوعة ولكن مثلي لایذاع له سرُّ
…This sacred secret was nothing but the motivation and resolve to rise, and gradually people of Egypt cemented this thought in their mind and at a historical juncture they manifested their resolve and entered the arena in a magnificent show of their power.
Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, and Bahrain are no exception to this general rule.
In these revolutions principles, values and goals are not written in prefabricated manifestos of groups and parties, but written in the minds, hearts and desires of each and every person present on the scene and are declared in the context of their slogans and behaviors.
With these signals one can clearly tell that the principles of current revolutions in the region, in Egypt and other countries, are first and foremost the following:
- Revival and renewal of national dignity and respect that have been broken and trampled during long years of dictatorial and corrupt rule and the political domination of America and the West.
- Keeping up the banner of Islam which is the profound faith and longstanding attachment of people and being able to enjoy peace of mind, justice, progress and prosperity that could only be achieved under Islamic Sharia.
- Resistance against the influence and domination of the United States and Europe that have wreaked the greatest damage and humiliation on the peoples of these countries over the past two hundred years.
- Countering the usurper and fictitious Zionist regime that the imperialist powers have planted like a dagger in the heart of this region to serve as a tool to continue their diabolical domination after expelling a whole nation from their historical homeland.
There is no doubt that the revolutions in the region that rely on and demand these principles are not to the liking of America, Europe and the Zionists, and they are going to use all means to deny them, but the truth will not change with their denial.
The widespread participation of people in these revolutions is the most important element that constitutes their identity. Foreign powers that tried everything in their power and used all their schemes to keep in power the tyrannical, corrupt and subservient rulers in these countries and only abandoned them when the people left no choice for them have no right to claim a share in the victory of these revolutions. Even in Libya intervention by America and NATO cannot distort the truth. In Libya, NATO has caused irreparable damage. Had it not been for the military intervention of NATO and America, victory of people might have been delayed, but all these infrastructures would not have been damaged, and innocent women and children killed and then enemies that were accomplices of Qaddafi would not have been able to intervene in this innocent war-torn nation.
People and the elite that are of the people and others who are from the people are the true owners of these revolutions that should be trusted to protect them and draw the path to the future.
2- Regarding the threats and harm, I should first emphasize that although there are threats, but there are also ways to stay safe. Mere presence of threats should not scare nations.
إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
( Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak)
Allah says about a group of mojahids of early Islam:
الَّذِينَ قالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزادَهُمْ إِيماناً وَ قالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ فَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَ اتَّبَعُوا رِضْوانَ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ
( Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs." So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. )
We need to know what these threats are, in order not to be surprised and to be able to find solutions.
We faced these perils and threats after the victory of Islamic Revolution and experienced them. With the grace of Allah and the leadership of Imam Khomeini and sacrifices of our people we managed to sail through them safely. The plots by enemies still continue but so does the firm resolve of our people.
I divide the harm to these movements into two groups: those that have their roots within ourselves and come from our own weaknesses, and those that have been directly planned by the enemy.
The first group of harms is of the following type:
The sense and thought that after the downfall of the corrupt dictator the job is over. The peace of mind and comfort that comes after the victory and afterward the lessening of motivation and weakening of determination are among the first perils, and the most damaging threat is when individuals ask for their share of the spoils of victory.
The story of the Battle of Uhud and the defenders seeking the spoils of victory caused the defeat of Muslims, and the mojahids were reprimanded by God. This is a good example that should never be forgotten. Being shocked and awed by the appearances of the arrogant powers and the feeling of fear from America and other interventionist powers are of these kinds of harm that should be avoided.
The brave and young should throw out these fears from their heart. Trusting the enemy and falling into trap of their smiles and promises is another threat that needs to be avoided by the forerunners and leaders. The enemy must be identified no matter what cover it uses. The nation and the revolution should be protected against the designs of the enemy that at times hide behind the appearances of friendship and supportive gestures. Another side to this page is becoming overconfident and overlooking the enemy. Bravery must be combined with wisdom and good judgment. We must use all treasures of God within ourselves against Satan, al-Jinn wal–Ens. Causing division and pitting revolutionaries against one another and penetration behind the battlefront of struggle is another great harm that needs to be avoided with all your power.
The second group of harm has been experienced by almost all countries of the region during different events. The first harm is the coming to power of those who are committed to America and the West. The West tries after the downfall of its pawns to protect the basic pillars of the system and levers of power, and change the direction by using the same foundation, but with a different head, in order to perpetuate its domination. This means wasting of all your efforts and sacrifices. At this stage, if they face resistance of the people, they try to introduce and offer to the movement and people other alternatives that are designed to divert the course of the movement. This scenario could be recommending government models and constitutions that will again throw the Islamic countries into the trap of cultural, political and economic dependence on the West. This could lead to their influence among the revolutionaries greater financial and media strength of an unreliable current and marginalization of the genuine currents in the revolution. This also means return of the domination of the West and the stronger grip of then outdated Western models that are far from basic principles of the revolution.
If this tactic does not produce the desired result, experience tells us that they will go for anarchy, terrorism, civil war among followers of religions or ethnic communities and tribes, political parties, or even among neighboring nations and governments. Parallel to these actions, they will impose economic siege and sanctions, freeze national assets and launch all-out media war and propaganda. Their intention is to tire out and frustrate people and make the revolutionaries disappointed. Under these circumstances it becomes easy to defeat the revolution. Assassination of the righteous elite of the society and opinion leaders, defamation and vilification of others and even enticing some with money are among usual ploys used by the Western powers and the claimants of civilization morality.
In Iran, the evidence and documents from the U.S. Den of Espionage that fell into the hands of the revolution showed that all these plots were designed by the regime in the United States for the people of Iran for them bringing back the reactionary and dependant rulers in revolutionary countries is a principle that prescribes all these dirty tricks.
In the last part of my remarks, I present recommendations for your consideration and selection that are based on our tangible experiences in Iran and what has been gathered from the precise studies of other countries. Undoubtedly, conditions differ among nations and countries. Nonetheless, there are truths that can prove beneficial for all people.
The first point is that by placing one’s trust in God and believing in the repeated promises of divine victories in the Quran and through astuteness, resolve, and braveness, it is possible to surmount all obstacles and emerge victorious. Of course, the task that you all have taken up is quite grave and momentous. Thus, one must bear great hardship for its sake. The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (`a) says:
“فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَقْصِمْ جَبَّارِي دَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا بَعْدَ تَمْهِيلٍ وَ رَخَاءٍ وَ لَمْ يَجْبُرْ عَظْمَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ إِلَّا بَعْدَ أَزْلٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ وَ فِي دُونِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتُمْ مِنْ عَتْبٍ وَ مَا اسْتَدْبَرْتُمْ مِنْ خَطْبٍ مُعْتَبَر..”
The important recommendation is that you must always consider yourself as being present on the scene: فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ ( So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].)Therefore, when thou art free, still labor hard), always consider God as present and as your aid: وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ (And to thy Lord turn all thy attention), and must not allow your victories to cause you to become arrogant or negligent:
اِذا جاءَ نَصْرُ اللهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ وَ رَاَيْتَ النّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ في دينِ اللهِ اَفْواجاً فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَ اسْتَغْفِرْهُ اِنَّهُ كانَ تَوّاباً
(When comes the help of Allah, and victory. And thou dost see the people enter Allah’s Religion in crowds. Celebrate the praises of thy Lord). These are the true foundations of a faithful nation.
Another recommendation is the constant rereading of the principles of revolution. The slogans and principles must be refined and brought in line with the foundations and undisputed principles of Islam. Independence, freedom, justice, refusal to bow to despotism and colonialism, rejection of ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination, and the outright rejection of Zionism, which, today, comprise the pivots of the movements in Islamic countries, are all inspired by Islam and the Quran.
Write down your principles on paper. Preserve your genuine nature with a high degree of sensitivity. Do not allow your enemies to formulate the principles of your future system. Do not allow Islamic principles to be sacrificed for transient interests. Deviation in revolutions starts with deviation in slogans and objectives. Never place your trust in the U.S., NATO, or criminal regimes such as Britain, France, or, Italy, which for long plundered and divided your land among themselves. Look upon them with suspicion and do not believe their smiles. Behind these smiles and promises lies conspiracy and betrayal. Find you own way by resorting to the blessed fountainhead of Islam and give back foreigners’ prescriptions to themselves.
Another important recommendation is to avoid religious, ethnic, racial, tribal, and border disputes. Recognize differences as legitimate and manage them. Reconciliation among Islamic religions is the key to salvation. Those who fan the flames of religious division through apostatizing others are the mercenaries and servants of Satan, even if done inadvertently.
Creating your own system of governance is your main and seminal task. This is a complex and difficult undertaking. Do not allow secular or western liberal or extremist nationalist or leftist Marxist models to be imposed on you.
The leftist Eastern Bloc collapsed and the Western Bloc is propped up through violence, war, and deceit, and does not appear to have a bright outlook.
The passage of time will be to their loss and to the benefit of the Islamic current.
The ultimate goal must be a unified Islamic Ummah and the creation of a new Islamic civilization founded upon faith, rationality, knowledge, and morality.
The liberation of Palestine from the savage claws of the Zionists is also a great objective. The countries of the Balkans, Caucasus, and western Asia were liberated from the claws of the former Soviet Union after eighty years. Why should the Palestinian people not be able to free themselves from the captivity of the oppressor Zionists after seventy years?
The present generation in Islamic countries has the capacity to accomplish such great feats. The young generation of today is a source of pride for the past generations. As noted by the Arab poet:
أبو الصخر من شيبان قلت لهم كلا لعمري و لكن منه شيبانُ
و كم أبٍ قد علا بابنٍ ذُری شَرَفٍ كما علا برسولِ الله عدنانُ
Trust your young generation. Revive their feeling of self-confidence and benefit them by the experiences of the elders.
There are two important points in this connection:
First, one of the most important demands of the people who have revolted and who have been liberated is to have a decisive participation in the management of their countries. And since they believe in Islam, their desire is to have a system of Islamic democracy, i.e. the rulers being elected through the vote of the people and the dominant principles and values of the society being based on the Islamic knowledge and sharia. This can crystallize in various countries, depending on their conditions, through various methods and forms. However, utmost care must be taken not to confuse this with the western liberal democracy. The secular, and at times anti-religious, western democracy is in no way related to the Islamic democracy which is committed to the values and main principles of Islam in its system of government.
The second point relates to the fact that Islamic tenets must not be equated with backwardness, obscurantism, and ignorant and extremist biases. The demarcation between these two must be pronounced. Religious extremism, which is usually attended by violence, is the cause of falling short of the lofty goals of the revolution. This, in turn, results in the loss of public support and the eventual failure of the revolution.
In sum, to speak of Islamic awakening is not to speak of a nebulous and indistinct concept that is amenable to various interpretations. Rather, it is to speak of a tangible reality in the external world that has filled the atmosphere and resulted in great uprisings and revolutions and removed from the scene some dangerous elements of the enemy. Nonetheless, the scene remains fluid and in need of being shaped and brought to a conclusion. The verses recited at the outset contain a complete and effective set of guidelines, especially in this sensitive and momentous juncture… Though, they are addressed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), we all are their interlocutors and responsible for adhering to them. In these verses, piety (taqwa), in its lofty and broad connotation, is the first recommendation. Then comes the rejection of the orders of the infidels and hypocrites, adherence to the divine revelation, and, finally, trust in God…
Once again, we will review these verses:
بسماللهالرحمنالرحیم يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَ لا تُطِعِ الْكافِرينَ وَ الْمُنافِقينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ عَليماً حَكيماً(1) وَ اتَّبِعْ ما يُوحى إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبيراً (2) وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ كَفى بِاللَّهِ وَكيلاً.
(In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. O Prophet! Fear Allah, and hearken not to the unbelievers and the hypocrites: verily Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. But follow that which comes to thee by inspiration from thy Lord: for Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do. And put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a disposer of affairs.)
والسلام علیکم و رحمة الله
40m:29s
22597
[DUETSCH][17Sep11] Wali Amr Al-Muslimin Imam Khamenei (h.a)...
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011....
Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech at the International Conference on Islamic Awakening on 17 September 2011.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1523
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=17271
بسمالله الرحمن الرحیم
السلام علیکم و رحمة الله و برکاته
الحمدلله رب العالمین و الصلوة و السلام علی سیدنا محمد و آله الطیبین و صحبه المنتجبین
قال الله العزیز الحكیم : بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم : يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلا
(O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (1). And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. (2) And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.(3) Surat Al-Ahzab)
I welcome our honored audience and dear guests. What has brought us here together is the Islamic awakening, which comes from the stronger inspiration and greater understanding among Muslim ummah. This awakening has led to a major development among nations of our region and has brought about uprisings and revolutions that could never have been contemplated in the calculations of the dominant regional and international satanic powers. These are momentous uprising that have razed to the ground the autocratic and imperialist strongholds and vanquished the tyrants guarding them.
There is no doubt that colossal social upheavals have always relied on solid foundation of history and civilization and are products of accumulation of wisdom and experiences. Over the past 150 years, the presence of great intellectual and jihadi personalities that have been opinion leaders and behind Islamic movements in Egypt, Iraq, India and other countries in Asia and Africa has served as precursors and pioneers for the present situation in the Islamic world.
The developments in the 1950’s and 60’s led to coming to power of regimes that were mostly inclined to materialistic ideologies and thoughts, and because of their inherent character fell into the trap of Western imperialist and colonialist powers. These are experiences that are lessons to learn from, and have contributed substantially to evolution of general and profound understanding in the Islamic world.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran that was hailed by Imam Khomeini as “victory of blood over sword”, and establishment of the lasting, robust, courageous and progressive Islamic republic, and its impact on present Islamic awakening is itself a long story that deserves to be debated and researched. There is no doubt that Islamic Revolution of Iran will be accorded a thorough and comprehensive chapter in the analysis and writings of history of the present situation of the Islamic world.
For that reason, the present and mounting facts and truths in the Islamic world are not simply events that are severed from the past historical roots, social and intellectual backgrounds to allow our adversaries and the shallow-minded to present them as a passing wave and short-lived phenomenon in order to snuff out hope in the hearts of nations by their warped and biased analyses.
In this brotherly dialogue with you I want to place greater emphasis on three areas:
1. Taking a glance at the identity of these uprisings and revolutions
2. Major threats and harms lying on their way.
3. Recommendations to find solutions and prevent these threats and harms.
Regarding the first point, I believe the most important element in these revolutions is the actual and mass presence of people in the arena of action, struggle and jihad. They were present, not only with their heart, desire and faith, but also with their body and souls. There is a big difference between this presence and the presence of a military group or even armed combatants in front of uncaring people or even concerned people.
In the events of 1950’s and 60’s in some countries of Africa and Asia, the heavy load of the revolution was not on the shoulder of diverse segments of population and the youth from all parts of the country, but rather on the shoulder of coup d'etat or small and limited armed groups. They decided and acted, and they themselves or the succeeding generation changed their ways as a result of certain motivations. The revolution became its own enemy and the enemy managed again to prevail over their countries.
This is totally different than the change that comes from the people. It is the people that bring their body and soul to the arena of action, and by their jihad and devotion push back and defeat the enemy. It is the people that make the slogans and set the goals, identify and introduce and pursue the enemy. They draw their desired future, although not comprehensively, and as a result do not allow departure from the path of the revolution or conceding to the enemy, or change of course by compromising and the tainted few with special interests, and above all thwart the schemes of enemy’s agents.
In such a grass-root movement, the revolution may be slowed, but can stay away from short-sightedness and being on shaky ground. Quran says “Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء
Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? (24" Ibrahim )
When I saw the brave body of the proud people of Egypt on television in Tahrir Square, I became convinced that their revolution will triumph.
Let me confess something to you. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic republic in Iran which caused an earthquake among the worldly materialistic rulers in East and West and brought unprecedented uproar and joy to Muslim nations, we expected that Egypt would be next in line to rise. The reason was the history of jihad, progressive thinking and presence of great mojahids and intellectuals in Egypt. I was reciting in my heart this poem by Abu Faras:
أراك عصيّ الدمع شیمتك الصبر ما للهوی نهی علیك و لا أمر ؟
When I saw the people of Egypt in Tahrir Square and squares in other cities, I knew I have received my response. The people of Egypt told me with words coming from their heart:
بلی أنا مشتاق و عندي لوعة ولكن مثلي لایذاع له سرُّ
…This sacred secret was nothing but the motivation and resolve to rise, and gradually people of Egypt cemented this thought in their mind and at a historical juncture they manifested their resolve and entered the arena in a magnificent show of their power.
Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, and Bahrain are no exception to this general rule.
In these revolutions principles, values and goals are not written in prefabricated manifestos of groups and parties, but written in the minds, hearts and desires of each and every person present on the scene and are declared in the context of their slogans and behaviors.
With these signals one can clearly tell that the principles of current revolutions in the region, in Egypt and other countries, are first and foremost the following:
- Revival and renewal of national dignity and respect that have been broken and trampled during long years of dictatorial and corrupt rule and the political domination of America and the West.
- Keeping up the banner of Islam which is the profound faith and longstanding attachment of people and being able to enjoy peace of mind, justice, progress and prosperity that could only be achieved under Islamic Sharia.
- Resistance against the influence and domination of the United States and Europe that have wreaked the greatest damage and humiliation on the peoples of these countries over the past two hundred years.
- Countering the usurper and fictitious Zionist regime that the imperialist powers have planted like a dagger in the heart of this region to serve as a tool to continue their diabolical domination after expelling a whole nation from their historical homeland.
There is no doubt that the revolutions in the region that rely on and demand these principles are not to the liking of America, Europe and the Zionists, and they are going to use all means to deny them, but the truth will not change with their denial.
The widespread participation of people in these revolutions is the most important element that constitutes their identity. Foreign powers that tried everything in their power and used all their schemes to keep in power the tyrannical, corrupt and subservient rulers in these countries and only abandoned them when the people left no choice for them have no right to claim a share in the victory of these revolutions. Even in Libya intervention by America and NATO cannot distort the truth. In Libya, NATO has caused irreparable damage. Had it not been for the military intervention of NATO and America, victory of people might have been delayed, but all these infrastructures would not have been damaged, and innocent women and children killed and then enemies that were accomplices of Qaddafi would not have been able to intervene in this innocent war-torn nation.
People and the elite that are of the people and others who are from the people are the true owners of these revolutions that should be trusted to protect them and draw the path to the future.
2- Regarding the threats and harm, I should first emphasize that although there are threats, but there are also ways to stay safe. Mere presence of threats should not scare nations.
إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
( Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak)
Allah says about a group of mojahids of early Islam:
الَّذِينَ قالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزادَهُمْ إِيماناً وَ قالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ فَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَ اتَّبَعُوا رِضْوانَ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ
( Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs." So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. )
We need to know what these threats are, in order not to be surprised and to be able to find solutions.
We faced these perils and threats after the victory of Islamic Revolution and experienced them. With the grace of Allah and the leadership of Imam Khomeini and sacrifices of our people we managed to sail through them safely. The plots by enemies still continue but so does the firm resolve of our people.
I divide the harm to these movements into two groups: those that have their roots within ourselves and come from our own weaknesses, and those that have been directly planned by the enemy.
The first group of harms is of the following type:
The sense and thought that after the downfall of the corrupt dictator the job is over. The peace of mind and comfort that comes after the victory and afterward the lessening of motivation and weakening of determination are among the first perils, and the most damaging threat is when individuals ask for their share of the spoils of victory.
The story of the Battle of Uhud and the defenders seeking the spoils of victory caused the defeat of Muslims, and the mojahids were reprimanded by God. This is a good example that should never be forgotten. Being shocked and awed by the appearances of the arrogant powers and the feeling of fear from America and other interventionist powers are of these kinds of harm that should be avoided.
The brave and young should throw out these fears from their heart. Trusting the enemy and falling into trap of their smiles and promises is another threat that needs to be avoided by the forerunners and leaders. The enemy must be identified no matter what cover it uses. The nation and the revolution should be protected against the designs of the enemy that at times hide behind the appearances of friendship and supportive gestures. Another side to this page is becoming overconfident and overlooking the enemy. Bravery must be combined with wisdom and good judgment. We must use all treasures of God within ourselves against Satan, al-Jinn wal–Ens. Causing division and pitting revolutionaries against one another and penetration behind the battlefront of struggle is another great harm that needs to be avoided with all your power.
The second group of harm has been experienced by almost all countries of the region during different events. The first harm is the coming to power of those who are committed to America and the West. The West tries after the downfall of its pawns to protect the basic pillars of the system and levers of power, and change the direction by using the same foundation, but with a different head, in order to perpetuate its domination. This means wasting of all your efforts and sacrifices. At this stage, if they face resistance of the people, they try to introduce and offer to the movement and people other alternatives that are designed to divert the course of the movement. This scenario could be recommending government models and constitutions that will again throw the Islamic countries into the trap of cultural, political and economic dependence on the West. This could lead to their influence among the revolutionaries greater financial and media strength of an unreliable current and marginalization of the genuine currents in the revolution. This also means return of the domination of the West and the stronger grip of then outdated Western models that are far from basic principles of the revolution.
If this tactic does not produce the desired result, experience tells us that they will go for anarchy, terrorism, civil war among followers of religions or ethnic communities and tribes, political parties, or even among neighboring nations and governments. Parallel to these actions, they will impose economic siege and sanctions, freeze national assets and launch all-out media war and propaganda. Their intention is to tire out and frustrate people and make the revolutionaries disappointed. Under these circumstances it becomes easy to defeat the revolution. Assassination of the righteous elite of the society and opinion leaders, defamation and vilification of others and even enticing some with money are among usual ploys used by the Western powers and the claimants of civilization morality.
In Iran, the evidence and documents from the U.S. Den of Espionage that fell into the hands of the revolution showed that all these plots were designed by the regime in the United States for the people of Iran for them bringing back the reactionary and dependant rulers in revolutionary countries is a principle that prescribes all these dirty tricks.
In the last part of my remarks, I present recommendations for your consideration and selection that are based on our tangible experiences in Iran and what has been gathered from the precise studies of other countries. Undoubtedly, conditions differ among nations and countries. Nonetheless, there are truths that can prove beneficial for all people.
The first point is that by placing one’s trust in God and believing in the repeated promises of divine victories in the Quran and through astuteness, resolve, and braveness, it is possible to surmount all obstacles and emerge victorious. Of course, the task that you all have taken up is quite grave and momentous. Thus, one must bear great hardship for its sake. The Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (`a) says:
“فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَقْصِمْ جَبَّارِي دَهْرٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا بَعْدَ تَمْهِيلٍ وَ رَخَاءٍ وَ لَمْ يَجْبُرْ عَظْمَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْأُمَمِ إِلَّا بَعْدَ أَزْلٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ وَ فِي دُونِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلْتُمْ مِنْ عَتْبٍ وَ مَا اسْتَدْبَرْتُمْ مِنْ خَطْبٍ مُعْتَبَر..”
The important recommendation is that you must always consider yourself as being present on the scene: فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ ( So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].)Therefore, when thou art free, still labor hard), always consider God as present and as your aid: وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ (And to thy Lord turn all thy attention), and must not allow your victories to cause you to become arrogant or negligent:
اِذا جاءَ نَصْرُ اللهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ وَ رَاَيْتَ النّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ في دينِ اللهِ اَفْواجاً فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَ اسْتَغْفِرْهُ اِنَّهُ كانَ تَوّاباً
(When comes the help of Allah, and victory. And thou dost see the people enter Allah’s Religion in crowds. Celebrate the praises of thy Lord). These are the true foundations of a faithful nation.
Another recommendation is the constant rereading of the principles of revolution. The slogans and principles must be refined and brought in line with the foundations and undisputed principles of Islam. Independence, freedom, justice, refusal to bow to despotism and colonialism, rejection of ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination, and the outright rejection of Zionism, which, today, comprise the pivots of the movements in Islamic countries, are all inspired by Islam and the Quran.
Write down your principles on paper. Preserve your genuine nature with a high degree of sensitivity. Do not allow your enemies to formulate the principles of your future system. Do not allow Islamic principles to be sacrificed for transient interests. Deviation in revolutions starts with deviation in slogans and objectives. Never place your trust in the U.S., NATO, or criminal regimes such as Britain, France, or, Italy, which for long plundered and divided your land among themselves. Look upon them with suspicion and do not believe their smiles. Behind these smiles and promises lies conspiracy and betrayal. Find you own way by resorting to the blessed fountainhead of Islam and give back foreigners’ prescriptions to themselves.
Another important recommendation is to avoid religious, ethnic, racial, tribal, and border disputes. Recognize differences as legitimate and manage them. Reconciliation among Islamic religions is the key to salvation. Those who fan the flames of religious division through apostatizing others are the mercenaries and servants of Satan, even if done inadvertently.
Creating your own system of governance is your main and seminal task. This is a complex and difficult undertaking. Do not allow secular or western liberal or extremist nationalist or leftist Marxist models to be imposed on you.
The leftist Eastern Bloc collapsed and the Western Bloc is propped up through violence, war, and deceit, and does not appear to have a bright outlook.
The passage of time will be to their loss and to the benefit of the Islamic current.
The ultimate goal must be a unified Islamic Ummah and the creation of a new Islamic civilization founded upon faith, rationality, knowledge, and morality.
The liberation of Palestine from the savage claws of the Zionists is also a great objective. The countries of the Balkans, Caucasus, and western Asia were liberated from the claws of the former Soviet Union after eighty years. Why should the Palestinian people not be able to free themselves from the captivity of the oppressor Zionists after seventy years?
The present generation in Islamic countries has the capacity to accomplish such great feats. The young generation of today is a source of pride for the past generations. As noted by the Arab poet:
أبو الصخر من شيبان قلت لهم كلا لعمري و لكن منه شيبانُ
و كم أبٍ قد علا بابنٍ ذُری شَرَفٍ كما علا برسولِ الله عدنانُ
Trust your young generation. Revive their feeling of self-confidence and benefit them by the experiences of the elders.
There are two important points in this connection:
First, one of the most important demands of the people who have revolted and who have been liberated is to have a decisive participation in the management of their countries. And since they believe in Islam, their desire is to have a system of Islamic democracy, i.e. the rulers being elected through the vote of the people and the dominant principles and values of the society being based on the Islamic knowledge and sharia. This can crystallize in various countries, depending on their conditions, through various methods and forms. However, utmost care must be taken not to confuse this with the western liberal democracy. The secular, and at times anti-religious, western democracy is in no way related to the Islamic democracy which is committed to the values and main principles of Islam in its system of government.
The second point relates to the fact that Islamic tenets must not be equated with backwardness, obscurantism, and ignorant and extremist biases. The demarcation between these two must be pronounced. Religious extremism, which is usually attended by violence, is the cause of falling short of the lofty goals of the revolution. This, in turn, results in the loss of public support and the eventual failure of the revolution.
In sum, to speak of Islamic awakening is not to speak of a nebulous and indistinct concept that is amenable to various interpretations. Rather, it is to speak of a tangible reality in the external world that has filled the atmosphere and resulted in great uprisings and revolutions and removed from the scene some dangerous elements of the enemy. Nonetheless, the scene remains fluid and in need of being shaped and brought to a conclusion. The verses recited at the outset contain a complete and effective set of guidelines, especially in this sensitive and momentous juncture… Though, they are addressed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), we all are their interlocutors and responsible for adhering to them. In these verses, piety (taqwa), in its lofty and broad connotation, is the first recommendation. Then comes the rejection of the orders of the infidels and hypocrites, adherence to the divine revelation, and, finally, trust in God…
Once again, we will review these verses:
بسماللهالرحمنالرحیم يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَ لا تُطِعِ الْكافِرينَ وَ الْمُنافِقينَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ عَليماً حَكيماً(1) وَ اتَّبِعْ ما يُوحى إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبيراً (2) وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ كَفى بِاللَّهِ وَكيلاً.
(In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. O Prophet! Fear Allah, and hearken not to the unbelievers and the hypocrites: verily Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. But follow that which comes to thee by inspiration from thy Lord: for Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do. And put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a disposer of affairs.)
والسلام علیکم و رحمة الله
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[29 April 2012] UNRWA; Empowering Palestinian Youth Refugees - Remember...
[29 April 2012] UNRWA; Empowering Palestinian Youth Refugees - Remember Palestine - English
A two-day international conference on "Engaging...
[29 April 2012] UNRWA; Empowering Palestinian Youth Refugees - Remember Palestine - English
A two-day international conference on "Engaging Youth: Palestine Refugees in a Changing Middle East" convened by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), concluded on the 20th of April in Brussels with UNRWA Commissioner-General, Filippo Grandi, unveiling ten "Youth Commitments" on behalf of the UN Agency. The commitments also included enhanced vocational training and micro-finance opportunities, fundraising for scholarships, expanding its successful skills programme for young refugees first piloted in Syria, advocacy on rights of special concern to youth.
The idea of the conference was to increase Youth participation, economically empowering refugee youth, building and investing in human capital, and youth confronting marginalisation. The edition of the show will focus on the perspectives of youth Palestinians and how the new generations of Palestinians refuges manage pending inherited issues as their right to return and how organizations like the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) can help to empower them.
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[26 May 2012] Many young Egyptians reluctant to vote - English
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood says its candidate Mohamed Morsi will face former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq in the country’s presidential run-off...
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood says its candidate Mohamed Morsi will face former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq in the country’s presidential run-off election.
Morsi is in the lead with 25.3 percent of the vote, followed by Shafiq with 24.9 percent. Official results from the electoral body are expected to be announced on Tuesday.
The two candidates will compete in a run-off election on June 16 and 17. Electoral commission officials said that turnout was around 43 percent over the two days of voting on Wednesday and Thursday.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Yahia Ghanem, editor at the al-Ahram newspaper, to hear his opinion on this issue. The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Trying to understand these results specially Shafiq he did not do that well in his campaigning. How did he come up to this second place, finish at this point which is not really finished, it is unofficial results, what is your reaction to that?
Ghanem: Well if you talk, if you ask about the reactions I believe that partly it was a shock for a lot of number of the Egyptians whereas it was a pleasant surprise of course for some others.
So I believe that as much as Egypt and the Egyptians have been showing strong signs of being united, a united house in their march towards democracy, when it comes to the results of the first round of the elections they started showing strong signs of a house divided in terms of this splinter between Shafiq which is considered to be a remnant of the former regime and Dr. [Morsi], the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Press TV: In terms of who came out to vote we are looking at two large majorities, 60 percent saying to be from the urban areas which are farmers and then of course we are looking at the percentage of the youth in the country which is said to be 50 percent below the age of 30. But it does not seem like these results are indicating that which some are saying the silent majority came out. Do you see it that way?
Ghanem: Say it again please.
Press TV: The silent majority, do you think they were the ones that came out, tilting some of the voting in terms of the results we are seeing right now?
Ghanem: I am not quite sure if I understood your question...
Press TV: The silent majority of Egyptians is what I am getting at, did they come out, the ones who did not come out to vote for the parliamentary elections maybe came out this time to vote?
Ghanem: Well, I believe that there was a large percentage of absence from the voters because everybody expected actually a higher percentage, everybody expected that the Egyptians would break the record that they scored during the first stage of the last parliamentary elections but unfortunately it did not happen.
And I believe that there are reasons behind such absence and such reluctance of that large number of voters to practice and to exercise the right in voting the first civilian elected president but I believe that a large number of the youth who actually participated and spot the revolution, also they were reluctant to participate in these elections and I observed that while I was touring the polling stations, I believe that there were reasons actually behind such reluctance, such as the way the military council ran the whole show during the last 16 months and specially running that presidential election show.
Press TV: And of course one of the biggest troubles and challenges Yahia Ghanem is the constitution and the presidential powers. When is that going to be resolved?
Ghanem: I believe we still have to go for quite a while after the elections to sort out this issue of the right in constitution and specially that issue of writing the constitution.
But personally speaking I believe that this issue have been made an issue by certain parties with interest to complicate things in Egypt because writing constitution is not that problem actually and they complicated the whole thing by inciting all different kinds of society, all the [structure] in society to claim the right of being represented in this committee and to share or to take part in writing the constitution. No constitutions in the world are being written that way.
It is up to the specialists, the lawmakers or the professors of constitutional law to write the constitution as in many or in all the countries in the world and then for the establishing committee to discuss and to review that draft constitution but of course it does not make any sense for all representatives of all the sectors of the society and the [structure] of the society to take part in writing the constitution.
It is funny and it is not true of course.
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