Mayor of Jerusalem Orders Further Demolitions in Jerusalem - Ethnic...
The Mayor of Jerusalem has authorized the demolition of more Palestinian homes in Eastern Jerusalem that it considers "illegal". He has...
The Mayor of Jerusalem has authorized the demolition of more Palestinian homes in Eastern Jerusalem that it considers "illegal". He has slated 20,000 Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem for demolition on account of them being considered by him as "illegal".
0m:43s
11445
Nakba Day marked in Paris - 19 May 2012 - English
64 years ago, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced out of their homes in the face of Jewish and later Israeli troop advances. They...
64 years ago, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced out of their homes in the face of Jewish and later Israeli troop advances. They were displaced from Palestine and lost their land and property. It is still a painful memory for some who recall that day which is known as the catastrophe.
Hadeel Abokhaled’s grandmother was one of them.
She told they had forgotten their sister in the home where they were fleeing out of the home and they couldn’t come back and there are a lot of stories like the families who took the pillow instead of their babies so we hear a lot of stories like this.
She says, almost every Palestinian family living in refugee camps, has a similar story to tell.
Their towns and villages were razed to the ground to make way for Israeli colonies.
In the French capital, this demonstration is a show of strength, a show of support for hundreds of thousand of Palestinians who lost their land, homes and families in 1948.
Six decades on, Palestinian refugees are scattered in camps in the West bank and Gaza Strip, or in neighboring countries like Jordan, Syria, Lebanon or elsewhere.
Palestinians were forced out of their native land, but their love for their land has transcended boundaries and lived on 64 years after occupation passing down from generation to generation.
They are still holding fast to their Palestinian identity and right of return and not a single one of them has forgotten the key to the ancestral home.
Whatever the solution to the plight of the Palestinians, one thing is clear… the scars caused by pain, separation and humiliation will not disappear any time soon.
2m:31s
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[12 July 13] Typhoon Soulik hits Taiwan and China - English
Torrential rains, floods and landslides have left more than two hundred people dead or missing in western China. The Himalaya Mountains in Sichuan...
Torrential rains, floods and landslides have left more than two hundred people dead or missing in western China. The Himalaya Mountains in Sichuan province was the hardest hit by flooding in 50 years. The downpour triggered a landslide in a hillside resort outside the city.
More than 100,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in Sichuan. Thousands of homes have been destroyed and transportation brought to a virtual standstill in hard-hit areas.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs says more than two million people have been affected by flooding this week. Also, casualties have been recorded in the northern provinces of Shaanxi and Ningxia, and even in the central provinces of Henan and Hubei.
2m:20s
5068
[21 Oct 2013] Australian firefighters brace for potential mega fire -...
Australian officials are warning that wildfires in New South Wales could merge to create a mega-fire.
They say 58 blazes are still alight in the...
Australian officials are warning that wildfires in New South Wales could merge to create a mega-fire.
They say 58 blazes are still alight in the state, with over a dozen reportedly out of control. A thick white smoke haze is now threatening Sydney. People have been warned to stay indoors and avoid exercising. A state of emergency has been declared in New South Wales since yesterday. Temperatures are expected to rise which will make firefighting more difficult. Hot and dry winds are also expected to intensify in the coming days. The bushfires that started on Thursday have caused massive damage in the Blue Mountains area. More than 200 homes have been destroyed and thousands of people forced out of their their homes. Firefighters say this is the most serious wildfire emergency in 40 years.
0m:48s
5759
[Al-Quds 2015] Speech by Br. Denis Lemelin at Toronto Al-Quds Day Rally...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of indigenous Palestinians by the Zionists. The streets in Toronto and around the world were abuzz with the slogans of “Shame Shame USA”, “Shame Shame israel” and “From the river to the sear, Palestine will be free”. The Al-Quds rally in Toronto was attended by Jews, Christians, Muslims and supporters of peace and justice from all walks of life.
Addressing the rally, the Jewish speakers pointed out that a large number of Jews oppose Zionism and the war crimes committed by the state of israel in the name of Judaism. The Jewish law does not allow for illegal occupation of land, mass incarceration of men, women and children and forced expulsion of the indigenous Christian and Muslim Palestinians from their homes. Other speakers vowed to defeat efforts by the state of israel to silence the condemnation of its crimes against humanity by accusing the protestors of anti-Semitism. They pledged to work together with the Jews, who oppose the racist and inhumane policies of israel , to give a voice to the voiceless Palestinians. Many of the attendees pointed out that Canadians, Americans, French or citizens of any other country will never accept if the Zionist came to their land and tried to expel them forcibly from their homes by claiming that they are the chosen people and their god has gifted the land to them.
There was a small group of counter protestors representing the illegal settlers and the state of israel. They primarily consisted of members of B’nai Brith and the Jewsih Defence League. The former has been credited with the creation of the terrorist state of israel and its continued illegal occupation and the later has been declared as a terrorist organization due to its violent activities against innocent civilians. Despite the best efforts by the representatives of israel in various countries to silence the protest against the apartheid state, the number of cities participating in the Al-Quds rallies and the number of organizations signing up for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement continues to grow. The day is not far, when Palestine will be free and the war criminals in israel will be prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.
4m:47s
6163
[Al-Quds 2015] Speech by Br. Nazih Khatatba at Toronto Al-Quds Day Rally...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of indigenous Palestinians by the Zionists. The streets in Toronto and around the world were abuzz with the slogans of “Shame Shame USA”, “Shame Shame israel” and “From the river to the sear, Palestine will be free”. The Al-Quds rally in Toronto was attended by Jews, Christians, Muslims and supporters of peace and justice from all walks of life.
Addressing the rally, the Jewish speakers pointed out that a large number of Jews oppose Zionism and the war crimes committed by the state of israel in the name of Judaism. The Jewish law does not allow for illegal occupation of land, mass incarceration of men, women and children and forced expulsion of the indigenous Christian and Muslim Palestinians from their homes. Other speakers vowed to defeat efforts by the state of israel to silence the condemnation of its crimes against humanity by accusing the protestors of anti-Semitism. They pledged to work together with the Jews, who oppose the racist and inhumane policies of israel , to give a voice to the voiceless Palestinians. Many of the attendees pointed out that Canadians, Americans, French or citizens of any other country will never accept if the Zionist came to their land and tried to expel them forcibly from their homes by claiming that they are the chosen people and their god has gifted the land to them.
There was a small group of counter protestors representing the illegal settlers and the state of israel. They primarily consisted of members of B’nai Brith and the Jewsih Defence League. The former has been credited with the creation of the terrorist state of israel and its continued illegal occupation and the later has been declared as a terrorist organization due to its violent activities against innocent civilians. Despite the best efforts by the representatives of israel in various countries to silence the protest against the apartheid state, the number of cities participating in the Al-Quds rallies and the number of organizations signing up for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement continues to grow. The day is not far, when Palestine will be free and the war criminals in israel will be prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.
5m:41s
5795
[Al-Quds 2015] Poem by Sister Romesa Khan at Toronto Al-Quds Day Rally -...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of indigenous Palestinians by the Zionists. The streets in Toronto and around the world were abuzz with the slogans of “Shame Shame USA”, “Shame Shame israel” and “From the river to the sear, Palestine will be free”. The Al-Quds rally in Toronto was attended by Jews, Christians, Muslims and supporters of peace and justice from all walks of life.
Addressing the rally, the Jewish speakers pointed out that a large number of Jews oppose Zionism and the war crimes committed by the state of israel in the name of Judaism. The Jewish law does not allow for illegal occupation of land, mass incarceration of men, women and children and forced expulsion of the indigenous Christian and Muslim Palestinians from their homes. Other speakers vowed to defeat efforts by the state of israel to silence the condemnation of its crimes against humanity by accusing the protestors of anti-Semitism. They pledged to work together with the Jews, who oppose the racist and inhumane policies of israel , to give a voice to the voiceless Palestinians. Many of the attendees pointed out that Canadians, Americans, French or citizens of any other country will never accept if the Zionist came to their land and tried to expel them forcibly from their homes by claiming that they are the chosen people and their god has gifted the land to them.
There was a small group of counter protestors representing the illegal settlers and the state of israel. They primarily consisted of members of B’nai Brith and the Jewsih Defence League. The former has been credited with the creation of the terrorist state of israel and its continued illegal occupation and the later has been declared as a terrorist organization due to its violent activities against innocent civilians. Despite the best efforts by the representatives of israel in various countries to silence the protest against the apartheid state, the number of cities participating in the Al-Quds rallies and the number of organizations signing up for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement continues to grow. The day is not far, when Palestine will be free and the war criminals in israel will be prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.
5m:30s
6656
[Al-Quds 2015] Speech by Sister Karin Brothers at Toronto Al-Quds Day...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of indigenous Palestinians by the Zionists. The streets in Toronto and around the world were abuzz with the slogans of “Shame Shame USA”, “Shame Shame israel” and “From the river to the sear, Palestine will be free”. The Al-Quds rally in Toronto was attended by Jews, Christians, Muslims and supporters of peace and justice from all walks of life.
Addressing the rally, the Jewish speakers pointed out that a large number of Jews oppose Zionism and the war crimes committed by the state of israel in the name of Judaism. The Jewish law does not allow for illegal occupation of land, mass incarceration of men, women and children and forced expulsion of the indigenous Christian and Muslim Palestinians from their homes. Other speakers vowed to defeat efforts by the state of israel to silence the condemnation of its crimes against humanity by accusing the protestors of anti-Semitism. They pledged to work together with the Jews, who oppose the racist and inhumane policies of israel , to give a voice to the voiceless Palestinians. Many of the attendees pointed out that Canadians, Americans, French or citizens of any other country will never accept if the Zionist came to their land and tried to expel them forcibly from their homes by claiming that they are the chosen people and their god has gifted the land to them.
There was a small group of counter protestors representing the illegal settlers and the state of israel. They primarily consisted of members of B’nai Brith and the Jewsih Defence League. The former has been credited with the creation of the terrorist state of israel and its continued illegal occupation and the later has been declared as a terrorist organization due to its violent activities against innocent civilians. Despite the best efforts by the representatives of israel in various countries to silence the protest against the apartheid state, the number of cities participating in the Al-Quds rallies and the number of organizations signing up for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement continues to grow. The day is not far, when Palestine will be free and the war criminals in israel will be prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.
8m:34s
5720
[Al-Quds 2015] Speech by Br. Ken Stone at Toronto Al-Quds Day Rally -...
Ken Stone, A member of the Independent Jewish Voices and Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War, has stood up for the rights of Palestinian people. Ken...
Ken Stone, A member of the Independent Jewish Voices and Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War, has stood up for the rights of Palestinian people. Ken is of Jewish origins but insists the Zionists do NOT speak for all Jewish people. His strong advocacy of the Palestinians\\\' right is proof of this.
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of indigenous Palestinians by the Zionists. The streets in Toronto and around the world were abuzz with the slogans of “Shame Shame USA”, “Shame Shame israel” and “From the river to the sear, Palestine will be free”. The Al-Quds rally in Toronto was attended by Jews, Christians, Muslims and supporters of peace and justice from all walks of life.
Addressing the rally, the Jewish speakers pointed out that a large number of Jews oppose Zionism and the war crimes committed by the state of israel in the name of Judaism. The Jewish law does not allow for illegal occupation of land, mass incarceration of men, women and children and forced expulsion of the indigenous Christian and Muslim Palestinians from their homes. Other speakers vowed to defeat efforts by the state of israel to silence the condemnation of its crimes against humanity by accusing the protestors of anti-Semitism. They pledged to work together with the Jews, who oppose the racist and inhumane policies of israel , to give a voice to the voiceless Palestinians. Many of the attendees pointed out that Canadians, Americans, French or citizens of any other country will never accept if the Zionist came to their land and tried to expel them forcibly from their homes by claiming that they are the chosen people and their god has gifted the land to them.
There was a small group of counter protestors representing the illegal settlers and the state of israel. They primarily consisted of members of B’nai Brith and the Jewsih Defence League. The former has been credited with the creation of the terrorist state of israel and its continued illegal occupation and the later has been declared as a terrorist organization due to its violent activities against innocent civilians. Despite the best efforts by the representatives of israel in various countries to silence the protest against the apartheid state, the number of cities participating in the Al-Quds rallies and the number of organizations signing up for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement continues to grow. The day is not far, when Palestine will be free and the war criminals in israel will be prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.
14m:20s
6624
[Al-Quds 2015] Speech by Br. Ali Mallah at Toronto Al-Quds Day Rally...
Br Ali Mallah, Former Vice President Canadian Arab Federation, is a long time advocate for social and political justice. He is also very active in...
Br Ali Mallah, Former Vice President Canadian Arab Federation, is a long time advocate for social and political justice. He is also very active in the Labour movement.
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of indigenous Palestinians by the Zionists. The streets in Toronto and around the world were abuzz with the slogans of “Shame Shame USA”, “Shame Shame israel” and “From the river to the sear, Palestine will be free”. The Al-Quds rally in Toronto was attended by Jews, Christians, Muslims and supporters of peace and justice from all walks of life.
Addressing the rally, the Jewish speakers pointed out that a large number of Jews oppose Zionism and the war crimes committed by the state of israel in the name of Judaism. The Jewish law does not allow for illegal occupation of land, mass incarceration of men, women and children and forced expulsion of the indigenous Christian and Muslim Palestinians from their homes. Other speakers vowed to defeat efforts by the state of israel to silence the condemnation of its crimes against humanity by accusing the protestors of anti-Semitism. They pledged to work together with the Jews, who oppose the racist and inhumane policies of israel , to give a voice to the voiceless Palestinians. Many of the attendees pointed out that Canadians, Americans, French or citizens of any other country will never accept if the Zionist came to their land and tried to expel them forcibly from their homes by claiming that they are the chosen people and their god has gifted the land to them.
There was a small group of counter protestors representing the illegal settlers and the state of israel. They primarily consisted of members of B’nai Brith and the Jewsih Defence League. The former has been credited with the creation of the terrorist state of israel and its continued illegal occupation and the later has been declared as a terrorist organization due to its violent activities against innocent civilians. Despite the best efforts by the representatives of israel in various countries to silence the protest against the apartheid state, the number of cities participating in the Al-Quds rallies and the number of organizations signing up for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement continues to grow. The day is not far, when Palestine will be free and the war criminals in israel will be prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.
4m:25s
6649
[Al-Quds 2015] Poem by Hussein Mojtahedy at Toronto Al-Quds Rally 2015 -...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of indigenous Palestinians by the Zionists. The streets in Toronto and around the world were abuzz with the slogans of “Shame Shame USA”, “Shame Shame israel” and “From the river to the sear, Palestine will be free”. The Al-Quds rally in Toronto was attended by Jews, Christians, Muslims and supporters of peace and justice from all walks of life.
Addressing the rally, the Jewish speakers pointed out that a large number of Jews oppose Zionism and the war crimes committed by the state of israel in the name of Judaism. The Jewish law does not allow for illegal occupation of land, mass incarceration of men, women and children and forced expulsion of the indigenous Christian and Muslim Palestinians from their homes. Other speakers vowed to defeat efforts by the state of israel to silence the condemnation of its crimes against humanity by accusing the protestors of anti-Semitism. They pledged to work together with the Jews, who oppose the racist and inhumane policies of israel , to give a voice to the voiceless Palestinians. Many of the attendees pointed out that Canadians, Americans, French or citizens of any other country will never accept if the Zionist came to their land and tried to expel them forcibly from their homes by claiming that they are the chosen people and their god has gifted the land to them.
There was a small group of counter protestors representing the illegal settlers and the state of israel. They primarily consisted of members of B’nai Brith and the Jewsih Defence League. The former has been credited with the creation of the terrorist state of israel and its continued illegal occupation and the later has been declared as a terrorist organization due to its violent activities against innocent civilians. Despite the best efforts by the representatives of israel in various countries to silence the protest against the apartheid state, the number of cities participating in the Al-Quds rallies and the number of organizations signing up for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement continues to grow. The day is not far, when Palestine will be free and the war criminals in israel will be prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.
3m:40s
6052
[Al-Quds 2015] Speech by Moulana Asad Jafri at Toronto Al-Quds Day Rally...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of indigenous Palestinians by the Zionists. The streets in Toronto and around the world were abuzz with the slogans of “Shame Shame USA”, “Shame Shame israel” and “From the river to the sear, Palestine will be free”. The Al-Quds rally in Toronto was attended by Jews, Christians, Muslims and supporters of peace and justice from all walks of life.
Addressing the rally, the Jewish speakers pointed out that a large number of Jews oppose Zionism and the war crimes committed by the state of israel in the name of Judaism. The Jewish law does not allow for illegal occupation of land, mass incarceration of men, women and children and forced expulsion of the indigenous Christian and Muslim Palestinians from their homes. Other speakers vowed to defeat efforts by the state of israel to silence the condemnation of its crimes against humanity by accusing the protestors of anti-Semitism. They pledged to work together with the Jews, who oppose the racist and inhumane policies of israel , to give a voice to the voiceless Palestinians. Many of the attendees pointed out that Canadians, Americans, French or citizens of any other country will never accept if the Zionist came to their land and tried to expel them forcibly from their homes by claiming that they are the chosen people and their god has gifted the land to them.
There was a small group of counter protestors representing the illegal settlers and the state of israel. They primarily consisted of members of B’nai Brith and the Jewsih Defence League. The former has been credited with the creation of the terrorist state of israel and its continued illegal occupation and the later has been declared as a terrorist organization due to its violent activities against innocent civilians. Despite the best efforts by the representatives of israel in various countries to silence the protest against the apartheid state, the number of cities participating in the Al-Quds rallies and the number of organizations signing up for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement continues to grow. The day is not far, when Palestine will be free and the war criminals in israel will be prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.
7m:51s
5514
[Al-Quds 2015] Speech by Br. Zafar Bangash at Toronto Al-Quds Day Rally...
Zafar Bangash, Director of the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought has been a forceful voice for the rights of the Palestinian people. He is...
Zafar Bangash, Director of the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought has been a forceful voice for the rights of the Palestinian people. He is also the author of many books, his latest book is title:
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of indigenous Palestinians by the Zionists. The streets in Toronto and around the world were abuzz with the slogans of “Shame Shame USA”, “Shame Shame israel” and “From the river to the sear, Palestine will be free”. The Al-Quds rally in Toronto was attended by Jews, Christians, Muslims and supporters of peace and justice from all walks of life.
Addressing the rally, the Jewish speakers pointed out that a large number of Jews oppose Zionism and the war crimes committed by the state of israel in the name of Judaism. The Jewish law does not allow for illegal occupation of land, mass incarceration of men, women and children and forced expulsion of the indigenous Christian and Muslim Palestinians from their homes. Other speakers vowed to defeat efforts by the state of israel to silence the condemnation of its crimes against humanity by accusing the protestors of anti-Semitism. They pledged to work together with the Jews, who oppose the racist and inhumane policies of israel , to give a voice to the voiceless Palestinians. Many of the attendees pointed out that Canadians, Americans, French or citizens of any other country will never accept if the Zionist came to their land and tried to expel them forcibly from their homes by claiming that they are the chosen people and their god has gifted the land to them.
There was a small group of counter protestors representing the illegal settlers and the state of israel. They primarily consisted of members of B’nai Brith and the Jewsih Defence League. The former has been credited with the creation of the terrorist state of israel and its continued illegal occupation and the later has been declared as a terrorist organization due to its violent activities against innocent civilians. Despite the best efforts by the representatives of israel in various countries to silence the protest against the apartheid state, the number of cities participating in the Al-Quds rallies and the number of organizations signing up for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement continues to grow. The day is not far, when Palestine will be free and the war criminals in israel will be prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.
10m:56s
6345
[Al-Quds 2015] International Al-Quds Day Rally Toronto 2015 - English...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of...
July 11, 2015: Thousands of Torontonians joined millions of people in 800 cities across 85 countries to denounce the barbaric occupation of indigenous Palestinians by the Zionists. The streets in Toronto and around the world were abuzz with the slogans of “Shame Shame USA”, “Shame Shame israel” and “From the river to the sear, Palestine will be free”. The Al-Quds rally in Toronto was attended by Jews, Christians, Muslims and supporters of peace and justice from all walks of life.
Addressing the rally, the Jewish speakers pointed out that a large number of Jews oppose Zionism and the war crimes committed by the state of israel in the name of Judaism. The Jewish law does not allow for illegal occupation of land, mass incarceration of men, women and children and forced expulsion of the indigenous Christian and Muslim Palestinians from their homes. Other speakers vowed to defeat efforts by the state of israel to silence the condemnation of its crimes against humanity by accusing the protestors of anti-Semitism. They pledged to work together with the Jews, who oppose the racist and inhumane policies of israel , to give a voice to the voiceless Palestinians. Many of the attendees pointed out that Canadians, Americans, French or citizens of any other country will never accept if the Zionist came to their land and tried to expel them forcibly from their homes by claiming that they are the chosen people and their god has gifted the land to them.
There was a small group of counter protestors representing the illegal settlers and the state of israel. They primarily consisted of members of B’nai Brith and the Jewsih Defence League. The former has been credited with the creation of the terrorist state of israel and its continued illegal occupation and the later has been declared as a terrorist organization due to its violent activities against innocent civilians. Despite the best efforts by the representatives of israel in various countries to silence the protest against the apartheid state, the number of cities participating in the Al-Quds rallies and the number of organizations signing up for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement continues to grow. The day is not far, when Palestine will be free and the war criminals in israel will be prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.
20m:44s
8524
[29 Nov 2015] Common Worry - Supreme Leader slams West’s support for...
The bitter events brought about by blind terrorism in France have once again, moved me to speak to you young people.
In the Name of God, the...
The bitter events brought about by blind terrorism in France have once again, moved me to speak to you young people.
In the Name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful
To the Youth in Western Countries,
The bitter events brought about by blind terrorism in France have once again, moved me to speak to you young people. For me, it is unfortunate that such incidents would have to create the framework for a conversation, however the truth is that if painful matters do not create the grounds for finding solutions and mutual consultation, then the damage caused will be multiplied.
The pain of any human being anywhere in the world causes sorrow for a fellow human being. The sight of a child losing his life in the presence of his loved ones, a mother whose joy for her family turns into mourning, a husband who is rushing the lifeless body of his spouse to some place and the spectator who does not know whether he will be seeing the final scene of life- these are scenes that rouse the emotions and feelings of any human being. Anyone who has benefited from affection and humanity is affected and disturbed by witnessing these scenes- whether it occurs in France or in Palestine or Iraq or Lebanon or Syria.
Without a doubt, the one-and-a-half billion Muslims also have these feelings and abhor and are revolted by the perpetrators and those responsible for these calamities. The issue, however, is that if today’s pain is not used to build a better and safer future, then it will just turn into bitter and fruitless memories. I genuinely believe that it is only you youth who by learning the lessons of today’s hardship, have the power to discover new means for building the future and who can be barriers in the misguided path that has brought the west to its current impasse.
“
Anyone who has benefited from affection and humanity is affected and disturbed by witnessing these scenes- whether it occurs in France or in Palestine or Iraq or Lebanon or Syria.
It is correct that today terrorism is our common worry. However it is necessary for you to know that the insecurity and strain that you experienced during the recent events, differs from the pain that the people of Iraq, Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan have been experiencing for many years, in two significant ways. First, the Islamic world has been the victim of terror and brutality to a larger extent territorially, to greater amount quantitatively and for a longer period in terms of time. Second, that unfortunately this violence has been supported by certain great powers through various methods and effective means.
Today, there are very few people who are uninformed about the role of the United States of America in creating, nurturing and arming al-Qaeda, the Taliban and their inauspicious successors. Besides this direct support, the overt and well-known supporters of takfiri terrorism- despite having the most backward political systems- are standing arrayed as allies of the west while the most pioneering, brightest and most dynamic democrats in the region are suppressed mercilessly. The prejudiced response of the west to the awakening movement in the Islamic world is an illustrative example of the contradictory western policies.
“
I genuinely believe that it is only you youth who by learning the lessons of today’s hardship can be barriers in the misguided path that has brought the west to its current impasse.
The other side of these contradictory policies is seen in supporting the state terrorism of Israel. The oppressed people of Palestine have experienced the worst kind of terrorism for the last sixty years. If the people of Europe have now taken refuge in their homes for a few days and refrain from being present in busy places- it is decades that a Palestinian family is not secure even in its own home from the Zionist regime’s death and destruction machinery. What kind of atrocious violence today is comparable to that of the settlement constructions of the Zionists regime?
This regime- without ever being seriously and significantly censured by its influential allies or even by the so-called independent international organizations- everyday demolishes the homes of Palestinians and destroys their orchards and farms. This is done without even giving them time to gather their belongings or agricultural products and usually it is done in front of the terrified and tear-filled eyes of women and children who witness the brutal beatings of their family members who in some cases are being dragged away to gruesome torture chambers. In today’s world, do we know of any other violence on this scale and scope and for such an extended period of time?
Shooting down a woman in the middle of the street for the crime of protesting against a soldier who is armed to the teeth- if this is not terrorism, what is? This barbarism, because it is being done by the armed forces of an occupying government, should not be called extremism? Or maybe only because these scenes have been seen repeatedly on television screens for sixty years, they should no longer stir our consciences.
The military invasions of the Islamic world in recent years- with countless victims- are another example of the contradictory logic of the west. The assaulted countries, in addition to the human damage caused, have lost their economic and industrial infrastructure, their movement towards growth and development has been stopped or delayed and in some cases, has been thrown back decades. Despite all this, they are rudely being asked not to see themselves as oppressed. How can a country be turned into ruins, have its cities and towns covered in dust and then be told that it should please not view itself as oppressed? Instead of enticements to not understand and to not mention disasters, would not an honest apology be better? The pain that the Islamic world has suffered in these years from the hypocrisy and duplicity of the invaders is not less than the pain from the material damage.
“
Dear youth! I have the hope that you- now or in the future- can change this mentality corrupted by duplicity, a mentality whose highest skill is hiding long-term goals and adorning malevolent objectives.
Dear youth! I have the hope that you- now or in the future- can change this mentality corrupted by duplicity, a mentality whose highest skill is hiding long-term goals and adorning malevolent objectives. In my opinion, the first step in creating security and peace is reforming this violence-breeding mentality. Until double-standards dominate western policies, until terrorism- in the view of its powerful supporters- is divided into “good” and “bad” types, and until governmental interests are given precedence over human values and ethics, the roots of violence should not be searched for in other places.
Unfortunately, these roots have taken hold in the depths of western political culture over the course of many years and they have caused a soft and silent invasion. Many countries of the world take pride in their local and national cultures, cultures which through development and regeneration have soundly nurtured human societies for centuries. The Islamic world is not an exception to this. However in the current era, the western world with the use of advanced tools is insisting on the cloning and replication of its culture on a global scale. I consider the imposition of western culture upon other peoples and the trivialization of independent cultures as a form of silent violence and extreme harmfulness.
Humiliating rich cultures and insulting the most honored parts of these, is occurring while the alternative culture being offered in no way has any qualification for being a replacement. For example, the two elements of “aggression” and “moral promiscuity” which unfortunately have become the main elements of western culture, has even degraded the position and acceptability of its source region.
So now the question is: are we “sinners” for not wanting an aggressive, vulgar and fatuous culture? Are we to be blamed for blocking the flood of impropriety that is directed towards our youth in the shape of various forms of quasi-art? I do not deny the importance and value of cultural interaction. Whenever these interactions are conducted in natural circumstances and with respect for the receiving culture, they result in growth, development and richness. On the contrary, inharmonious interactions have been unsuccessful and harmful impositions.
We have to state with full regret that vile groups such as DAESH are the spawn of such ill-fated pairings with imported cultures. If the matter was simply theological, we would have had to witness such phenomena before the colonialist era, yet history shows the contrary. Authoritative historical records clearly show how colonialist confluence of extremist and rejected thoughts in the heart of a Bedouin tribe, planted the seed of extremism in this region. How then is it possible that such garbage as DAESH comes out of one of the most ethical and humane religious schools who as part of its inner core, includes the notion that taking the life of one human being is equivalent to killing the whole humanity?
One has to ask why people who are born in Europe and who have been intellectually and mentally nurtured in that environment are attracted to such groups? Can we really believe that people with only one or two trips to war zones, suddenly become so extreme that they can riddle the bodies of their compatriots with bullets? On this matter, we certainly cannot forget about the effects of a life nurtured in a pathologic culture in a corrupt environment borne out of violence. On this matter, we need complete analyses, analyses that see the hidden and apparent corruptions. Maybe a deep hate- planted in the years of economic and industrial growth and borne out of inequality and possibly legal and structural prejudice- created ideas that every few years appear in a sickening manner.
“
Any rushed and emotional reaction which would isolate, intimidate and create more anxiety for the Muslim communities living in Europe and America not only will not solve the problem but will increase the chasms and resentments.
In any case, you are the ones that have to uncover the apparent layers of your own society and untie and disentangle the knots and resentments. Fissures have to be sealed, not deepened. Hasty reactions is a major mistake when fighting terrorism which only widens the chasms. Any rushed and emotional reaction which would isolate, intimidate and create more anxiety for the Muslim communities living in Europe and America- which are comprised of millions of active and responsible human beings- and which would deprive them of their basic rights more than has already happened and which would drive them away from society- not only will not solve the problem but will increase the chasms and resentments.
Superficial measures and reactions, especially if they take legal forms, will do nothing but increase the current polarizations, open the way for future crises and will result in nothing else. According to reports received, some countries in Europe have issued guidelines encouraging citizens to spy on Muslims. This behavior is unjust and we all know that pursuing injustice has the characteristic of unwanted reversibility. Besides, the Muslims do not deserve such ill-treatment. For centuries, the western world has known Muslims well- the day that westerners were guests in Islamic lands and were attracted to the riches of their hosts and on another day when they were hosts and benefitted from the efforts and thoughts of Muslims- they generally experienced nothing but kindness and forbearance.
Therefore I want you youth to lay the foundations for a correct and honorable interaction with the Islamic world based on correct understanding, deep insight and lessons learned from horrible experiences. In such a case and in the not too distant future, you will witness the edifice built on these firm foundations which creates a shade of confidence and trust which cools the crown of its architect, a warmth of security and peace that it bequests on them and a blaze of hope in a bright future which illuminates the canvass of the earth.
Sayyid Ali Khamenei
8th of Azar, 1394 - 29th of Nov, 2015
6m:16s
17128
The Hour of Martyrdom - Iranian Chapter
In 1980 Saddam Hussein launched a full-scale land and air invasion of Irans southern oil fields Within weeks hundereds of thousands of barely armed...
In 1980 Saddam Hussein launched a full-scale land and air invasion of Irans southern oil fields Within weeks hundereds of thousands of barely armed volunteers left their homes and entered the deserts in an attempt to halt the enemy advance The majority never returned home
3m:33s
7108
MUST WATCH - Be Aware of a NEW Attack on Islam by the enemies of Islam
Please spread the awareness amongst all the Muslims - Shias and Sunnis - against this NEW attack on the Muslim Ummah lotted by the enemies of...
Please spread the awareness amongst all the Muslims - Shias and Sunnis - against this NEW attack on the Muslim Ummah lotted by the enemies of Islam. People raising these slogans are nothing but sold out herds of animals. These are the residuals of Yazeed (l.a) and Yazeedis (l.a). Try to understand what is cooking behind the scenes - Who has planted this ABSURD thinking amongst so called Muslims. What could be the purpose of this. Try to make our Sunni brothers realize and educate that Wahabbiism is creaping into our homes. Wahabbiism is making our new generation the enemies of Prophet Muhammad e Mustafa (s.a.w.a.w) and his family (a.s) -God Forbid- No Sunni or Shia will tolerate such a disrespect against the respectable personalities of Islam. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a.w) and Everyone of his ahl e bait (a.s) are the PRIDE of Islam. Every Shia and Every Sunni respect them and love them. There are numerous Verses in Quran and traditions from the Prophet of Allah stressing on the importance of love towards Prophet (s.a.w.a.w) and Ahl e Bait (a.s) of Prophet. I urge SHIA SUNNI to unite against these EVIL and BAATIL conspiracies against Islam. LOVE Rasool Allah and his Progeny and carry out your Islamic responsibilities i.e. individual and social responsibilities and you will be successful in this world and hereafter. InshaAllah. The foremost Islamic responsibility - sharai wazeefa - that we have is to protect Islam and these Holy personalities. DEATH to the ENEMIES of ISLAM and their AGENTS. May Allah hasten the reappearance of Imam of our time (a.t.f.s)
0m:26s
12933
Jews against Zionism - English
The USA has been colonized by the Israeli Terror State. This has been accomplished without Israel having fired a single shot. Instead, Israel's...
The USA has been colonized by the Israeli Terror State. This has been accomplished without Israel having fired a single shot. Instead, Israel's agents bought up all of the news and entertainment businesses during the early part of the 20th century and used it to silence all opposition with endless propaganda tossed in newsprint upon America's lawns and later sprewed from radio's and TV's in their homes and automobiles. Every minute of the day, the media poison flows through the soul of each America, all of it orchestrated by Zionist subversive writers, producers, owners, and performers. In addition, the Rothschild banks pushed Woodrow Wilson and Congress into creating a privately owned and operated Zionist banking system which is called The Federal Reserve which is run by born Zionists and not by the 98% of the nation that is non-Zionist by birth. Also, Zionists infiltrated the Christian Churches and perverted the Christian faith into becoming an operative of Israel by owning all of the cable networks and radio stations which Christian would need to rent if they wanted to reach their people over the airwaves and cable channels. These minister found that the successful cable churches had to preach pro-Israeli perversions of their religion to gain a spot on the air, so they did that to further their opportunities to reach people. The churches changed to fit their new Master, the Zionist media goons who only wanted to deal with Christian friends of Israel. It was all so easy. Even the Iraq war costing trillions of dollars feel into the hands of the Israeli Neocons in the White House. So easy. If a Congressman complained, all the rich Zionists had to do was spend a few dollars, and, in a few years he would be replaced by their own Congressman of choice. So easy. Taking over America was like stealing from little children. Once they owned the banks and the federal reserve, the nation of America was theirs to do with as they wished.
6m:26s
11062
Jewish settlers act like terrorists in Hebron - Sub English
The film recorded by a Palestinian resident in Hebron shows settlers attacking his house which was in a valley close to the three storey building...
The film recorded by a Palestinian resident in Hebron shows settlers attacking his house which was in a valley close to the three storey building where dozens of settlers were evicted by Israeli riot police. In the hours after the eviction Jewish settlers rioted in Hebron throwing stones at police and Palestinians and setting fire to Palestinian trees and attacking Palestinian homes. Most of the violence took place between the evicted house and the nearby hardline Jewish settlement of Kirya Arba
1m:17s
6231
Israeli soldiers say killing of civilians allowed - 19Mar09 - English
Israel's army is accused of war crimes after more than 1,300 Palestinians were killed in the war on Gaza.
In interviews published by a leading...
Israel's army is accused of war crimes after more than 1,300 Palestinians were killed in the war on Gaza.
In interviews published by a leading Israeli newspaper, Israeli soldiers say killing Palestinian civilians and destroying their homes was allowed in Israels rules of engagement during the war.
3m:31s
5648
Pakistan aid camps struggle to help displaced - 10May09 - English
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes in northwest Pakistan, amid fierce clashes
between Pakistani troops and Taliban fighters....
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes in northwest Pakistan, amid fierce clashes
between Pakistani troops and Taliban fighters.
The fighting is centred in the Swat Valley, but sprawls across the districts of Dir, Buner and Malakand.
Many of those who have left the region are heading towards UN camps in Jalala and Sheikh Shehzad in Mardan district, as well as Yar Hussein in Swabi district.
2m:27s
6042
Part 2 (Must Watch) Tehran Sermon - Rehbar Syed Ali Khamenie...
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has described the \\\\\\\'unprecedented\\\\\\\' turnout of almost 85% in the election as a \\\\\\\'political...
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has described the \\\\\\\'unprecedented\\\\\\\' turnout of almost 85% in the election as a \\\\\\\'political quake\\\\\\\' for the enemy.
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said high turnout in the election, which witnessed more than 40 million Iranians casting their votes, was a great manifestation of people\\\\\\\'s solidarity with the Islamic establishment.
Addressing Friday prayers congregation, Ayatollah Khamenei said that last Friday\\\\\\\'s election indicated a \\\\\\\'common sense of responsibility\\\\\\\' of the Iranian nation to determine the future of the country.
The Leader added that all those who took part in the election proved their \\\\\\\'political consciousness and commitment\\\\\\\' towards the establishment to the whole world.
The Leader said the high voter turnout in the election was a \\\\\\\'political quake\\\\\\\' for the enemy and a \\\\\\\'real celebration\\\\\\\' for the friends of the country.
\\\\\\\"The Islamic Republic of Iran will by no means betray the votes of the nation,\\\\\\\" the Leader said, adding the legal system of the election will not allow any ballot rigging in Iran.
Ayatollah Khamenei, however, maintained that the Guardian Council, the body tasked with overseeing the election, would look into the complaints of the candidates who are unhappy with the election results.
The Leader also added that the establishment would never give-in to illegal demands, urging all presidential candidates to pursue their complaints through legal channels. Ayatollah Khamenei called for an end to illegal street protests aimed at reversing the result of the election.
Following the announcement of the election outcome, supporters of the defeated candidate Mir-Hussein Mousavi-who rejected the election results-- took to the streets of Tehran and other cities in daily rallies.
The Leader also warned against attempts made by foreign media outlets seeking to destabilize the country and blamed Britain in particular. Ayatollah Khamenei also decried the slander of former and incumbent top officials in pre-election debates by candidates.
President Ahmadinejad was re-elected the next president of the country with over 60% percent of the votes.
He won over his three rivals Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Mohsen Rezaei with almost 25 million votes.
The Leader said the time is over for rivalry, stressing that all should unite and line up behind the president-elect
Complete Transcript
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=98610
In this sermon, I call all the respected brothers and sisters who have attended the Friday prayers here to piety and I advise them against any wrongdoing.
In this sermon, I will address the issue of the election, which is a hot topic in our country.
I want to address three different groups on three different issues; firstly, I want to address the general public. Secondly, I want to address the political elite, the candidates of the presidential election, activists and those who have been active in the process of election.
I also have something to say to the leaders of the global arrogance, certain Western governments and their media.
On the first issue, where I address you dear people, I want to express my appreciation and gratitude. I do not like to exaggerate while I am addressing my audience, but regarding the recent election, I must tell you great people that no matter what I say, words cannot describe the greatness of your great accomplishment.
The June 12 election was a great show of the people\\\\\\\'s sense of responsibility, their will to participate, and their dedication to the system.
Truly, I have never heard of anything similar to what you have accomplished taking place in any of the democratic systems around the world, whether they are false democracies or truly built on their people\\\\\\\'s vote.
In the Islamic Republic, aside from the 1979 referendum, there has no election like the one held last Friday with a turnout of almost 85 percent. This means almost 40 million voters. You can see the presence of the 12 and last Shia Imam behind this. This is a sign of God\\\\\\\'s blessing to us.
It is necessary that I address you all across the nation from the depths of my heart, to express my respect and tell you that I feel humble in your presence.
Our young generation showed and proved they have insight and that like the first generation of the Islamic Revolution, they are committed. The difference is, during the days of the revolution, revolutionary fire burned in the hearts of all. It was the same is the days of the imposed war but in a different sense.
Today, however, there is no more of that but we still witness this commitment, this sense of responsibility, this understanding and fervor in our youth. This is not something that can be ignored.
Of course, there are differences of taste and of opinion among our people. Some people support a certain candidate; others back another person and his words and ideas. This is natural, but you can see a collective commitment amid all this and amongst people of all walks of life. You can see a consensus, a collective commitment to the protection of our country and system.
Everyone entered the political scene in villages, towns, cities, major cities, different ethnic groups, people of different faiths, men, women, young and old. They all entered the scene. They all took part in this great movement.
My dear people, this election was a political tremor for your enemies. For your friends across the world, it was a real celebration -- a historical ceremony and victory.
Thirty years after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, such a huge turnout and show of commitment to the Islamic system and the late Imam [Khomeini] shows the renewal of the pledge of allegiance to the late Imam and the martyrs. This was a breath of fresh air, a new movement and a great opportunity for the Islamic system.
This election put religious democracy on display for the whole world to witness. All ill-wishers of the Islamic establishment saw for themselves the meaning of religious democracy.
This is an alternative path in the face of dictatorships and arrogant regimes on the one side and democracies devoid of spirituality and religion on the other. This is religious democracy. This is what brings the hearts of people together and draws them to the scene.
This is the first point I wanted to make about the election. The second point is that the June 12 election showed that people live with trust, hope and national enthusiasm in this country.
This is against a great deal of comments your enemies make in their propaganda. If the people of this country were not hopeful about their future, they would not have taken part in any election.
If people were not dedicated to the Islamic establishment, they would have never voted. If they did not feel free, they would have never shown up at polling stations. The trust they have in the Islamic system was evident in this election.
Later on, I will tell you how the enemy targeted the very trust of the people in the Islamic establishment. This trust is the very thing they want to crush. This trust is the greatest asset of the Islamic system, so they want to take it away from the Islamic establishment.
They want to cast doubt on the election and weaken the confidence of the people in the system. They want to cause the people to panic. The enemies of the Iranian nation know that without trust there would have been a low turnout.
A low turnout would have questioned the legitimacy of the establishment. That is what they are after. They wanted to take away your [people] trust and keep you away from the polls to target this legitimacy, and if they had achieved this goal, the damage done would have been incomparable to any other.
For the people to come to the polls en masse and then be told that they made a mistake and should not have trusted the Islamic establishment, this is an enemy game.
This path is the same one they pursued even before the elections. A few months before the election, in late march, I said in Mashhad that the enemy has started whispers and rumors that their will be vote rigging. They were preparing the grounds for the events of today.
I advised our friends in the country not to repeat what the enemy wants to plant in people\\\\\\\'s minds. The Islamic establishment has the people\\\\\\\'s trust and it has not gained this trust easily.
For the past 30 years, authorities in the Islamic Republic have managed to maintain this trust, with their performance and painstaking efforts.
The third issue I want to touch upon is the issue of rivalry. This competition was a free, serious and transparent race between four candidates as we all witnessed.
These competitions, debates and discussion were so transparent that some began to voice objections. I will tell you that to they had the right to object to some extent.
Certain problems were also created that resulted in what you see today. I must tell you that we were and still are under the impression that these rivalries were between the four candidates who are all individuals committed to the system.
The Enemies want to portray the situation in the media - some of which belong to the Zionists -as if there is a row between the proponents and opponents of the Islamic Republic. No, this is not the case, this very untrue.
The four candidates who entered the presidential race all belonged and still belong to the Islamic establishment. One of these four is the president of our country - a hardworking and trustworthy president. One of them is the two-term prime minister, he served the country when I myself was president. He was my prime minister for eight years. One of them was the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps and one of the wartime commanders. One them was two-time head of parliament and Majlis speaker. They are all members of our Islamic establishment.
Of course, they have differences of opinion and plans that differ from one another. But, they all belong to this Islamic establishment. This race was defined within the framework of the system. It was not a competition between insiders and outsiders as the Zionist and the US were trying to portray. No, this was a competition within the framework of the system between members of the system.
I know them all personally, I know their system of thought and their tastes very well. I am familiar with their personalities. I have worked with all of them closely. I know them all. But of course, I do not share all their views. I believe some of their views and executive records are subject to criticism.
I see some more suitable to serve the country than others. But, this is up to the people to decide, and this is exactly what happened, they chose who they wanted.
My desire and my choice was never announced nor was there any need for the people to pay heed to it. The people had their own criteria and this is what they based their decision on. Millions here and outside the country decided for themselves. This is an internal issue.
Misrepresenting the problem is underhand. The row is not between insiders of the system and outsiders. The row is not between revolutionary and anti-revolutionary forces, it is a difference of opinion between the members of the Islamic Revolution.
People who voted for these four candidates, voted with faith in the system. They believed their candidate of choice was better for the country so they voted for him. They voted in favor of the person they found most competent.
Well, these campaigns and debates were an important and interesting initiative. They were very clear, to the point and serious. The televised debates proved wrong those who were trying to say from the outside that these competitions are formalities.
They saw that these rivalries are real and serious. They saw that they are really battling it out and exchanging viewpoints. From this perspective, these debates were positive. But, they also had some negative points which I will touch upon.
The positive aspect was that in these televised discussions and debates everyone spoke their mind clearly and casually. A flood of criticism followed. Everyone was forced to respond. Everyone was criticized and they defended themselves. The stances that these individuals and groups had were unveiled before the eyes of the nation. They talked about their plans, commitments and projects.
All this was publicized for the people so that they could judge for themselves. People felt that in the Islamic system they are not the outsiders. Everything was clearly laid out before the people.
They were shown that the nature of their vote is not ceremonial. The right to vote truly does belong to the people. People want to have the right to choose. This is what the televised debates indicated.
One of the main reasons that ten million additional voters participated in this election was because the people\\\\\\\'s minds had been engaged, therefore they came and voted for the candidate of their choice.
These debates found their way into the streets and homes. These debates helped the people become better informed and hence make better decisions. The Islamic establishment is in favor of such debates.
Note that such debates should not be steered in a direction that may cause people to hold grudges against one another. If these debates had remained within their intended framework, they would have been positive. But when they turn into arguments than they will gradually bring grudges and hard feelings.
Of course, such debates should continue at managerial levels, but without a negative aspect. Officials should allow criticism and feel responsible to answer. If an individual is criticized, he must see it as an opportunity to enlighten the people and reveal fact and truth.
If these debates are regularly carried out [as normal government practice], at election time when there are such debates we would not witness such reactions. All arguments would emerge and all ideas would be exchanged over time. These are the positive aspects of such debates.
But, there have also been some negative aspects to the debates that need to be dealt with. In some cases, we saw that logical points were undermined and emotional and destructive responses dominated the debate.
There were efforts to portray the last four years as a dark era. There were also attempts to portray previous administrations in a similar light. Allegations were made that have not been proven in any court, rumors were used as a reference, and unjust remarks were made.
This administration, despite the excellent services it had rendered came under unjust attacks. Similarly, the performance of previous governments in the past 30 years came under attack. The candidates gave in to their emotions.
They made some positive points. They also raised some unpleasant negative issues. Like the rest of the nation, I sat and watched these TV debates. I took pride in the freedom of speech I witnessed. I enjoyed the fact that the Islamic Republic has been able to aid the people in deciding their future, but the shortcomings saddened me.
For supporters of the candidates the shortcomings and negative aspects were also a cause for concern; both sides were a party to this... both sides had their problems.
On the one hand, insults were hurled against the president of the country, even two to three months prior to these debates, speeches were brought to me and in them, I read the insults made and the accusations leveled against the president of the country who was elected by the vote of the people. They accused him of lying. This is not good. They fabricated documents against the government and distributed them everywhere.
I saw what was going on. They [accusations] were all untrue and contrary to the facts. They swore at the president, called him superstitious, and called him names. They closed their eyes to ethics and the law.
On the other hand, almost the same thing happened. The performance of the past 30 years of the Revolution was brought under question. People were named who are among the system\\\\\\\'s veteran figures.
They are people who have dedicated their lives to this establishment. Never before have I mentioned people by name in the Friday prayer sermons, but today, I have to mention some names, particularly Mr. [Akbar] Hashemi Rafsanjani, Mr. [Ali Akbar] Nateq-Nouri. I must mention their names and point out that nobody has accused them of corruption.
Now, if anyone has any claims or complaints regarding their [Hashemi Rafsanjani and Nateq-Nouri\\\\\\\'s] relatives they should refer to judicial authorities.
You cannot raise these issues in the media before they are proven. If it is proven, you can raise the issue as every member of society is equal, but you are not allowed to make claims. When such things are mentioned, misunderstandings are the outcome. This can cause misunderstandings for the younger generation.
Everyone knows Mr. Hashemi. My relationship with him goes back to before the Islamic Revolution. I have known him for more than 25 years. Mr. Hashemi was one of the main revolutionary figures.
He was one of the most active proponents of the revolution, and after the Islamic Revolution, he was one of the main political figures serving the people alongside the late Imam, And after the departure of the founder of the Islamic Revolution he has been alongside the leadership to date.
On several occasions, there were assassination attempts on his life. Before the revolution, he donated his possessions for the revolutionary cause. Our youth should know these facts. After the revolution, he had different responsibilities.
For eight years, he served as the president and before that he was the parliament speaker. He held other sensitive positions as well. Throughout these years, I am not aware of one incident in which he gathered wealth. These are the facts that everyone should know.
In the most sensitive of periods, he served the revolution and the establishment. Of course, my opinion and Mr. Rafsanjani\\\\\\\'s differs on numerous issues, which is natural. However, we should not create any misunderstandings for the people.
The president and Mr. Rafsanjani have had differences of opinion since the president took office in 2005. They have differences of opinion in foreign policy, in the manner of spreading social justice as well as on some cultural issues. However, the president\\\\\\\'s ideas are closer to mine.
The same goes fort Mr. Nateq-Nouri. He has also served the revolution, rendered great services for the establishment and there is not a shred of doubt about that.
The live televised debates are a positive step, but these shortcomings should be removed. After the debates, I had a talk with the president because I knew he would listen to me. The stance of the Islamic establishment is clear-cut regarding corruption and social justice. Corruption should be fought anywhere it is traced.
There is a point I want to make here. We do not claim that our establishment is free of all economic and financial corruption. Yes, there is corruption. If there was no corruption, I would not have written the eight-point letter to the heads of the legislative, judiciary, and executive branches of the country.
We have corruption, but the Islamic establishment is one of the healthiest establishments in the world today. However, it is not right to accuse the country of corruption based on some Zionist reports and sources.
Moreover, questioning the credibility of statesmen goes beyond the bounds of decency. Financial corruption is an important issue in the Islamic establishment. The judiciary, executive and legislative branches of the country must do everything within their power to fight against it.
Everyone is duty-bound to fight corruption. If corruption is not contained, it will spread in the same manner as you see occurring in many countries…. They are struggling with an alarming level of corruption as you have heard about in the UK. This is only a fraction of the scandal as it goes way beyond what has been publicized.
Let me summarize the points I made. The Friday election was a historical event, which touched the entire world. Some of our enemies, however, attempted to cast doubt over this absolute and definitive victory. Some even attempted to portray it as a national defeat.
They did not want you to enjoy this victory. They did not want to see the highest turnout in the world go down in history in your name. However, it has happened, it has been recorded in history. They cannot manipulate this.
The time for rivalry is passed... These four candidates have all fought in the battlefront of this revolution and they are members of this establishment. Forty million people went to the polls and cast their votes for this revolution.
It was not only the 24 million votes that went to the president; 40 million votes were cast in favor of the revolution. The people have trust [in the establishment], and all supporters of candidates should rest assured that the Islamic establishment would never betray the people\\\\\\\'s trust.
In fact, the electoral system of the country does not allow for any vote rigging, which is testified to by all those in charge of the election process.
When there is a margin of one hundred thousand or one million at most, then one can doubt that there may have been some form of manipulation or irregularity; however, when there is a difference of eleven million votes, how could any vote rigging have taken place?
However, as I have said, and the Guardian Council has accepted, if some people have doubts then it should be dealt with through legal channels. Everything must be dealt strictly though legal channels. I will never accept illegal demands.
If the legal frameworks are breached today, then no future election can be guaranteed. In every election, there is only one winner, and of course, some defeated candidates. Complaints, if there is any doubt, should be pursued through legal channels. We have a comprehensive and competent legal system.
Just as the candidates have the right to appoint observers, they are given the right to file complaints. I have requested the Guardian Council conduct a partial vote recount in the presence of the candidates and their representatives. We have no problem with this.
I want to address the politicians, candidates and political parties at this point. We are at a critical historical juncture. Look at current world affairs, the situation in the Middle East, global economic woes and the situation in our neighboring countries.
We are duty bound to remain vigilant and to be careful not to commit mistakes at this critical point in time. In the election, people fulfilled their duty in the best way possible, which was by going to the polls. We have heavier responsibilities on our shoulders now.
Those figures who are looked up to by the people and politicians, should be cautious about their words and deeds. If they show any amount of extremist attitude, it will penetrate into the ranks of the people.
It may have dangerous consequences and may eventually get out of control. Extremism in society will trigger or fan other extremist moves in the country. If political elites disobey the law and make wrong decisions, they will be held accountable for any violent actions or rioting that ensues.
I urge these people, these friends of mine, to exercise restraint and patience. You should see enemy hands at work [against the country]. You should see hungry wolves laying in ambush. They are taking off their masks of diplomacy and are showing their true colors. I urge you to open your eyes and see the enemy.
In the past few days the prominent diplomats of some Western countries, which have been dealing with us through diplomatic rhetoric, have removed their masks. Today you can see their true face. They are now showing their enmity toward the Islamic establishment and the most treacherous of them all is Britain.
I tell these brothers of ours to think of their responsibility. You are responsible before God. I call on you to remember what Imam has written in his will; the law has the final say.
All differences should be settled at the ballot box. This is what elections are for, to let ballot boxes and not the streets determine what the people want.
If after every election, the supporters of the candidates who have lost take to streets and the supporters of the candidate who has won respond in the same manner, then what need would we have for elections?
Why should the people have to suffer? We should not take to the streets to show off with the number of our supporters to the people. Such acts are not a political issue for those terrorists who take advantage of the situation to hide among the masses in order to carry out their agenda.
It is a very good cover for these saboteurs. Who will take responsible for this? Some of the people who were killed in these riots were ordinary people, ordinary Basij members. Who will be held accountable for this?
They may start taking advantage of this situation to assassinate Basij members, which will naturally provoke emotional reactions. Who is to be held responsible for this? One is grieved to see them attack religious students at Tehran University dormitories and afterwards chant slogans in support of the leadership.
Post-election rivalry on the streets is not the right way to go. It only challenges the election. I want all sides to put an end to this. If they do not stop such actions, then they will be responsible for the repercussions of such incidents.
It is also wrong to assume that street riots can be used as leverage to pressure the establishment and to force officials to listen to them for what they believe is in the interest of the country.
Giving in to illegal demands under pressure is in itself the beginning of dictatorship. This is a miscalculation and the consequences will be directed at those who orchestrated them. If necessary, I will tell the people about them in due time.
I ask all these brothers and friends of mine to act based on friendship and abide by the law. I hope God will help us choose the righteous path. The celebration of 40 million votes should be appreciated and the enemy must not be allowed to ruin the celebration. However, if certain people decide to choose another path, then I will have no choice but to talk with the people more openly.
The third group I wish to address are the leaders of the Western media and arrogant powers. In the past two to three weeks, I have heard the words and witnessed the actions of politicians from the United States and certain European countries.
Before the elections, they attempted to cast doubt over the election itself so that there would be a low voter turnout. They had their own assessments of results forecasts, but they did not expect the mass participation of the people. They never predicted an 85 percent turnout, or 40 million voters.
When they saw the mass turnout, they were shocked. They realized the reality of Iran. They came to understand that they need to adapt themselves to the new situation be it regional, nuclear or internal.
When they saw the great popular movement on Election Day, they realized that a new chapter had been opened with regards to Iran and that they must come to terms with it. When some candidates began protesting the results, they felt that there was a change, so they jumped at the chance to ride this wave.
Their tone after the election changed on Saturday and Sunday. Their attention shifted to the riots and that was when they gradually began removing their masks.
Western officials, their presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers commented on this situation. The US President said that we were waiting for the day when people would take to the streets. At the same time they write letters saying that they want to have ties and that they respect the Islamic Republic. Which are we to believe?
Inside the country, their elements [foreign countries] began street protests and vandalism, they set fire to public property, they made shops and businesses insecure, and they are trying to rob the people of their security.
This has nothing to do with the people and their preferred candidates. This kind of behavior stems from ill-wishers, mercenaries and elements working for Western and Zionist secret services.
The incidents occurring inside the country have misled some of those outside our borders, who imagine Iran to be the same as Georgia. A Zionist American capitalist a few years ago, had been quoted in the media saying that he had spent 10 million dollars in Georgia to start a velvet revolution.
Our nation cannot be compared to any another nation. Their problem is they have not come to know this revolution and its people.
American officials say they are worried about the Iranian nation, how can you be worried? Can you even speak about human rights when you are responsible for the blood shed in Afghanistan and Iraq? In Palestine who has and is supporting and funding the Zionist regime?
During the term of a previous US government, eighty people affiliated with the Davidian sect were burnt alive in their compound in Waco, Texas. For some reason these people were disliked by the then US administration. Eighty people were burnt in that building, how dare you talk of human rights?
In my opinion, these western officials should at least feel a little embarrassment!
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49590
[FULL SPEECH] Supreme Leader Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei - Friday...
Complete Transcript
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=98610
In this sermon, I call all the respected brothers and sisters who have attended...
Complete Transcript
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=98610
In this sermon, I call all the respected brothers and sisters who have attended the Friday prayers here to piety and I advise them against any wrongdoing.
In this sermon, I will address the issue of the election, which is a hot topic in our country.
I want to address three different groups on three different issues; firstly, I want to address the general public. Secondly, I want to address the political elite, the candidates of the presidential election, activists and those who have been active in the process of election.
I also have something to say to the leaders of the global arrogance, certain Western governments and their media.
On the first issue, where I address you dear people, I want to express my appreciation and gratitude. I do not like to exaggerate while I am addressing my audience, but regarding the recent election, I must tell you great people that no matter what I say, words cannot describe the greatness of your great accomplishment.
The June 12 election was a great show of the people\\\\\\\'s sense of responsibility, their will to participate, and their dedication to the system.
Truly, I have never heard of anything similar to what you have accomplished taking place in any of the democratic systems around the world, whether they are false democracies or truly built on their people\\\\\\\'s vote.
In the Islamic Republic, aside from the 1979 referendum, there has no election like the one held last Friday with a turnout of almost 85 percent. This means almost 40 million voters. You can see the presence of the 12 and last Shia Imam behind this. This is a sign of God\\\\\\\'s blessing to us.
It is necessary that I address you all across the nation from the depths of my heart, to express my respect and tell you that I feel humble in your presence.
Our young generation showed and proved they have insight and that like the first generation of the Islamic Revolution, they are committed. The difference is, during the days of the revolution, revolutionary fire burned in the hearts of all. It was the same is the days of the imposed war but in a different sense.
Today, however, there is no more of that but we still witness this commitment, this sense of responsibility, this understanding and fervor in our youth. This is not something that can be ignored.
Of course, there are differences of taste and of opinion among our people. Some people support a certain candidate; others back another person and his words and ideas. This is natural, but you can see a collective commitment amid all this and amongst people of all walks of life. You can see a consensus, a collective commitment to the protection of our country and system.
Everyone entered the political scene in villages, towns, cities, major cities, different ethnic groups, people of different faiths, men, women, young and old. They all entered the scene. They all took part in this great movement.
My dear people, this election was a political tremor for your enemies. For your friends across the world, it was a real celebration -- a historical ceremony and victory.
Thirty years after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, such a huge turnout and show of commitment to the Islamic system and the late Imam [Khomeini] shows the renewal of the pledge of allegiance to the late Imam and the martyrs. This was a breath of fresh air, a new movement and a great opportunity for the Islamic system.
This election put religious democracy on display for the whole world to witness. All ill-wishers of the Islamic establishment saw for themselves the meaning of religious democracy.
This is an alternative path in the face of dictatorships and arrogant regimes on the one side and democracies devoid of spirituality and religion on the other. This is religious democracy. This is what brings the hearts of people together and draws them to the scene.
This is the first point I wanted to make about the election. The second point is that the June 12 election showed that people live with trust, hope and national enthusiasm in this country.
This is against a great deal of comments your enemies make in their propaganda. If the people of this country were not hopeful about their future, they would not have taken part in any election.
If people were not dedicated to the Islamic establishment, they would have never voted. If they did not feel free, they would have never shown up at polling stations. The trust they have in the Islamic system was evident in this election.
Later on, I will tell you how the enemy targeted the very trust of the people in the Islamic establishment. This trust is the very thing they want to crush. This trust is the greatest asset of the Islamic system, so they want to take it away from the Islamic establishment.
They want to cast doubt on the election and weaken the confidence of the people in the system. They want to cause the people to panic. The enemies of the Iranian nation know that without trust there would have been a low turnout.
A low turnout would have questioned the legitimacy of the establishment. That is what they are after. They wanted to take away your [people] trust and keep you away from the polls to target this legitimacy, and if they had achieved this goal, the damage done would have been incomparable to any other.
For the people to come to the polls en masse and then be told that they made a mistake and should not have trusted the Islamic establishment, this is an enemy game.
This path is the same one they pursued even before the elections. A few months before the election, in late march, I said in Mashhad that the enemy has started whispers and rumors that their will be vote rigging. They were preparing the grounds for the events of today.
I advised our friends in the country not to repeat what the enemy wants to plant in people\\\\\\\'s minds. The Islamic establishment has the people\\\\\\\'s trust and it has not gained this trust easily.
For the past 30 years, authorities in the Islamic Republic have managed to maintain this trust, with their performance and painstaking efforts.
The third issue I want to touch upon is the issue of rivalry. This competition was a free, serious and transparent race between four candidates as we all witnessed.
These competitions, debates and discussion were so transparent that some began to voice objections. I will tell you that to they had the right to object to some extent.
Certain problems were also created that resulted in what you see today. I must tell you that we were and still are under the impression that these rivalries were between the four candidates who are all individuals committed to the system.
The Enemies want to portray the situation in the media - some of which belong to the Zionists -as if there is a row between the proponents and opponents of the Islamic Republic. No, this is not the case, this very untrue.
The four candidates who entered the presidential race all belonged and still belong to the Islamic establishment. One of these four is the president of our country - a hardworking and trustworthy president. One of them is the two-term prime minister, he served the country when I myself was president. He was my prime minister for eight years. One of them was the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps and one of the wartime commanders. One them was two-time head of parliament and Majlis speaker. They are all members of our Islamic establishment.
Of course, they have differences of opinion and plans that differ from one another. But, they all belong to this Islamic establishment. This race was defined within the framework of the system. It was not a competition between insiders and outsiders as the Zionist and the US were trying to portray. No, this was a competition within the framework of the system between members of the system.
I know them all personally, I know their system of thought and their tastes very well. I am familiar with their personalities. I have worked with all of them closely. I know them all. But of course, I do not share all their views. I believe some of their views and executive records are subject to criticism.
I see some more suitable to serve the country than others. But, this is up to the people to decide, and this is exactly what happened, they chose who they wanted.
My desire and my choice was never announced nor was there any need for the people to pay heed to it. The people had their own criteria and this is what they based their decision on. Millions here and outside the country decided for themselves. This is an internal issue.
Misrepresenting the problem is underhand. The row is not between insiders of the system and outsiders. The row is not between revolutionary and anti-revolutionary forces, it is a difference of opinion between the members of the Islamic Revolution.
People who voted for these four candidates, voted with faith in the system. They believed their candidate of choice was better for the country so they voted for him. They voted in favor of the person they found most competent.
Well, these campaigns and debates were an important and interesting initiative. They were very clear, to the point and serious. The televised debates proved wrong those who were trying to say from the outside that these competitions are formalities.
They saw that these rivalries are real and serious. They saw that they are really battling it out and exchanging viewpoints. From this perspective, these debates were positive. But, they also had some negative points which I will touch upon.
The positive aspect was that in these televised discussions and debates everyone spoke their mind clearly and casually. A flood of criticism followed. Everyone was forced to respond. Everyone was criticized and they defended themselves. The stances that these individuals and groups had were unveiled before the eyes of the nation. They talked about their plans, commitments and projects.
All this was publicized for the people so that they could judge for themselves. People felt that in the Islamic system they are not the outsiders. Everything was clearly laid out before the people.
They were shown that the nature of their vote is not ceremonial. The right to vote truly does belong to the people. People want to have the right to choose. This is what the televised debates indicated.
One of the main reasons that ten million additional voters participated in this election was because the people\\\\\\\'s minds had been engaged, therefore they came and voted for the candidate of their choice.
These debates found their way into the streets and homes. These debates helped the people become better informed and hence make better decisions. The Islamic establishment is in favor of such debates.
Note that such debates should not be steered in a direction that may cause people to hold grudges against one another. If these debates had remained within their intended framework, they would have been positive. But when they turn into arguments than they will gradually bring grudges and hard feelings.
Of course, such debates should continue at managerial levels, but without a negative aspect. Officials should allow criticism and feel responsible to answer. If an individual is criticized, he must see it as an opportunity to enlighten the people and reveal fact and truth.
If these debates are regularly carried out [as normal government practice], at election time when there are such debates we would not witness such reactions. All arguments would emerge and all ideas would be exchanged over time. These are the positive aspects of such debates.
But, there have also been some negative aspects to the debates that need to be dealt with. In some cases, we saw that logical points were undermined and emotional and destructive responses dominated the debate.
There were efforts to portray the last four years as a dark era. There were also attempts to portray previous administrations in a similar light. Allegations were made that have not been proven in any court, rumors were used as a reference, and unjust remarks were made.
This administration, despite the excellent services it had rendered came under unjust attacks. Similarly, the performance of previous governments in the past 30 years came under attack. The candidates gave in to their emotions.
They made some positive points. They also raised some unpleasant negative issues. Like the rest of the nation, I sat and watched these TV debates. I took pride in the freedom of speech I witnessed. I enjoyed the fact that the Islamic Republic has been able to aid the people in deciding their future, but the shortcomings saddened me.
For supporters of the candidates the shortcomings and negative aspects were also a cause for concern; both sides were a party to this... both sides had their problems.
On the one hand, insults were hurled against the president of the country, even two to three months prior to these debates, speeches were brought to me and in them, I read the insults made and the accusations leveled against the president of the country who was elected by the vote of the people. They accused him of lying. This is not good. They fabricated documents against the government and distributed them everywhere.
I saw what was going on. They [accusations] were all untrue and contrary to the facts. They swore at the president, called him superstitious, and called him names. They closed their eyes to ethics and the law.
On the other hand, almost the same thing happened. The performance of the past 30 years of the Revolution was brought under question. People were named who are among the system\\\\\\\'s veteran figures.
They are people who have dedicated their lives to this establishment. Never before have I mentioned people by name in the Friday prayer sermons, but today, I have to mention some names, particularly Mr. [Akbar] Hashemi Rafsanjani, Mr. [Ali Akbar] Nateq-Nouri. I must mention their names and point out that nobody has accused them of corruption.
Now, if anyone has any claims or complaints regarding their [Hashemi Rafsanjani and Nateq-Nouri\\\\\\\'s] relatives they should refer to judicial authorities.
You cannot raise these issues in the media before they are proven. If it is proven, you can raise the issue as every member of society is equal, but you are not allowed to make claims. When such things are mentioned, misunderstandings are the outcome. This can cause misunderstandings for the younger generation.
Everyone knows Mr. Hashemi. My relationship with him goes back to before the Islamic Revolution. I have known him for more than 25 years. Mr. Hashemi was one of the main revolutionary figures.
He was one of the most active proponents of the revolution, and after the Islamic Revolution, he was one of the main political figures serving the people alongside the late Imam, And after the departure of the founder of the Islamic Revolution he has been alongside the leadership to date.
On several occasions, there were assassination attempts on his life. Before the revolution, he donated his possessions for the revolutionary cause. Our youth should know these facts. After the revolution, he had different responsibilities.
For eight years, he served as the president and before that he was the parliament speaker. He held other sensitive positions as well. Throughout these years, I am not aware of one incident in which he gathered wealth. These are the facts that everyone should know.
In the most sensitive of periods, he served the revolution and the establishment. Of course, my opinion and Mr. Rafsanjani\\\\\\\'s differs on numerous issues, which is natural. However, we should not create any misunderstandings for the people.
The president and Mr. Rafsanjani have had differences of opinion since the president took office in 2005. They have differences of opinion in foreign policy, in the manner of spreading social justice as well as on some cultural issues. However, the president\\\\\\\'s ideas are closer to mine.
The same goes fort Mr. Nateq-Nouri. He has also served the revolution, rendered great services for the establishment and there is not a shred of doubt about that.
The live televised debates are a positive step, but these shortcomings should be removed. After the debates, I had a talk with the president because I knew he would listen to me. The stance of the Islamic establishment is clear-cut regarding corruption and social justice. Corruption should be fought anywhere it is traced.
There is a point I want to make here. We do not claim that our establishment is free of all economic and financial corruption. Yes, there is corruption. If there was no corruption, I would not have written the eight-point letter to the heads of the legislative, judiciary, and executive branches of the country.
We have corruption, but the Islamic establishment is one of the healthiest establishments in the world today. However, it is not right to accuse the country of corruption based on some Zionist reports and sources.
Moreover, questioning the credibility of statesmen goes beyond the bounds of decency. Financial corruption is an important issue in the Islamic establishment. The judiciary, executive and legislative branches of the country must do everything within their power to fight against it.
Everyone is duty-bound to fight corruption. If corruption is not contained, it will spread in the same manner as you see occurring in many countries…. They are struggling with an alarming level of corruption as you have heard about in the UK. This is only a fraction of the scandal as it goes way beyond what has been publicized.
Let me summarize the points I made. The Friday election was a historical event, which touched the entire world. Some of our enemies, however, attempted to cast doubt over this absolute and definitive victory. Some even attempted to portray it as a national defeat.
They did not want you to enjoy this victory. They did not want to see the highest turnout in the world go down in history in your name. However, it has happened, it has been recorded in history. They cannot manipulate this.
The time for rivalry is passed... These four candidates have all fought in the battlefront of this revolution and they are members of this establishment. Forty million people went to the polls and cast their votes for this revolution.
It was not only the 24 million votes that went to the president; 40 million votes were cast in favor of the revolution. The people have trust [in the establishment], and all supporters of candidates should rest assured that the Islamic establishment would never betray the people\\\\\\\'s trust.
In fact, the electoral system of the country does not allow for any vote rigging, which is testified to by all those in charge of the election process.
When there is a margin of one hundred thousand or one million at most, then one can doubt that there may have been some form of manipulation or irregularity; however, when there is a difference of eleven million votes, how could any vote rigging have taken place?
However, as I have said, and the Guardian Council has accepted, if some people have doubts then it should be dealt with through legal channels. Everything must be dealt strictly though legal channels. I will never accept illegal demands.
If the legal frameworks are breached today, then no future election can be guaranteed. In every election, there is only one winner, and of course, some defeated candidates. Complaints, if there is any doubt, should be pursued through legal channels. We have a comprehensive and competent legal system.
Just as the candidates have the right to appoint observers, they are given the right to file complaints. I have requested the Guardian Council conduct a partial vote recount in the presence of the candidates and their representatives. We have no problem with this.
I want to address the politicians, candidates and political parties at this point. We are at a critical historical juncture. Look at current world affairs, the situation in the Middle East, global economic woes and the situation in our neighboring countries.
We are duty bound to remain vigilant and to be careful not to commit mistakes at this critical point in time. In the election, people fulfilled their duty in the best way possible, which was by going to the polls. We have heavier responsibilities on our shoulders now.
Those figures who are looked up to by the people and politicians, should be cautious about their words and deeds. If they show any amount of extremist attitude, it will penetrate into the ranks of the people.
It may have dangerous consequences and may eventually get out of control. Extremism in society will trigger or fan other extremist moves in the country. If political elites disobey the law and make wrong decisions, they will be held accountable for any violent actions or rioting that ensues.
I urge these people, these friends of mine, to exercise restraint and patience. You should see enemy hands at work [against the country]. You should see hungry wolves laying in ambush. They are taking off their masks of diplomacy and are showing their true colors. I urge you to open your eyes and see the enemy.
In the past few days the prominent diplomats of some Western countries, which have been dealing with us through diplomatic rhetoric, have removed their masks. Today you can see their true face. They are now showing their enmity toward the Islamic establishment and the most treacherous of them all is Britain.
I tell these brothers of ours to think of their responsibility. You are responsible before God. I call on you to remember what Imam has written in his will; the law has the final say.
All differences should be settled at the ballot box. This is what elections are for, to let ballot boxes and not the streets determine what the people want.
If after every election, the supporters of the candidates who have lost take to streets and the supporters of the candidate who has won respond in the same manner, then what need would we have for elections?
Why should the people have to suffer? We should not take to the streets to show off with the number of our supporters to the people. Such acts are not a political issue for those terrorists who take advantage of the situation to hide among the masses in order to carry out their agenda.
It is a very good cover for these saboteurs. Who will take responsible for this? Some of the people who were killed in these riots were ordinary people, ordinary Basij members. Who will be held accountable for this?
They may start taking advantage of this situation to assassinate Basij members, which will naturally provoke emotional reactions. Who is to be held responsible for this? One is grieved to see them attack religious students at Tehran University dormitories and afterwards chant slogans in support of the leadership.
Post-election rivalry on the streets is not the right way to go. It only challenges the election. I want all sides to put an end to this. If they do not stop such actions, then they will be responsible for the repercussions of such incidents.
It is also wrong to assume that street riots can be used as leverage to pressure the establishment and to force officials to listen to them for what they believe is in the interest of the country.
Giving in to illegal demands under pressure is in itself the beginning of dictatorship. This is a miscalculation and the consequences will be directed at those who orchestrated them. If necessary, I will tell the people about them in due time.
I ask all these brothers and friends of mine to act based on friendship and abide by the law. I hope God will help us choose the righteous path. The celebration of 40 million votes should be appreciated and the enemy must not be allowed to ruin the celebration. However, if certain people decide to choose another path, then I will have no choice but to talk with the people more openly.
The third group I wish to address are the leaders of the Western media and arrogant powers. In the past two to three weeks, I have heard the words and witnessed the actions of politicians from the United States and certain European countries.
Before the elections, they attempted to cast doubt over the election itself so that there would be a low voter turnout. They had their own assessments of results forecasts, but they did not expect the mass participation of the people. They never predicted an 85 percent turnout, or 40 million voters.
When they saw the mass turnout, they were shocked. They realized the reality of Iran. They came to understand that they need to adapt themselves to the new situation be it regional, nuclear or internal.
When they saw the great popular movement on Election Day, they realized that a new chapter had been opened with regards to Iran and that they must come to terms with it. When some candidates began protesting the results, they felt that there was a change, so they jumped at the chance to ride this wave.
Their tone after the election changed on Saturday and Sunday. Their attention shifted to the riots and that was when they gradually began removing their masks.
Western officials, their presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers commented on this situation. The US President said that we were waiting for the day when people would take to the streets. At the same time they write letters saying that they want to have ties and that they respect the Islamic Republic. Which are we to believe?
Inside the country, their elements [foreign countries] began street protests and vandalism, they set fire to public property, they made shops and businesses insecure, and they are trying to rob the people of their security.
This has nothing to do with the people and their preferred candidates. This kind of behavior stems from ill-wishers, mercenaries and elements working for Western and Zionist secret services.
The incidents occurring inside the country have misled some of those outside our borders, who imagine Iran to be the same as Georgia. A Zionist American capitalist a few years ago, had been quoted in the media saying that he had spent 10 million dollars in Georgia to start a velvet revolution.
Our nation cannot be compared to any another nation. Their problem is they have not come to know this revolution and its people.
American officials say they are worried about the Iranian nation, how can you be worried? Can you even speak about human rights when you are responsible for the blood shed in Afghanistan and Iraq? In Palestine who has and is supporting and funding the Zionist regime?
During the term of a previous US government, eighty people affiliated with the Davidian sect were burnt alive in their compound in Waco, Texas. For some reason these people were disliked by the then US administration. Eighty people were burnt in that building, how dare you talk of human rights?
In my opinion, these western officials should at least feel a little embarrassment!
Supreme Leader Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei - Friday Prayer Speech - 19Jun09 - English
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Message of Rehbar, Intelligence Minister and Rafsanjani - English
As Iran continues its efforts to cope with post-election unrest, Leader of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the country will...
As Iran continues its efforts to cope with post-election unrest, Leader of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the country will deal with the crisis under the law while relying on national unity.
The Leader said Sunday that legal measures were the only solution to the issues that the country has been facing since the 10th presidential elections on June 12.
“The people\'s emotions, especially that of the youth, must not be toyed with and they should not be pitted against one another as the Iranian nation, regardless of the differences of opinion, is a united nation that has good relations with the [Islamic] establishment.”
Ayatollah Khamenei went on to urge political parties not to play with one another\'s feelings and said, “If the nation and political elite are united in heart and mind, the incitement of international traitors and oppressive politicians will be ineffective.”
The Leader\'s remarks came after certain European countries and the US condemned the measures taken by the Tehran government to restore stability in the country following the election, which saw incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad win by a landslide.
“They express their opinions about Iran in a manner that one would think all their other problems have been resolved and only the Iranian problem remains,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.
“However, what they do not understand is that wherever they politically set foot in becomes tainted in the eyes of the Iranian nation.”
“Their support will only have a negative effect as the Iranian nation knows during the eight-year sacred defense [the Iraq-Iran war] when their homes were bombarded and destroyed by missiles and chemical weapons were used against them, these governments showed no concern and [instead] aided the enemy of the Iranian nation.”
Pointing to the crimes committed by the US and certain European countries against the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Palestine, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that their “concern and show of humanitarianism is not befitting of these governments and when they voice support for the Iranian nation and certain figures, their intentions are clear and the people are well aware of them.”
Iran\'s Intelligence Minister has dismissed claims of vote-rigging in the presidential election, blaming the US and Israel for the spread of such rumors among the people.
\"I announce that no organized rigging which could affect the result of the election has taken place,\" Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei said in an interview with IRIB\'s Channel Two on Sunday night.
He said the nation\'s enemies conspired several months before the presidential election to stir unrest in the country and dissuade the Iranians from voting.
\"Americans and Zionists sought to destabilize Iran ... they were upset with a stabilized and secure Iran ... even months before the election they started to talk about the possibility of vote-rigging in the election and they continued the course following the vote,\" Ejei said.
He said the Iranian intelligence services were aware of US and Israeli plots to mar the election months before the vote, adding that Iran foiled some assassination attempts masterminded by Washington and Tel Aviv.
Incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner of the presidential election with almost two-thirds of the votes.
The announcement triggered opposition rallies in protest at the result with defeated candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi calling for the result to be annulled.
Ejei took a swipe at Mousavi, saying his demand for holding the election anew would undermine the credibility of the electoral system.
The three defeated candidates -- Mousavi, Karroubi and Mohsen Rezaei -- have lodged more than 600 alleged \'irregularities\' with the electoral watchdog, the Guardian Council.
Mousavi and Karroubi believe these irregularities are enough for the election results to be annulled.
However, the head of Iran\'s Electoral Office, Kamran Daneshjou, has criticized the complaints filed by the defeated presidential candidates for being \'too general\'. The Guardian Council has also stressed that there were no \'major\' irregularities in the presidential election.
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Thousands homeless in Turkey floods - 09Sep09 - English
Desperate attempts are being made across northwestern Turkey to rescue people trapped by flooding triggered by two days of torrential rainfall -...
Desperate attempts are being made across northwestern Turkey to rescue people trapped by flooding triggered by two days of torrential rainfall - the worst in eighty years. At least Twenty Eight people are reported to have been killed but officials are saying that the death toll could get higher. Parts of the Istanbul are already under water and forced thousands from their homes. The race is now on to try to stop the situation from getting any worse - with more rain forecast for later in the week.
4m:36s
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Israeli Activists Protest Occupation and Demolition of Houses In...
Israeli and other activists staged a massive protest in Jerusalem to protest at the continued occupation and the destruction and demotion of houses...
Israeli and other activists staged a massive protest in Jerusalem to protest at the continued occupation and the destruction and demotion of houses and the eviction of people from their homes by the Zionist Regime. Special Report. Recorded January 22, 2010 at 1800GMT
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