[30 May 13] The Debate: Crackdown on Bahraini people continues - English
Targeting of activists, who demand freedom and change, continues by the authorities in Bahrain. Scores of people remaining in prison or detained...
Targeting of activists, who demand freedom and change, continues by the authorities in Bahrain. Scores of people remaining in prison or detained for opposing the government, including prisoners of conscience and people sentenced after unfair trials.
Human rights defenders and other activists harassed and imprisoned. And people dying from inhaling teargas fired by Saudi-backed regime forces.
In a fresh sign of its unrelenting crackdown, Bahrain\\\'s regime forces attack the funeral procession of a 31-year old man, Omran al-Seyed, who died after inhaling tear gas in the village of Karzakan. Regime forces tried to disperse mourners by firing tear gas and stun grenades.
Bahrainis have been protesting against the Al Khalifah regime for over two years now. Manama has responded with an iron fist. Scores have been killed and many injured or arrested during the crackdown. The U.S. and its allies have turned a blind eye to the atrocity which has been facilitated by Saudi Arabia\\\'s intervention in Bahrain.
In this edition of the Debate, we\\\'ll discuss Bahrain, including new developments, such as UK\\\'s arms sale, and why the international bodies and countries who promote democracy have failed to do anything about the cries coming from this tiny Persian Gulf Kingdom.
23m:51s
6069
[1 June 13] Student loan crisis hits America - English
Press TV has conducted an interview with Dean Henderson, author of Big Oil & Their Bankers In The Persian Gulf, Missouri, about zero- interest...
Press TV has conducted an interview with Dean Henderson, author of Big Oil & Their Bankers In The Persian Gulf, Missouri, about zero- interest rate deals between Wall street and the Federal Reserve, student loan debt and how this is real life in America.
5m:18s
5328
[11 June 13] Qatar preparing for major leadership transitions - English
Press TV has conducted an interview with Redwan Rizk, political analyst, about the Persian Gulf state of Qatar preparing for major leadership...
Press TV has conducted an interview with Redwan Rizk, political analyst, about the Persian Gulf state of Qatar preparing for major leadership transitions in its body.
3m:36s
5271
[26 June 13] Torture in Bahrain intensifying - English
Several victims of torture in Bahrain gave harrowing testimonies of their ordeals and those of their loved-ones at this seminar at the House of...
Several victims of torture in Bahrain gave harrowing testimonies of their ordeals and those of their loved-ones at this seminar at the House of Lords in London.
Some are exiled in the UK after having been forced to leave their country because of their political opposition to the Al Khalifah regime.
Two and a half years after a huge popular uprising broke out in the Persian Gulf nation, human rights defenders say that police officers who murdered and tortured protestors have not been held to account.
2m:56s
5078
[30 June 13] Bahraini regime prepares gangs to turn revolution violent -...
Press TV has conducted an interview with Qasim al-Hashmi, Bahrain International Mission, London about the issue of Human Rights Watch that has...
Press TV has conducted an interview with Qasim al-Hashmi, Bahrain International Mission, London about the issue of Human Rights Watch that has urged the EU to pressure Bahrain to release political prisoners ahead of a meeting between the EU and the PGCC (Persian Gulf Cooperation Council).
7m:53s
5119
[03 July 13] Iran Airbus Victims commemorated - English
July 3, 1988, Persian Gulf, Straight of Hormuz: The Iranian passenger plane, an Airbus A-300 just taken off from the southern Iranian coastal city...
July 3, 1988, Persian Gulf, Straight of Hormuz: The Iranian passenger plane, an Airbus A-300 just taken off from the southern Iranian coastal city of Bandar Abbas. The aircraft is still climbing inside an internationally-recognized route. But the American missile cruiser - USS Vincennes- targets the airplane with two Standard missiles, killing all 274 passengers plus the 16 crew.
Press TV\'s Ehsan Keivani reports from Tehran.
2m:42s
4607
Ignored Revolution of Bahrain By Western Media and Governments - All...
A Bahraini opposition group says the British government has a negative attitude to the revolution in the Persian Gulf state and rather supports the...
A Bahraini opposition group says the British government has a negative attitude to the revolution in the Persian Gulf state and rather supports the suppressive al-Khalifa regime in the country.
Bahrain National Democratic Society’s Secretary General Fazel Abbas told Al-Alam news channel that London’s position is clear from comments by the British ambassador to Bahrain and the change in the al-Khalifa approach to protesters after the Bahraini ruler’s meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron “raise questions about Britain’s role in Bahrain”.
“We are extremely displeased with the British government’s stance,” Abbas added.
Last week, Cameron hosted talks with Bahraini ruler King Hamad al-Khalifa in London but no details of the meeting were made public except a brief statement by the British PM’s office.
“Cameron reiterated Britain’s support for ongoing political reform in Bahrain. The Prime Minister also encouraged His Majesty to continue to demonstrate substantive progress in all areas,” the statement said.
Ahead of his visit to London, the Bahraini dictator amended a law on public gatherings to “ban organizing protests, rallies, gatherings or sit-ins in Manama, with the exception of sit-ins outside (offices of) international organizations\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".
Ahead of Hamad’s visit on Tuesday, human rights group Amnesty International warned Cameron that Bahrain is displaying “a façade of supposed reform” though the reality is that “critics and dissenting voices are just locked up and silenced”.
Fazel said the Bahraini opposition groups will surely continue peaceful protests, especially the Tamarod demonstration planned for August 14, despite the regime being fully geared up to suppress public rallies in the coming days.
0m:55s
6466
[URDU] HAJJ Message 2013 - Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Ali Khamenei
رہبر مسلمین آیت اللہ العظمی سید علی خامنہ ای کا پیغام حج - Rehbar Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei Ka...
رہبر مسلمین آیت اللہ العظمی سید علی خامنہ ای کا پیغام حج - Rehbar Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei Ka Payghame Hajj - Urdu
Leader\\\\\\\'s annual Hajj message in full
Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, delivered a message to this year’s hajj pilgrims. The following is the full text of the message:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds and peace and greetings be upon the Master of Prophets and Messengers and upon his immaculate and pure household and chosen companions.
The arrival of the hajj season should be regarded as the great Eid of the Islamic Ummah. The great opportunity which these precious days provide for Muslims throughout the world is like a miraculous elixir. If the value of such days is appreciated and if we benefit from such days in an appropriate way, many of the maladies of the world of Islam will be cured.
Hajj is the bubbling spring of divine blessings. Each and every one of you happy pilgrims has gained the opportunity to cleanse your hearts and souls with these religious practices, which are full of warmth and spirituality, and to collect many blessings for your entire life by using this source of mercy, dignity and power.
In this divine arena of self-edification you can express your humility before Allah the Merciful, carry out the responsibilities which have fallen on the shoulders of Muslims, show enthusiasm and dynamism in the affairs of the world and in your religious duties, offer mercy and forgiveness when you interact with Muslim brothers, demonstrate your courage and determination in the face of difficult events, become hopeful about divine assistance in all arenas and, finally, build your human character the way Muslims should.
When you are ornamented with these precious resources and when you have benefitted from them, then you can offer yourselves as gifts to your country, your nation and the Islamic Ummah.
More than anything else, the Islamic Ummah needs individuals who can utilize thoughts and actions as well as faith, sincerity and purity, who can show resistance in the face of the spiteful enemies as well as exercising self-purification and piety. This is the only way for the liberation of the great Muslim community from the problems which have been created, either by the enemy, or as a result ofthe lack of determination, faith and foresightamong Muslims. Muslims have suffered from these things for a very long time.
Without a doubt, the present era is an era of awakening, one in which Muslims can find their true identity. This truth can be easily discovered through the challenges which Muslims are faced with. It is exactly in such conditions that our determination- which is based on faith, reliance on God, foresight and wisdom- can help Muslim nations achieve victory against these challenges and bring about a dignified and honorable fate for Muslims.
The opposing camp which cannot tolerate Islamic Awakening and the dignity of Muslims has entered the arena with all its power and it is using all kinds of psychological, military, security, economic and propaganda tools to suppress Muslims, make them inactive and busy them with trivial things.
Taking a general look at the conditions of West Asian countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Palestine and countries surrounding the Persian Gulf, and North African countries such as Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan and a number of other countries- reveals many truths.
The existence of civil wars, religious and denominational prejudices and political instabilities, the prevalence of cruel terrorism, the emergence of extreme groups and orientations- which like savage tribes in history, cut open the chests of human beings and rip their hearts out with their teeth- the emergence of armed mercenaries who kill women and children, cut off the heads of men and rape women and who do such horrible and disgusting crimes in the name of religion are all the products of the satanic and arrogant plots of foreign intelligence services and their regional agents.
Such plots are implemented in countries in which the ground is prepared before-hand and as a result, they create a disastrous situation for these nations and peoples. In such conditions, it is clear that one cannot expect Muslim nations to remedy their material and spiritual shortcomings and to achieve security, welfare, scientific progress and international dignity which are the results of achieving awakening and finding one’s true identity.
These disastrous conditions can abort the progress of Islamic Awakening, destroy the mental awareness which has been created in the world of Islam, drag Muslims- once more- towards stagnation, isolation and decline and consign to oblivion important and fundamental issues such as the liberation of Palestine and other Muslim nations from the transgressions of the USA and Zionism.
The most important cure for this situation can be summarized in two key phrases, both of which are among the clearest lessons of hajj:
First: unity and brotherhood of Muslims under the flag of monotheism.
Second: knowing the enemy and confronting his plans and methods.
Strengthening the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation is a great lesson of hajj. During hajj, even quarrelling and arguing with others is forbidden. During hajj, wearing the same clothes, following the same practices, making the same moves and behaving in a kind way,all mean equality and brotherhood for all those who believe in and rely on monotheism.
This means that Islam strongly rejects any idea and belief which views a number of Muslims and believers in Ka’bah and monotheism as people who are outside the circle of Islam. Theseorientationswhich are based on takfirism, which have become playthings in the hands of the treacherous Zionist politicians and their western supporters- commit serious crimes and shed the blood of Muslims and innocent people, and the people who claim to be religious, who call themselves clerics and who fuel the fire of fitna between Shia and Sunni and otherdenominations- should know that the hajj pilgrimage will thwart their claims.
I, like many Islamic scholars and sympathetic personalities in the Islamic Ummah, announce that any statement or action which fuels the fire of discord among Muslims, any insult to the sacred beliefs of each one of the Muslim denominations and any act of takfirism against Islamic denominations equals serving the camp of atheism and polytheism and betraying Islam. All of these things are haraam.
Knowing the enemy and its methods is the second important factor. First, we should not forget about the existence of a spiteful enemy. Performing the ritual of the stoning of the jamarat during hajj is a symbolic sign of this awareness. Second, we should not make a mistake in knowing the main enemy, who in the present time is global arrogance and the criminal Zionist network.
Third, we should properly identify the methods of this hostile enemy which is creating discord among Muslims, promoting moral and political corruption, threatening and tempting outstanding personalities, exerting economic pressures on all nations and arousing doubts about Islamic beliefs. Moreover, we should identify their agents and those who are, knowingly or ignorantly, dependent on them.
Arrogant governments, headed by the USA, conceal their true character with the help of comprehensive and advanced propaganda tools. By claiming that they support human rights and democracy, they deceive public opinion in different countries. They speak about the rights of all nations while each day Muslim nations feel- with their bodies and souls- the fire of discord more than the past.
For decades, the oppressed Palestinian nation has been receiving strikes as a result of the crimes of the Zionist regime and its supporters. In the countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, terrorism - which originates from the policies of global arrogance and its agents in the region - has ruined the lives of the people.
Syria has come under the attack of arrogant powers and their regional agents because of supporting anti-Zionist orientations and it has experienced a bloody civil war. In Bahrain and Myanmar, Muslims have been ignored and their enemies are supported. Other nations are threatened by the USA and its allies with military attacks, economic sanctions and different acts of sabotage. Taking a general look at all these countries can reveal to all people throughout the world the true face of these leaders of global arrogance.
Political, cultural and religious personalities throughout the world of Islam should consider it their responsibility to draw everyone’s attention to these facts. This is the moral and religious responsibility of all of us. North African countries, which are unfortunately suffering from deep domestic conflicts today, should pay attention to this responsibility more than other countries. They should pay more attention to the issue of knowing the enemy and its plots and methods.
The continuation of these conflicts among nationalist orientations and Muslims’ negligence about the threat of domestic wars in such countries is a great danger. The loss that may be inflicted on the Islamic Ummah because of such events will not be quickly compensated for.
Of course, we have no doubts that the people who have risen against global arrogance and who have become the embodiment of Islamic Awakening in such countries will not, by Allah’s favor, allow time to go back so much so that the era of the corrupt, dependent and dictatorial rulers starts again. However, ignorance about the role of arrogant powers in creating discord and bringing about destructive interference will create a difficult situation for such countries and will cause a very long delay in achieving an era of dignity, security and welfare.
We believe, from the bottom of our hearts, in the capability of nations and in the power, faith, determination and foresight which Allah the Omniscient has offered to the masses of the people.
For more than three decades, we have seen this in the Islamic Republic with our own eyes and we have experienced it with all our hearts and souls. Our determination is an invitation forall Muslim nations, to this experience of their brothers in this dignified and indefatigable country.
I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow peace on Muslims and to foil the plots of the enemies. I ask Him to accept your hajj pilgrimage and bestow physical and spiritual health on you. I ask Him to provide you pilgrims of the House of God with an overflowing supply of spiritual blessings.
Greetings be upon you and Allah’s Mercy
Sayyid Ali Khamenei
12m:34s
11819
URDU HAJJ 2013 رہبر مسلمین آیت اللہ العظمی سید...
رہبر مسلمین آیت اللہ العظمی سید علی خامنہ ای کا پیغام حج - Rehbar Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei Ka...
رہبر مسلمین آیت اللہ العظمی سید علی خامنہ ای کا پیغام حج - Rehbar Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei Ka Payghame Hajj - Urdu
Leader\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s annual Hajj message in full
Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, delivered a message to this year’s hajj pilgrims. The following is the full text of the message:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds and peace and greetings be upon the Master of Prophets and Messengers and upon his immaculate and pure household and chosen companions.
The arrival of the hajj season should be regarded as the great Eid of the Islamic Ummah. The great opportunity which these precious days provide for Muslims throughout the world is like a miraculous elixir. If the value of such days is appreciated and if we benefit from such days in an appropriate way, many of the maladies of the world of Islam will be cured.
Hajj is the bubbling spring of divine blessings. Each and every one of you happy pilgrims has gained the opportunity to cleanse your hearts and souls with these religious practices, which are full of warmth and spirituality, and to collect many blessings for your entire life by using this source of mercy, dignity and power.
In this divine arena of self-edification you can express your humility before Allah the Merciful, carry out the responsibilities which have fallen on the shoulders of Muslims, show enthusiasm and dynamism in the affairs of the world and in your religious duties, offer mercy and forgiveness when you interact with Muslim brothers, demonstrate your courage and determination in the face of difficult events, become hopeful about divine assistance in all arenas and, finally, build your human character the way Muslims should.
When you are ornamented with these precious resources and when you have benefitted from them, then you can offer yourselves as gifts to your country, your nation and the Islamic Ummah.
More than anything else, the Islamic Ummah needs individuals who can utilize thoughts and actions as well as faith, sincerity and purity, who can show resistance in the face of the spiteful enemies as well as exercising self-purification and piety. This is the only way for the liberation of the great Muslim community from the problems which have been created, either by the enemy, or as a result ofthe lack of determination, faith and foresightamong Muslims. Muslims have suffered from these things for a very long time.
Without a doubt, the present era is an era of awakening, one in which Muslims can find their true identity. This truth can be easily discovered through the challenges which Muslims are faced with. It is exactly in such conditions that our determination- which is based on faith, reliance on God, foresight and wisdom- can help Muslim nations achieve victory against these challenges and bring about a dignified and honorable fate for Muslims.
The opposing camp which cannot tolerate Islamic Awakening and the dignity of Muslims has entered the arena with all its power and it is using all kinds of psychological, military, security, economic and propaganda tools to suppress Muslims, make them inactive and busy them with trivial things.
Taking a general look at the conditions of West Asian countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Palestine and countries surrounding the Persian Gulf, and North African countries such as Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan and a number of other countries- reveals many truths.
The existence of civil wars, religious and denominational prejudices and political instabilities, the prevalence of cruel terrorism, the emergence of extreme groups and orientations- which like savage tribes in history, cut open the chests of human beings and rip their hearts out with their teeth- the emergence of armed mercenaries who kill women and children, cut off the heads of men and rape women and who do such horrible and disgusting crimes in the name of religion are all the products of the satanic and arrogant plots of foreign intelligence services and their regional agents.
Such plots are implemented in countries in which the ground is prepared before-hand and as a result, they create a disastrous situation for these nations and peoples. In such conditions, it is clear that one cannot expect Muslim nations to remedy their material and spiritual shortcomings and to achieve security, welfare, scientific progress and international dignity which are the results of achieving awakening and finding one’s true identity.
These disastrous conditions can abort the progress of Islamic Awakening, destroy the mental awareness which has been created in the world of Islam, drag Muslims- once more- towards stagnation, isolation and decline and consign to oblivion important and fundamental issues such as the liberation of Palestine and other Muslim nations from the transgressions of the USA and Zionism.
The most important cure for this situation can be summarized in two key phrases, both of which are among the clearest lessons of hajj:
First: unity and brotherhood of Muslims under the flag of monotheism.
Second: knowing the enemy and confronting his plans and methods.
Strengthening the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation is a great lesson of hajj. During hajj, even quarrelling and arguing with others is forbidden. During hajj, wearing the same clothes, following the same practices, making the same moves and behaving in a kind way,all mean equality and brotherhood for all those who believe in and rely on monotheism.
This means that Islam strongly rejects any idea and belief which views a number of Muslims and believers in Ka’bah and monotheism as people who are outside the circle of Islam. Theseorientationswhich are based on takfirism, which have become playthings in the hands of the treacherous Zionist politicians and their western supporters- commit serious crimes and shed the blood of Muslims and innocent people, and the people who claim to be religious, who call themselves clerics and who fuel the fire of fitna between Shia and Sunni and otherdenominations- should know that the hajj pilgrimage will thwart their claims.
I, like many Islamic scholars and sympathetic personalities in the Islamic Ummah, announce that any statement or action which fuels the fire of discord among Muslims, any insult to the sacred beliefs of each one of the Muslim denominations and any act of takfirism against Islamic denominations equals serving the camp of atheism and polytheism and betraying Islam. All of these things are haraam.
Knowing the enemy and its methods is the second important factor. First, we should not forget about the existence of a spiteful enemy. Performing the ritual of the stoning of the jamarat during hajj is a symbolic sign of this awareness. Second, we should not make a mistake in knowing the main enemy, who in the present time is global arrogance and the criminal Zionist network.
Third, we should properly identify the methods of this hostile enemy which is creating discord among Muslims, promoting moral and political corruption, threatening and tempting outstanding personalities, exerting economic pressures on all nations and arousing doubts about Islamic beliefs. Moreover, we should identify their agents and those who are, knowingly or ignorantly, dependent on them.
Arrogant governments, headed by the USA, conceal their true character with the help of comprehensive and advanced propaganda tools. By claiming that they support human rights and democracy, they deceive public opinion in different countries. They speak about the rights of all nations while each day Muslim nations feel- with their bodies and souls- the fire of discord more than the past.
For decades, the oppressed Palestinian nation has been receiving strikes as a result of the crimes of the Zionist regime and its supporters. In the countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, terrorism - which originates from the policies of global arrogance and its agents in the region - has ruined the lives of the people.
Syria has come under the attack of arrogant powers and their regional agents because of supporting anti-Zionist orientations and it has experienced a bloody civil war. In Bahrain and Myanmar, Muslims have been ignored and their enemies are supported. Other nations are threatened by the USA and its allies with military attacks, economic sanctions and different acts of sabotage. Taking a general look at all these countries can reveal to all people throughout the world the true face of these leaders of global arrogance.
Political, cultural and religious personalities throughout the world of Islam should consider it their responsibility to draw everyone’s attention to these facts. This is the moral and religious responsibility of all of us. North African countries, which are unfortunately suffering from deep domestic conflicts today, should pay attention to this responsibility more than other countries. They should pay more attention to the issue of knowing the enemy and its plots and methods.
The continuation of these conflicts among nationalist orientations and Muslims’ negligence about the threat of domestic wars in such countries is a great danger. The loss that may be inflicted on the Islamic Ummah because of such events will not be quickly compensated for.
Of course, we have no doubts that the people who have risen against global arrogance and who have become the embodiment of Islamic Awakening in such countries will not, by Allah’s favor, allow time to go back so much so that the era of the corrupt, dependent and dictatorial rulers starts again. However, ignorance about the role of arrogant powers in creating discord and bringing about destructive interference will create a difficult situation for such countries and will cause a very long delay in achieving an era of dignity, security and welfare.
We believe, from the bottom of our hearts, in the capability of nations and in the power, faith, determination and foresight which Allah the Omniscient has offered to the masses of the people.
For more than three decades, we have seen this in the Islamic Republic with our own eyes and we have experienced it with all our hearts and souls. Our determination is an invitation forall Muslim nations, to this experience of their brothers in this dignified and indefatigable country.
I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow peace on Muslims and to foil the plots of the enemies. I ask Him to accept your hajj pilgrimage and bestow physical and spiritual health on you. I ask Him to provide you pilgrims of the House of God with an overflowing supply of spiritual blessings.
Greetings be upon you and Allah’s Mercy
Sayyid Ali Khamenei
13m:24s
41015
HAJJ Message 2013 - Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Ali Khamenei - [ENGLISH]
Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, delivered a message to this year’s hajj pilgrims. The following is the full...
Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, delivered a message to this year’s hajj pilgrims. The following is the full text of the message:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds and peace and greetings be upon the Master of Prophets and Messengers and upon his immaculate and pure household and chosen companions.
The arrival of the hajj season should be regarded as the great Eid of the Islamic Ummah. The great opportunity which these precious days provide for Muslims throughout the world is like a miraculous elixir. If the value of such days is appreciated and if we benefit from such days in an appropriate way, many of the maladies of the world of Islam will be cured.
Hajj is the bubbling spring of divine blessings. Each and every one of you happy pilgrims has gained the opportunity to cleanse your hearts and souls with these religious practices, which are full of warmth and spirituality, and to collect many blessings for your entire life by using this source of mercy, dignity and power.
In this divine arena of self-edification you can express your humility before Allah the Merciful, carry out the responsibilities which have fallen on the shoulders of Muslims, show enthusiasm and dynamism in the affairs of the world and in your religious duties, offer mercy and forgiveness when you interact with Muslim brothers, demonstrate your courage and determination in the face of difficult events, become hopeful about divine assistance in all arenas and, finally, build your human character the way Muslims should.
When you are ornamented with these precious resources and when you have benefitted from them, then you can offer yourselves as gifts to your country, your nation and the Islamic Ummah.
More than anything else, the Islamic Ummah needs individuals who can utilize thoughts and actions as well as faith, sincerity and purity, who can show resistance in the face of the spiteful enemies as well as exercising self-purification and piety. This is the only way for the liberation of the great Muslim community from the problems which have been created, either by the enemy, or as a result ofthe lack of determination, faith and foresightamong Muslims. Muslims have suffered from these things for a very long time.
Without a doubt, the present era is an era of awakening, one in which Muslims can find their true identity. This truth can be easily discovered through the challenges which Muslims are faced with. It is exactly in such conditions that our determination- which is based on faith, reliance on God, foresight and wisdom- can help Muslim nations achieve victory against these challenges and bring about a dignified and honorable fate for Muslims.
The opposing camp which cannot tolerate Islamic Awakening and the dignity of Muslims has entered the arena with all its power and it is using all kinds of psychological, military, security, economic and propaganda tools to suppress Muslims, make them inactive and busy them with trivial things.
Taking a general look at the conditions of West Asian countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Palestine and countries surrounding the Persian Gulf, and North African countries such as Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan and a number of other countries- reveals many truths.
The existence of civil wars, religious and denominational prejudices and political instabilities, the prevalence of cruel terrorism, the emergence of extreme groups and orientations- which like savage tribes in history, cut open the chests of human beings and rip their hearts out with their teeth- the emergence of armed mercenaries who kill women and children, cut off the heads of men and rape women and who do such horrible and disgusting crimes in the name of religion are all the products of the satanic and arrogant plots of foreign intelligence services and their regional agents.
Such plots are implemented in countries in which the ground is prepared before-hand and as a result, they create a disastrous situation for these nations and peoples. In such conditions, it is clear that one cannot expect Muslim nations to remedy their material and spiritual shortcomings and to achieve security, welfare, scientific progress and international dignity which are the results of achieving awakening and finding one’s true identity.
These disastrous conditions can abort the progress of Islamic Awakening, destroy the mental awareness which has been created in the world of Islam, drag Muslims- once more- towards stagnation, isolation and decline and consign to oblivion important and fundamental issues such as the liberation of Palestine and other Muslim nations from the transgressions of the USA and Zionism.
The most important cure for this situation can be summarized in two key phrases, both of which are among the clearest lessons of hajj:
First: unity and brotherhood of Muslims under the flag of monotheism.
Second: knowing the enemy and confronting his plans and methods.
Strengthening the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation is a great lesson of hajj. During hajj, even quarrelling and arguing with others is forbidden. During hajj, wearing the same clothes, following the same practices, making the same moves and behaving in a kind way,all mean equality and brotherhood for all those who believe in and rely on monotheism.
This means that Islam strongly rejects any idea and belief which views a number of Muslims and believers in Ka’bah and monotheism as people who are outside the circle of Islam. Theseorientationswhich are based on takfirism, which have become playthings in the hands of the treacherous Zionist politicians and their western supporters- commit serious crimes and shed the blood of Muslims and innocent people, and the people who claim to be religious, who call themselves clerics and who fuel the fire of fitna between Shia and Sunni and otherdenominations- should know that the hajj pilgrimage will thwart their claims.
I, like many Islamic scholars and sympathetic personalities in the Islamic Ummah, announce that any statement or action which fuels the fire of discord among Muslims, any insult to the sacred beliefs of each one of the Muslim denominations and any act of takfirism against Islamic denominations equals serving the camp of atheism and polytheism and betraying Islam. All of these things are haraam.
Knowing the enemy and its methods is the second important factor. First, we should not forget about the existence of a spiteful enemy. Performing the ritual of the stoning of the jamarat during hajj is a symbolic sign of this awareness. Second, we should not make a mistake in knowing the main enemy, who in the present time is global arrogance and the criminal Zionist network.
Third, we should properly identify the methods of this hostile enemy which is creating discord among Muslims, promoting moral and political corruption, threatening and tempting outstanding personalities, exerting economic pressures on all nations and arousing doubts about Islamic beliefs. Moreover, we should identify their agents and those who are, knowingly or ignorantly, dependent on them.
Arrogant governments, headed by the USA, conceal their true character with the help of comprehensive and advanced propaganda tools. By claiming that they support human rights and democracy, they deceive public opinion in different countries. They speak about the rights of all nations while each day Muslim nations feel- with their bodies and souls- the fire of discord more than the past.
For decades, the oppressed Palestinian nation has been receiving strikes as a result of the crimes of the Zionist regime and its supporters. In the countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, terrorism - which originates from the policies of global arrogance and its agents in the region - has ruined the lives of the people.
Syria has come under the attack of arrogant powers and their regional agents because of supporting anti-Zionist orientations and it has experienced a bloody civil war. In Bahrain and Myanmar, Muslims have been ignored and their enemies are supported. Other nations are threatened by the USA and its allies with military attacks, economic sanctions and different acts of sabotage. Taking a general look at all these countries can reveal to all people throughout the world the true face of these leaders of global arrogance.
Political, cultural and religious personalities throughout the world of Islam should consider it their responsibility to draw everyone’s attention to these facts. This is the moral and religious responsibility of all of us. North African countries, which are unfortunately suffering from deep domestic conflicts today, should pay attention to this responsibility more than other countries. They should pay more attention to the issue of knowing the enemy and its plots and methods.
The continuation of these conflicts among nationalist orientations and Muslims’ negligence about the threat of domestic wars in such countries is a great danger. The loss that may be inflicted on the Islamic Ummah because of such events will not be quickly compensated for.
Of course, we have no doubts that the people who have risen against global arrogance and who have become the embodiment of Islamic Awakening in such countries will not, by Allah’s favor, allow time to go back so much so that the era of the corrupt, dependent and dictatorial rulers starts again. However, ignorance about the role of arrogant powers in creating discord and bringing about destructive interference will create a difficult situation for such countries and will cause a very long delay in achieving an era of dignity, security and welfare.
We believe, from the bottom of our hearts, in the capability of nations and in the power, faith, determination and foresight which Allah the Omniscient has offered to the masses of the people.
For more than three decades, we have seen this in the Islamic Republic with our own eyes and we have experienced it with all our hearts and souls. Our determination is an invitation forall Muslim nations, to this experience of their brothers in this dignified and indefatigable country.
I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow peace on Muslims and to foil the plots of the enemies. I ask Him to accept your hajj pilgrimage and bestow physical and spiritual health on you. I ask Him to provide you pilgrims of the House of God with an overflowing supply of spiritual blessings.
Greetings be upon you and Allah’s Mercy
Sayyid Ali Khamenei
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[22 Oct 2013] Qatari court upholds jail sentence for poet Mohammed al...
In Qatar, a top court upholds a 15-year jail term for a poet who criticized Arab regimes in the Persian Gulf for crushing pro-democracy protests....
In Qatar, a top court upholds a 15-year jail term for a poet who criticized Arab regimes in the Persian Gulf for crushing pro-democracy protests. Qatar\'s Court of Cassation confirmed the sentence given to Muhammad Ibn al-Dheeb al-Ajami by an appeals court in February. The ruling is the final verdict from the highest court in the country. His lawyer has described the sentence as a political decision. Ajami was arrested in November 2011 and is accused of insulting the Emir of Qatar. Ajami\'s poem criticizes the ruling families for being dependent on US forces for the glory of their country instead of relying on their own people. Qatar is home to a major US military base.
3m:26s
6710
[23 Oct 2013] Bahraini regime forces kill 17 year old activist - English
Another Bahraini activist has fallen victim to the Al Khalifah regime\'s crackdown on dissent. This time, regime forces have shot and killed a...
Another Bahraini activist has fallen victim to the Al Khalifah regime\'s crackdown on dissent. This time, regime forces have shot and killed a 17-year-old. Viewer discretion is advised as the footage you\'re about to see contains graphic images. Reports from the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom say Ali Khalil al-Sabbagh was shot in the head in Bani Jamrah today. He had previously been arrested by the regime. On its Twitter account, Bahrain\'s Interior Ministry accused Sabbagh of being a terrorist and claimed he was trying to plant a bomb. The Bahraini security forces have also arrested Sabbagh\'s father. After news of the teenager\'s death broke, Bahrainis took to the streets across the island and held demonstrations.
3m:14s
7507
[24 Oct 2013] Bahraini opposition figure appears in court, denies...
In Bahrain, a prominent opposition leader appears in court to defend himself against charges of inciting violence.
Khalil al-Marzooq a top...
In Bahrain, a prominent opposition leader appears in court to defend himself against charges of inciting violence.
Khalil al-Marzooq a top member of the main Shia political bloc al-Wefaq rejected charges that he encouraged anti-regime attacks in the tiny Persian Gulf country. The arrest of Marzooq has prompted the Shia-led opposition to suspend political talks with the regime. Bahrain has been the scene of a nonstop uprising since 2011. Thousands of anti-government protesters have been staging regular demonstrations on the streets calling for the Al Khalifa royal family to relinquish power. The regime has responded with a crackdown in which scores of people have been killed and thousands arrested.
0m:42s
5342
[25 Oct 2013] Khalil al Marzooq freed on bail after appearing in court...
A prominent Bahraini opposition leader has been freed on bail after appearing in court on charges of inciting violence.
The court says the case...
A prominent Bahraini opposition leader has been freed on bail after appearing in court on charges of inciting violence.
The court says the case of Khalil al-Marzooq, a top member of the main Shia political bloc al-Wefaq will be reviewed in mid December. Marzooq has rejected charges that he encouraged anti-regime attacks in the tiny Persian Gulf country. The arrest of Marzooq had prompted the Shia-led opposition to suspend political talks with the regime. The opposition now says it will continue to boycott the talks, until its demands are fully met.
0m:32s
5465
[25 Oct 2013] Palestinian Authority asks 50 countries to pull out of...
The Palestinian Authority has started a new campaign aimed at promoting international support for boycotting Israeli settlements.
In a letter to...
The Palestinian Authority has started a new campaign aimed at promoting international support for boycotting Israeli settlements.
In a letter to fifty states including Persian Gulf countries, the PA urged them to clamp down on companies working with Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem al-Quds. Companies such as the French-owned Veolia and the British security company, G4S have been named in the letter. The Palestinian Authority also requested that those countries shut down all their operations in the settlements. Israeli settlements are illegal under international law, and the PA says providing services to them breaks the law. In recent months, a number of EU countries have also warned companies against entering the occupied Palestinian territories.
2m:55s
6542
[25 Oct 2013] HRW: Bahrain used disproportionate amounts of tear gas...
Human Rights Watch says Bahraini security forces have often used disproportionate amounts of tear gas in their crackdown on anti-regime protests....
Human Rights Watch says Bahraini security forces have often used disproportionate amounts of tear gas in their crackdown on anti-regime protests.
The rights group cites a document released by a Bahrain rights watch which says the Interior Ministry issued a tender back in June for supplies of one-point-six million tear gas canisters and 145000 stun grenades. The number of tear gas shells appears to be greater than the country\'s population of 1-point-2 million of which nearly 560-thousand are Bahraini nationals. This means that almost three tear gas canisters have been bought for every Bahraini civilian. South Korea and a joint South African-German company are the main suppliers of tear gas to the Persian Gulf kingdom, which has been cracking down on peaceful protests since early 2011. Bahraini protesters have been seeking the downfall of the ruling Al Khalifah monarchy.
0m:57s
5811
[25 Oct 2013] In Bahrain, thousands of protesters rally to show...
In Bahrain, thousands of anti-regime protesters have held a demonstration to show solidarity with a detained journalist.
The protesters called...
In Bahrain, thousands of anti-regime protesters have held a demonstration to show solidarity with a detained journalist.
The protesters called for the release of freelance journalist and photographer Hussain Hubail who was arrested in August on charges of campaigning through social networks and attending unauthorized protests. The Friday\'s protests also called for political reforms and a democratic transition. The opposition said, in a statement at the end of the rally, that the era of authoritarianism, tyranny and monopolizing power has come to an end. Bahraini police clashed with the protesters after the rally west of the capital Manama. The call for the release of political prisoners comes as Amnesty International has condemned the imprisonment of activists in Bahrain, describing the move as appalling. The tiny Persian Gulf kingdom has been gripped by protests calling for the downfall of the Al Khalifah since February 2011.
0m:47s
6709
[27 Oct 2013] Bahrain opposition boycotts national dialog over crackdown...
Bahrain\'s opposition group say they\'re going to continue their boycott of a national dialog over the Manama regime\'s ongoing crackdown on...
Bahrain\'s opposition group say they\'re going to continue their boycott of a national dialog over the Manama regime\'s ongoing crackdown on dissent.
They\'ve stressed that the recent release of the leader of the main opposition bloc, al-Wefaq, is not enough for them to return to the national dialog. This, just days after a Bahraini court ordered the release of Khalil al-Marzuq and said his case will be reviewed in mid-December. Marzuq was charged with encouraging anti-regime violence in the tiny island state in the Persian Gulf. He has rejected the charges. His arrest had prompted the Shia-led opposition to suspend political talks with the regime. Bahrain has been the scene of almost-daily protests against the regime since mid-February 2011, despite a heavy-handed crackdown on pro-democracy rallies.
3m:41s
6158
[30 Oct 2013] Bahraini court sentenced 10 anti-regime protesters to jail...
A Bahraini court has sentenced 10 anti-regime protesters to jail as part of Manama\'s continued crackdown on dissent.
Nine protesters were...
A Bahraini court has sentenced 10 anti-regime protesters to jail as part of Manama\'s continued crackdown on dissent.
Nine protesters were sentenced to terms of three-months to one-year in prison for taking part in protests against the al-Khalifah regime. Another protester was also given a six-month jail term for an alleged attack on a police station. The court had charged him with aggression against police, possession of petrol bombs and taking part in an unauthorized protest aiming at undermining public security. Meanwhile, tensions in the small Persian Gulf island nation continue to flare as police raid the headquarters of the main opposition bloc, called al-Wefaq. No word yet on the fate of those inside the H-Q, as regime forces refuse to allow anyone in or out of the building. Al-Wefaq\'s lawyer and the group\'s senior members have also been prevented from entering the building. The complex houses a museum that documents the Bahraini regime\'s human rights violations.
1m:0s
7260
[17 Nov 2013] West architect of terrorism in Syria: M. Chossudovsky -...
Press TV has conducted an interview with Michel Chossudovsky, Center for Research on Globalization, Montreal, about the issue of the Western proxy...
Press TV has conducted an interview with Michel Chossudovsky, Center for Research on Globalization, Montreal, about the issue of the Western proxy war in Syria and the fresh advances being made by the army of the Syrian government in its fight against insurgents backed by the West, Israel and some Persian Gulf states.
6m:57s
4708
[17 Nov 2013] Amnesty Intl censures Qatar for conditions of workers -...
International human rights groups have censured Qatar and Saudi Arabia for their treatment of migrant workers.
Amnesty International has issued...
International human rights groups have censured Qatar and Saudi Arabia for their treatment of migrant workers.
Amnesty International has issued a report criticizing the conditions of workers preparing venues for the 2022 World Cup. The report details non-payment of wages, harsh working conditions, and poor standards of accommodation. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has urged Persian Gulf monarchies to take additional steps to safeguard migrant workers. In a statement, HRW appealed to the Arab states to adopt the new codes of the International Labor Organization. Saudi Arabia is currently conducting a brutal crackdown on undocumented workers. Several people -- including three Ethiopians -- have been killed since the kingdom launched a visa crackdown two weeks ago.
4m:56s
5479
[18 Nov 2013] Rights groups urge boycott of Qatar World Cup over labor...
South Asian rights groups have called for a boycott of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar unless the Persian Gulf state improves conditions for migrant...
South Asian rights groups have called for a boycott of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar unless the Persian Gulf state improves conditions for migrant construction workers. Migrant workers, mostly from South or Southeast Asia, suffer alarming levels of exploitation. There are many reports of non-payment of wages and hazardous working conditions. Qatar is currently in the middle of a construction boom meant to prepare the gas-rich nation for the world\'s most popular sporting event. Amnesty International has also censured Qatar over its mistreatment of migrant construction workers, describing their conditions as deplorable.
3m:19s
6695
[19 Nov 2013] Syria minister blames KSA, PG states, israel for Beirut...
A Hezbollah lawmaker says israel and Saudi Arabia could be behind a terrorist attack outside Iran\'s embassy in the Lebanese capital Beirut....
A Hezbollah lawmaker says israel and Saudi Arabia could be behind a terrorist attack outside Iran\'s embassy in the Lebanese capital Beirut.
Meanwhile, Syrian information minister has laid the blame on Saudi Arabia and some other Persian Gulf states as well as the Israeli regime for the deadly blasts.
3m:14s
5781
[22 Nov 2013] Tens of thousands of Bahrainis protest against al Khalifa...
In Bahrain, tens of thousands of demonstrators pour onto the streets to protest against the regime\'s crackdown on dissident.
The march was...
In Bahrain, tens of thousands of demonstrators pour onto the streets to protest against the regime\'s crackdown on dissident.
The march was called by Bahrain\'s main opposition group al-Wefaq. The protesters called for the release of political detainees. Ahead of the rally, al-Wefaq issued a statement accusing the Al Khalifa regime of failing to implement recommendations made by an inquiry commission. Al-Wefaq has also condemned the continuation of arrests, political trials and discrimination against the Shia majority in the Persian Gulf island. Bahraini authorities have stepped up their crackdown on anti-regime activists over the past few weeks. Several people have been sentenced to lengthy jail terms while other activists have received life sentences.
0m:50s
6764
[22 Nov 2013] Bahraini regime forces attack anti-government protesters...
Bahraini regime forces have attacked anti-government protesters at a demonstration held to condemn the repression.
Saudi-backed Bahraini...
Bahraini regime forces have attacked anti-government protesters at a demonstration held to condemn the repression.
Saudi-backed Bahraini forces fired tear gas to disperse the protesters in the village of Daih, west of the capital Manama. On Friday, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest against the regime\'s crackdown. The demonstration was called by Bahrain\'s main opposition group, al-Wefaq. Ahead of the action, al-Wefaq issued a statement accusing the ruling Al Khalifah regime of failing to implement the recommendations made by a commission of inquiry. Al-Wefaq also condemned the continued arrests, political trials, and discrimination against the Shia majority in the Persian Gulf island nation.
4m:22s
7217
[24 Nov 2013] Bahraini court sentences 13 people to jail for...
The crackdown on dissent continues in Bahrain where a court has sentenced 13 people to jail for allegedly trying to kill policemen. Twelve of these...
The crackdown on dissent continues in Bahrain where a court has sentenced 13 people to jail for allegedly trying to kill policemen. Twelve of these Bahrainis received a 10-year jail term. Another person was given a three- year sentence. They had all taken part in an anti-regime demonstration.
In a separate case at another court in the Bahraini capital Manama, a policeman was acquitted of attempting to murder a protester because of what was called insufficient proof. The legal proceedings against protesters have been described as show trials by rights activists. The Bahraini regime has harshly cracked down on pro-democracy demonstrations which began in the Persian Gulf kingdom in early 2011.
5m:52s
6422