12 feb 2015
Israeli Intelligence Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz warned Thursday that Israel could act unilaterally against Iran over its nuclear drive, saying Tehran has failed to make concessions in talks with world powers.
"I won't be too specific but all options are still on the table," Steinitz told reporters.
"We never limited Israel's right of self-defense because of some diplomatic constraints," he said.
Significant gaps remain between Iran and the P5+1 world powers on specific measures to end a 12-year standoff on Tehran's nuclear program.
Two deadlines for a permanent agreement have already been missed, since an interim accord was struck in November 2013.
The P5+1 -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany -- have now set a March 31 deadline for a political agreement.
It would be followed by a final deal setting out all the technical points of what would be a complex accord by June 30
Iran denies seeking an atomic bomb and says its nuclear program is for peaceful energy purposes.
Steinitz said Iran has so far shown little or no flexibility on key issues such as uranium enrichment, destruction of related infrastructure and the fate of its Arak nuclear reactor and Fordow secret underground enrichment facility.
"Its a gloomy picture," said Steinitz, adding that he discussed it at last week's security conference in Munich with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano.
"The Iranians didn’t move much... therefore we are so disturbed," he said.
Steinitz said the agreement being thrashed out was "full of loopholes".
"If there is no agreement there is not agreement, but since we hear some optimism on both sides it seems to us that if there is an agreement by the end of March this means an agreement without Iran moving to significant progress."
"If this is the picture, how much can it change in one month?"
US Secretary of State John Kerry met his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif at the Munich conference and stressed Washington's commitment to seeing the deadline met.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted he has a "profound disagreement" with US President Barack Obama over the Iranian nuclear issue.
Washington and Iran are now seen as the key players of any potential deal.
"I won't be too specific but all options are still on the table," Steinitz told reporters.
"We never limited Israel's right of self-defense because of some diplomatic constraints," he said.
Significant gaps remain between Iran and the P5+1 world powers on specific measures to end a 12-year standoff on Tehran's nuclear program.
Two deadlines for a permanent agreement have already been missed, since an interim accord was struck in November 2013.
The P5+1 -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany -- have now set a March 31 deadline for a political agreement.
It would be followed by a final deal setting out all the technical points of what would be a complex accord by June 30
Iran denies seeking an atomic bomb and says its nuclear program is for peaceful energy purposes.
Steinitz said Iran has so far shown little or no flexibility on key issues such as uranium enrichment, destruction of related infrastructure and the fate of its Arak nuclear reactor and Fordow secret underground enrichment facility.
"Its a gloomy picture," said Steinitz, adding that he discussed it at last week's security conference in Munich with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano.
"The Iranians didn’t move much... therefore we are so disturbed," he said.
Steinitz said the agreement being thrashed out was "full of loopholes".
"If there is no agreement there is not agreement, but since we hear some optimism on both sides it seems to us that if there is an agreement by the end of March this means an agreement without Iran moving to significant progress."
"If this is the picture, how much can it change in one month?"
US Secretary of State John Kerry met his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif at the Munich conference and stressed Washington's commitment to seeing the deadline met.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted he has a "profound disagreement" with US President Barack Obama over the Iranian nuclear issue.
Washington and Iran are now seen as the key players of any potential deal.
10 feb 2015
Israel has owned to harboring a “profound disagreement” with the United States over efforts to strike a definitive nuclear accord with Iran.
"We do have today a profound disagreement with the United States administration and the rest of the P5+1” over the prospect of a permanent nuclear agreement with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office quoted him as saying on Tuesday.
The P5+1 group of world powers, namely Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States plus Germany, are seeking to seal a high-profile political deal by the end of March and to confirm the full technical details of the accord by July 1.
Netanyahu claimed that a potential such deal "would enable Iran to threaten Israel's survival."
"It (Iran) would be able, under this deal, to break out to a nuclear weapon in a short time, and within a few years, to have the industrial capability to produce many nuclear bombs for the goal of our destruction," the Israeli premier alleged.
Iran strongly rejects the allegations that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran says it needs the nuclear program for peaceful purposes, including generating electricity and producing radio-isotopes for medical purposes.
Obama: Same here
US President Barack Obama has likewise said he has sharp differences with Netanyahu on the Iranian nuclear issue, warning him against souring the ongoing negotiations with Tehran by visiting Washington, DC next month.
Last month, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner invited Netanyahu to speak about imposing further sanctions against Iran at a joint session of Congress.
"I don't want to be coy. The [Israeli] prime minister and I have a very real difference around Iran's sanctions," Obama said at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House on Monday.
"I have been very clear -- Angela agrees with me, and [British Prime Minister] David Cameron agrees with me, and the others who are a member of the negotiations agree that it does not make sense to sour the negotiations a month or two before they're about to be completed and we should play that out. If, in fact, we can get a deal, then we should embrace that," Obama said in response to a question.
Obama has refused to meet Netanyahu during his trip to Washington next month, saying diplomatic protocol forbade him from doing so, as the Israeli premier is fighting for re-election on March 17.
Top Obama administration officials and members of the Democratic Party are also angry at Netanyahu over his acceptance of the invitation without coordinating with Obama.
Over a dozen congressional Democrats say they would skip Netanyahu’s speech before Congress amid reports that he might withdraw from the planned address, the Washington-based The Hill newspaper reported on Monday.
Netanyahu: I am going anyway
Netanyahu said, "I am going to the United States not because I seek a confrontation with the president, but because I must fulfil my obligation to speak up on a matter that affects the very survival” of Israel.
The Israeli prime minister, however, said, "This is not a personal disagreement between President Obama and me. I deeply appreciate all that he has done for Israel in many fields."
"Equally, I know that the president appreciates my responsibility, my foremost responsibility, to protect and defend the security of Israel," Netanyahu said.
"We do have today a profound disagreement with the United States administration and the rest of the P5+1” over the prospect of a permanent nuclear agreement with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office quoted him as saying on Tuesday.
The P5+1 group of world powers, namely Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States plus Germany, are seeking to seal a high-profile political deal by the end of March and to confirm the full technical details of the accord by July 1.
Netanyahu claimed that a potential such deal "would enable Iran to threaten Israel's survival."
"It (Iran) would be able, under this deal, to break out to a nuclear weapon in a short time, and within a few years, to have the industrial capability to produce many nuclear bombs for the goal of our destruction," the Israeli premier alleged.
Iran strongly rejects the allegations that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran says it needs the nuclear program for peaceful purposes, including generating electricity and producing radio-isotopes for medical purposes.
Obama: Same here
US President Barack Obama has likewise said he has sharp differences with Netanyahu on the Iranian nuclear issue, warning him against souring the ongoing negotiations with Tehran by visiting Washington, DC next month.
Last month, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner invited Netanyahu to speak about imposing further sanctions against Iran at a joint session of Congress.
"I don't want to be coy. The [Israeli] prime minister and I have a very real difference around Iran's sanctions," Obama said at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House on Monday.
"I have been very clear -- Angela agrees with me, and [British Prime Minister] David Cameron agrees with me, and the others who are a member of the negotiations agree that it does not make sense to sour the negotiations a month or two before they're about to be completed and we should play that out. If, in fact, we can get a deal, then we should embrace that," Obama said in response to a question.
Obama has refused to meet Netanyahu during his trip to Washington next month, saying diplomatic protocol forbade him from doing so, as the Israeli premier is fighting for re-election on March 17.
Top Obama administration officials and members of the Democratic Party are also angry at Netanyahu over his acceptance of the invitation without coordinating with Obama.
Over a dozen congressional Democrats say they would skip Netanyahu’s speech before Congress amid reports that he might withdraw from the planned address, the Washington-based The Hill newspaper reported on Monday.
Netanyahu: I am going anyway
Netanyahu said, "I am going to the United States not because I seek a confrontation with the president, but because I must fulfil my obligation to speak up on a matter that affects the very survival” of Israel.
The Israeli prime minister, however, said, "This is not a personal disagreement between President Obama and me. I deeply appreciate all that he has done for Israel in many fields."
"Equally, I know that the president appreciates my responsibility, my foremost responsibility, to protect and defend the security of Israel," Netanyahu said.
2 feb 2015
|
|
|
24 jan 2015
File photo shows Islamic Revolution Guards Corps’ second-in-command, Brigadier General Hossein Salami.
A senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says Israel should brace for "a special retaliation" for killing six members of the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, and an Iranian general in the Syria’s Golan Heights.
“…We will certainly consider a special retaliation for this issue,” IRGC’s second-in-command, Brigadier General Hossein Salami told al-Alam on Saturday.
The commander also explained about plans to stretch the anti-Israeli battlefield, and open up a new front across the occupied West Bank.
“This is part of a new reality that will gradually unravel,” he added.
Salami said supporting Palestinian and Lebanese resistance fighters as well as creating new defensive infrastructure for Muslims living near the Israeli occupied territories have been and will be on Iran’s agenda.
On Sunday, an Israeli aircraft fired two missiles at the village of Quneitra in the Syrian Golan Heights bordering Lebanon. Six members of the Lebanese resistant movement Hezbollah and an IRGC commander were killed in the attack.
Hezbollah has vowed its response to the attack will be extremely painful.
IRGC chief, Major General Mohammad Ali Ja'fari, also warned Israel on Tuesday that the Zionist entity “should await annihilating thunderbolts.”
A senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says Israel should brace for "a special retaliation" for killing six members of the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, and an Iranian general in the Syria’s Golan Heights.
“…We will certainly consider a special retaliation for this issue,” IRGC’s second-in-command, Brigadier General Hossein Salami told al-Alam on Saturday.
The commander also explained about plans to stretch the anti-Israeli battlefield, and open up a new front across the occupied West Bank.
“This is part of a new reality that will gradually unravel,” he added.
Salami said supporting Palestinian and Lebanese resistance fighters as well as creating new defensive infrastructure for Muslims living near the Israeli occupied territories have been and will be on Iran’s agenda.
On Sunday, an Israeli aircraft fired two missiles at the village of Quneitra in the Syrian Golan Heights bordering Lebanon. Six members of the Lebanese resistant movement Hezbollah and an IRGC commander were killed in the attack.
Hezbollah has vowed its response to the attack will be extremely painful.
IRGC chief, Major General Mohammad Ali Ja'fari, also warned Israel on Tuesday that the Zionist entity “should await annihilating thunderbolts.”
22 jan 2015
Iran’s defense minister says Israel's recent attack on Syria's Golan Heights that killed six fighters of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah and a general of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) is sure to receive a response.
“The Zionists' move will not go unanswered" and will receive a response in due time,” Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said on Wednesday.
Such acts of terror by the Israeli regime will only strengthen the resistance front that is fighting the "Israeli and Takfiri" currents, he said.
On Sunday, an Israeli military helicopter fired two missiles into Amal Farms in the strategic southwestern city of Quneitra, close to the line separating the Syrian part of the Golan Heights from the Israeli-occupied sector.
Hezbollah confirmed the deaths of six fighters, saying its response will be painful.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian defense chief reiterated the Islamic Republic’s support for the anti-Israeli resistance movement.
“…Today the resistance front, as the representative of all Muslims, is acting against Zionists and Takfiri currents, and we will fully support it with all our potential,” Dehqan said.
He also stressed that Iran will use all its resources to arm Palestinians in the occupied West Bank against the Tel Aviv regime. “Arming the West Bank is a principal policy of the Islamic Republic’s establishment and we will use all our potential to that end."
Last November, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei reaffirmed Iran’s support for the Palestinians in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied territories, adding the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank should be armed to defend their land, just like the Gazans.
“The Zionists' move will not go unanswered" and will receive a response in due time,” Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said on Wednesday.
Such acts of terror by the Israeli regime will only strengthen the resistance front that is fighting the "Israeli and Takfiri" currents, he said.
On Sunday, an Israeli military helicopter fired two missiles into Amal Farms in the strategic southwestern city of Quneitra, close to the line separating the Syrian part of the Golan Heights from the Israeli-occupied sector.
Hezbollah confirmed the deaths of six fighters, saying its response will be painful.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian defense chief reiterated the Islamic Republic’s support for the anti-Israeli resistance movement.
“…Today the resistance front, as the representative of all Muslims, is acting against Zionists and Takfiri currents, and we will fully support it with all our potential,” Dehqan said.
He also stressed that Iran will use all its resources to arm Palestinians in the occupied West Bank against the Tel Aviv regime. “Arming the West Bank is a principal policy of the Islamic Republic’s establishment and we will use all our potential to that end."
Last November, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei reaffirmed Iran’s support for the Palestinians in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied territories, adding the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank should be armed to defend their land, just like the Gazans.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has censured Israel’s “insane measure” to assassinate an Iranian military commander along with a number of Hezbollah members through a helicopter attack in Syria’s occupied Golan Heights.
In a Wednesday message marking the martyrdom of Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Allahdadi, Zarif said such measures show the “Zionist occupiers’ alignment with Takfiri terrorists”.
Allahdadi was killed in the Israeli attack on January 18 along with six members of the Lebanese resistance movement, including Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of Hezbollah’s slain military commander Imad Mughniyeh.
Zarif extended his condolences over the deaths to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the martyrs’ families.
The attack “testifies to the occupiers’ weakness and frustration against the resistance of the nations in the region,” said the Iranian foreign minister, slamming the world’s “selective treatment of terrorism and extremism” along with “silence towards crimes against humanity and insulting religious sanctities.”
Meanwhile, “state terrorism is openly promoted,” he noted.
On Sunday, an Israeli military helicopter fired two missiles into Amal Farms in the strategic southwestern city of Quneitra, close to line separating the Syrian part of the Golan Heights from the Israeli-occupied sector.
The Tel Aviv regime has carried out several airstrikes in Syria since the start of the nearly four-year-old foreign-sponsored militancy there.
In a Wednesday message marking the martyrdom of Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Allahdadi, Zarif said such measures show the “Zionist occupiers’ alignment with Takfiri terrorists”.
Allahdadi was killed in the Israeli attack on January 18 along with six members of the Lebanese resistance movement, including Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of Hezbollah’s slain military commander Imad Mughniyeh.
Zarif extended his condolences over the deaths to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the martyrs’ families.
The attack “testifies to the occupiers’ weakness and frustration against the resistance of the nations in the region,” said the Iranian foreign minister, slamming the world’s “selective treatment of terrorism and extremism” along with “silence towards crimes against humanity and insulting religious sanctities.”
Meanwhile, “state terrorism is openly promoted,” he noted.
On Sunday, an Israeli military helicopter fired two missiles into Amal Farms in the strategic southwestern city of Quneitra, close to line separating the Syrian part of the Golan Heights from the Israeli-occupied sector.
The Tel Aviv regime has carried out several airstrikes in Syria since the start of the nearly four-year-old foreign-sponsored militancy there.
21 jan 2015
|
|
A funeral procession has been held for a senior Iranian military commander who was recently martyred in an airstrike carried out by an Israeli helicopter on Syria’s occupied Golan Heights.
The ceremony was held in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Wednesday with military top brass and a number of senior state officials in attendance. Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Allahdadi was killed in the Israeli attack on January 18 along with six members of the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah. Addressing the event, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said the composition of those killed in the attack, clearly proved the unity among the Islamic |
Ummah because they came from various backgrounds and were trying to restore security to Syria.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Major General Mostafa Izadi said on the sidelines of the ceremony that Tehran will continue to back the resistance front and provide advisory support to those fighting in this front.
The mourners who attended the funeral also chanted “Death to Israel” and “Death to the US.”
Following the procession, the Iranian commander’s body was transferred to Kerman Province, where he is to be buried in his hometown.
Allahdadi had traveled to Syria to provide consultation and help the Syrian government and nation counter the Takfiri and Salafi terrorists in the country.
On Tuesday, IRGC’s commander said in a statement that the elite forces will continue to help the anti-Israeli axis of resistance in the Middle East until full obliteration of the Zionist regime.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Major General Mostafa Izadi said on the sidelines of the ceremony that Tehran will continue to back the resistance front and provide advisory support to those fighting in this front.
The mourners who attended the funeral also chanted “Death to Israel” and “Death to the US.”
Following the procession, the Iranian commander’s body was transferred to Kerman Province, where he is to be buried in his hometown.
Allahdadi had traveled to Syria to provide consultation and help the Syrian government and nation counter the Takfiri and Salafi terrorists in the country.
On Tuesday, IRGC’s commander said in a statement that the elite forces will continue to help the anti-Israeli axis of resistance in the Middle East until full obliteration of the Zionist regime.
20 jan 2015
Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari , the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)
The chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the elite forces will continue to help the anti-Israeli axis of resistance in the Middle East region until full obliteration of the Zionist regime.
“The IRGC…will continue and deepen its support for the Muslim combatants and fighters in the region until full removal of this very epitome of evil from the geopolitics of the region,” Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said in a statement on Tuesday.
The statement came two days after the killing of an IRGC general in an Israeli airstrike on the occupied Golan Heights in Syria that also killed six members of the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah.
Jafari said the assassination of Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Allahdadi showed that "we should not distance ourselves from jihad."
"The Zionists should await annihilating thunderbolts,” he added.
Allahdadi had traveled to Syria to provide consultation and help the Syrian government and nation counter the Takfiri and Salafi terrorists in the war-stricken country.
On Sunday, an Israeli military helicopter fired two missiles into Amal Farms in the strategic southwestern city of Quneitra, close to line separating the Syrian part of the Golan Heights from the Israeli-occupied sector.
Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah confirmed the death of six fighters saying its response will be painful.
The chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the elite forces will continue to help the anti-Israeli axis of resistance in the Middle East region until full obliteration of the Zionist regime.
“The IRGC…will continue and deepen its support for the Muslim combatants and fighters in the region until full removal of this very epitome of evil from the geopolitics of the region,” Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said in a statement on Tuesday.
The statement came two days after the killing of an IRGC general in an Israeli airstrike on the occupied Golan Heights in Syria that also killed six members of the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah.
Jafari said the assassination of Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Allahdadi showed that "we should not distance ourselves from jihad."
"The Zionists should await annihilating thunderbolts,” he added.
Allahdadi had traveled to Syria to provide consultation and help the Syrian government and nation counter the Takfiri and Salafi terrorists in the war-stricken country.
On Sunday, an Israeli military helicopter fired two missiles into Amal Farms in the strategic southwestern city of Quneitra, close to line separating the Syrian part of the Golan Heights from the Israeli-occupied sector.
Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah confirmed the death of six fighters saying its response will be painful.
Iran’s Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani (L) shakes hands with his Turkish counterpart, Cemil Çiçek, in the Turkish city of Istanbul on January 20, 2014
Iran’s parliament (Majlis) speaker, Ali Larijani, has called for stronger unity among Muslim countries in the face of Israeli aggression.
“The issue of intervention of the Zionist regime [of Israel] in Syria is a significant sign that they (Israelis) plan to pressure Muslims countries through conspiracy,” Larijani, who is on an official trip to Turkey, said in a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Cemil Çiçek, in Istanbul on Tuesday.
On Sunday, an Israeli military helicopter fired two missiles into Amal Farms in the strategic southwestern Syrian city of Quneitra, close to line separating the Syrian part of the Golan Heights from the Israeli-occupied sector.
“Therefore, Muslim countries must unite in the face of incursions by the Zionist regime [of Israel] like the recent terrorist attack [on Syria] by this fake regime,” Larijani added.
He referred to the ongoing crisis in Syria, saying the status quo in Syria is not in the interest of any country, calling for political efforts to settle the Syria crisis for the restoration of stability to the conflict-stricken country.
Larijani also touched on ties between Tehran and Ankara, calling for the promotion of relations between the two countries.
Regarding the publication of blasphemous cartoons of Prophet Mohammad by French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, he said, “An issue that has hurt the feelings of Muslims is the offence against the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), which has been committed in the Western countries."
The Turkish speaker, for his part, pointed to the upcoming 10th session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (PUOIC), which is scheduled to be held in Turkey from January 20 to 22, expressing hope that the problems of Muslim countries will be addressed and a telling answer will be given to the recent offence against the holy Prophet.
Çiçek also noted that foreign intervention will fail to settle crises in the Middle East region.
The Western countries aim to exploit existing trivial differences among Muslims, the Turkish speaker stressed.
The 9th session of the PUOIC was held in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in February 2014 with representatives from nearly 50 countries in attendance.
Fighting extremism, challenges to democracy in Muslim nations, technical and scientific cooperation as well as the issue of Palestine were the main topics on the agenda of the 2014 meeting.
Iran’s parliament (Majlis) speaker, Ali Larijani, has called for stronger unity among Muslim countries in the face of Israeli aggression.
“The issue of intervention of the Zionist regime [of Israel] in Syria is a significant sign that they (Israelis) plan to pressure Muslims countries through conspiracy,” Larijani, who is on an official trip to Turkey, said in a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Cemil Çiçek, in Istanbul on Tuesday.
On Sunday, an Israeli military helicopter fired two missiles into Amal Farms in the strategic southwestern Syrian city of Quneitra, close to line separating the Syrian part of the Golan Heights from the Israeli-occupied sector.
“Therefore, Muslim countries must unite in the face of incursions by the Zionist regime [of Israel] like the recent terrorist attack [on Syria] by this fake regime,” Larijani added.
He referred to the ongoing crisis in Syria, saying the status quo in Syria is not in the interest of any country, calling for political efforts to settle the Syria crisis for the restoration of stability to the conflict-stricken country.
Larijani also touched on ties between Tehran and Ankara, calling for the promotion of relations between the two countries.
Regarding the publication of blasphemous cartoons of Prophet Mohammad by French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, he said, “An issue that has hurt the feelings of Muslims is the offence against the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), which has been committed in the Western countries."
The Turkish speaker, for his part, pointed to the upcoming 10th session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (PUOIC), which is scheduled to be held in Turkey from January 20 to 22, expressing hope that the problems of Muslim countries will be addressed and a telling answer will be given to the recent offence against the holy Prophet.
Çiçek also noted that foreign intervention will fail to settle crises in the Middle East region.
The Western countries aim to exploit existing trivial differences among Muslims, the Turkish speaker stressed.
The 9th session of the PUOIC was held in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in February 2014 with representatives from nearly 50 countries in attendance.
Fighting extremism, challenges to democracy in Muslim nations, technical and scientific cooperation as well as the issue of Palestine were the main topics on the agenda of the 2014 meeting.
Iran’s Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani says Israel is behind all acts of terror in the Middle East, calling for necessary action in the face of the Tel Aviv regime’s terrorist activities.
“The role of the Zionist regime in the acts of terror in the region, particularly operations conducted in Syria, is totally obvious, and necessary measures should be taken in these cases,” Larijani said on Tuesday.
The Iranian speaker also pointed to the upcoming 10th session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (PUOIC), in which he will also take part, and said that the different challenges facing the Muslim world, including terrorism, are among major topics of discussion in the event.
The conference is scheduled to be held in Turkey from January 20 to 22.
The 9th session of the PUOIC was held in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in February 2014 with representatives from nearly 50 countries in attendance.
Fighting extremism, challenges to democracy in Islamic nations, technical and scientific cooperation as well as the issue of Palestine were the main topics on the agenda of the 2014 meeting.
“The role of the Zionist regime in the acts of terror in the region, particularly operations conducted in Syria, is totally obvious, and necessary measures should be taken in these cases,” Larijani said on Tuesday.
The Iranian speaker also pointed to the upcoming 10th session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (PUOIC), in which he will also take part, and said that the different challenges facing the Muslim world, including terrorism, are among major topics of discussion in the event.
The conference is scheduled to be held in Turkey from January 20 to 22.
The 9th session of the PUOIC was held in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in February 2014 with representatives from nearly 50 countries in attendance.
Fighting extremism, challenges to democracy in Islamic nations, technical and scientific cooperation as well as the issue of Palestine were the main topics on the agenda of the 2014 meeting.
19 jan 2015
Jihad Moghaniya
The Israeli air force, on Sunday evening, fired missiles targeting a number of fighters from the Lebanon-based Hezbollah party, in the Syrian bity of al-Qneitra, killing several fighters, including the son of late Hezbollah leader Imad Mughaniya, who was assassinated by Israel in February of 2008.
The Hezbollah party, headed by Hasan Nasrallah, said that seven of its fighters, including three senior leaders, were killed by Israeli missiles, and that one of slain has been identified as Jihad Moghaniya.
The other six slain fighters are Mahdi Mosawy, Ali Fuad, Hasan al-Ash-hab, Hussein Hasan, Mohammad Issa and Ali Rida.
Hezbollah-run TV in Lebanon, al-Manar, said the Israeli army targeted the fighters while inspecting al-Amal Farms in al-Qneitra.
Israeli Ynet News reported that Major General (res.) Yuav Galant hinted that the assassination, especially the timing of it, was motivated by the upcoming Israeli elections.
Galant said that the timing of the assassination is similar to the assassination of al-Qassam leader in Gaza, Ahmad al-Ja’bari, who was killed by an Israeli missile in 2012.
This assassination was the breaking point that was followed by the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, dubbed by Tel Aviv as “Pillar Of Defense.”
Galant said that al-Ja’abary’s assassination comes just two months ahead of the 2013 Israel election.
He said the move took place as Israel was preparing for general election and, although the army had many previous opportunities to kill him, they did not do so due to timing considerations.
He was serving as general commander of the Southern Command of the Israeli military, prior to the assassination.
The Israeli army claims that the fighters were killed, allegedly, “while planning to attack Israel”.
The assassination comes but a few days after the Hezbollah leader denounced the repeated Israeli strikes against Syria as an ongoing aggression, and that his party, fighting in Syria in cooperation with the Syrian army, has the right to retaliate.
Israeli TV Channel 2 reported, Sunday evening, that Israel believes Hezbollah will retaliate for the assassination, and that the army has stepped-up its readiness in the northern region, close to the border with Syria and Lebanon.
The army estimates that Hezbollah fighters will likely fires mortar shells, and other types of missiles and, at the time of this publication, Israel has reportedly deployed its Iron Dome missile intercepting system in the region..
Although Israel did not officially claim the assassination, Israel Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon told Israeli radio that “if Hezbollah says its men were killed in the attack, then let them explain to us what were they doing in Syria to start with”.
Meanwhile, Arabs48 news website also reported that, according to an Israeli security official, the air force targeted fighters in the Al-Qneitra area, allegedly, as they were “planning to attack Israel”.
Syrian sources said that an Israeli drone fired two missiles which led to the death of the Hezbollah fighters.
The area of al-Qneitra is the site of fierce battles between the Syrian army and different armed groups, including fighters affiliated with al-Qaeda.
It is worth mentioning that Imad Moghaniya was assassinated in Damascus, in 2008, and was regarded as one of the most sought fighters by Israel and the United States, for attacks against Israeli and other targets.
The Israeli army is responsible for numerous strikes targeting Syria, including several against military centers and scientific research facilities, leading to dozens of casualties.
Iran general killed with Hezbollah fighters in Israel raid
An Israeli strike on Syria killed an Iranian general, Tehran confirmed Monday, as thousands of supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah gathered to bury one of six fighters killed in the same raid.
The attack on Sunday near Quneitra on the Syrian-controlled side of the Golan Heights enraged Hezbollah's supporters, but analysts said the group would avoid a major escalation with Israel.
Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards confirmed the death of one of their generals in a statement on their website.
"General Mohammad Ali Allahdadi and a number of fighters and Islamic Resistance (Hezbollah) forces were attacked by the Zionist regime's helicopters," it said.
"This brave general and some members of Hezbollah were martyred."
A source close to Hezbollah said six Iranians had been killed in the attack. Hezbollah told AFP that it was not the source of that toll.
Among Hezbollah's dead was Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of an assassinated commander from the group, and Mohammed Issa, a commander responsible for Hezbollah's operations in Syria and Iraq.
Once solely focused on fighting Israel, Hezbollah is now deeply involved in the war in neighboring Syria, where it backs President Bashar Assad.
'Resistance will decide response'
With its forces spread thin, and little appetite in fragile Lebanon for a new conflict with Israel, analysts said Hezbollah would seek to respond to the raid without provoking a full-on war.
On Monday afternoon, thousands of mourners gathered in Hezbollah's southern Beirut stronghold for Mughniyeh's funeral.
"God willing, the resistance will retaliate but the leadership of the resistance will be the one to decide the nature and timing," said Hassana Sadaqa, as she prepared to pay her respects.
Mourners chanted "Our party is Hezbollah, our leader is Nasrallah" as the coffin was carried through the streets and shots were fired into the air.
Mughniyeh was buried in the same cemetery as his father Imad, who was killed in a 2008 car bombing that Hezbollah blamed on Israel.
As the crowds marched through the streets, residents threw confetti down from their balconies, celebrating what they see as the fighters' "martyrdom."
Hezbollah's al-Manar television said the six were killed as they carried out reconnaissance.
But an Israeli security source said an Israeli helicopter carried our a strike on "terrorists" who were preparing an attack on Israel.
'Israel called Hezbollah's bluff'
The strike came days after Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah threatened to retaliate against Israel for its repeated strikes on targets in Syria and boasted the movement was stronger than ever.
He touted its sophisticated arsenal, including Fateh-110 missiles, which have a range of 200 kilometers (125 miles) or more and are capable of hitting much of Israel.
Analysts said the Israeli strike, days after Nasrallah's bellicose remarks, stood to embarrass Hezbollah.
"What happened is that the Israelis called Hezbollah's bluff last night," said Hilal Khashan, a professor of political science at the American University in Beirut.
But he said Hezbollah's response was likely to be limited "because if it retaliates, it will be another war. Hezbollah is in Syria and it is not ready for another war against Israel."
Walid Charara, an analyst close to Hezbollah, said he had "no doubt" that the group would respond, either from Lebanese or Syrian territory.
Khashan said Hezbollah could resort to small-scale attacks, like a roadside bomb on the ceasefire line with Israel it claimed last year, but would avoid a more serious response.
Speaking to reporters at the funeral, Mahmoud Qmati, a member of Hezbollah's political bureau, said all-out war was unlikely, but that "the war of (limited) strikes, assassinations, and intermittent confrontation continues."
But another Hezbollah official, MP Bilal Farhat, refused to say what might happen next. "Let's wait and see," he said.
Lebanese media weighed the prospect of conflict, with the al-Safir newspaper saying Hezbollah needed something "more than a reply and less than a war."
In Israel, analysts made the same calculation.
"Hezbollah doesn't want a full-fledged war," said Yoram Schweitzer, a former Israeli military counterterrorism chief.
"It has a number of possibilities to respond in different arenas. We assume that it currently does not want full contact," he told AFP.
Israel occupied parts of Lebanon for 22 years until 2000 and the two countries are still technically at war.
In 2006, Israel fought a bloody war against Hezbollah that killed more than 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and some 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.
Israel strike on Syria 'also killed 6 Iranians'
An Israeli strike on Syria that killed six members of Hezbollah also killed six Iranian solders, including commanders, a source close to the Lebanese Shiite group told AFP on Monday.
"The Israeli strike killed six Iranian soldiers, including commanders, as well as the six members of Hezbollah. They were all in a convoy of three cars," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Israeli air force, on Sunday evening, fired missiles targeting a number of fighters from the Lebanon-based Hezbollah party, in the Syrian bity of al-Qneitra, killing several fighters, including the son of late Hezbollah leader Imad Mughaniya, who was assassinated by Israel in February of 2008.
The Hezbollah party, headed by Hasan Nasrallah, said that seven of its fighters, including three senior leaders, were killed by Israeli missiles, and that one of slain has been identified as Jihad Moghaniya.
The other six slain fighters are Mahdi Mosawy, Ali Fuad, Hasan al-Ash-hab, Hussein Hasan, Mohammad Issa and Ali Rida.
Hezbollah-run TV in Lebanon, al-Manar, said the Israeli army targeted the fighters while inspecting al-Amal Farms in al-Qneitra.
Israeli Ynet News reported that Major General (res.) Yuav Galant hinted that the assassination, especially the timing of it, was motivated by the upcoming Israeli elections.
Galant said that the timing of the assassination is similar to the assassination of al-Qassam leader in Gaza, Ahmad al-Ja’bari, who was killed by an Israeli missile in 2012.
This assassination was the breaking point that was followed by the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, dubbed by Tel Aviv as “Pillar Of Defense.”
Galant said that al-Ja’abary’s assassination comes just two months ahead of the 2013 Israel election.
He said the move took place as Israel was preparing for general election and, although the army had many previous opportunities to kill him, they did not do so due to timing considerations.
He was serving as general commander of the Southern Command of the Israeli military, prior to the assassination.
The Israeli army claims that the fighters were killed, allegedly, “while planning to attack Israel”.
The assassination comes but a few days after the Hezbollah leader denounced the repeated Israeli strikes against Syria as an ongoing aggression, and that his party, fighting in Syria in cooperation with the Syrian army, has the right to retaliate.
Israeli TV Channel 2 reported, Sunday evening, that Israel believes Hezbollah will retaliate for the assassination, and that the army has stepped-up its readiness in the northern region, close to the border with Syria and Lebanon.
The army estimates that Hezbollah fighters will likely fires mortar shells, and other types of missiles and, at the time of this publication, Israel has reportedly deployed its Iron Dome missile intercepting system in the region..
Although Israel did not officially claim the assassination, Israel Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon told Israeli radio that “if Hezbollah says its men were killed in the attack, then let them explain to us what were they doing in Syria to start with”.
Meanwhile, Arabs48 news website also reported that, according to an Israeli security official, the air force targeted fighters in the Al-Qneitra area, allegedly, as they were “planning to attack Israel”.
Syrian sources said that an Israeli drone fired two missiles which led to the death of the Hezbollah fighters.
The area of al-Qneitra is the site of fierce battles between the Syrian army and different armed groups, including fighters affiliated with al-Qaeda.
It is worth mentioning that Imad Moghaniya was assassinated in Damascus, in 2008, and was regarded as one of the most sought fighters by Israel and the United States, for attacks against Israeli and other targets.
The Israeli army is responsible for numerous strikes targeting Syria, including several against military centers and scientific research facilities, leading to dozens of casualties.
Iran general killed with Hezbollah fighters in Israel raid
An Israeli strike on Syria killed an Iranian general, Tehran confirmed Monday, as thousands of supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah gathered to bury one of six fighters killed in the same raid.
The attack on Sunday near Quneitra on the Syrian-controlled side of the Golan Heights enraged Hezbollah's supporters, but analysts said the group would avoid a major escalation with Israel.
Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards confirmed the death of one of their generals in a statement on their website.
"General Mohammad Ali Allahdadi and a number of fighters and Islamic Resistance (Hezbollah) forces were attacked by the Zionist regime's helicopters," it said.
"This brave general and some members of Hezbollah were martyred."
A source close to Hezbollah said six Iranians had been killed in the attack. Hezbollah told AFP that it was not the source of that toll.
Among Hezbollah's dead was Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of an assassinated commander from the group, and Mohammed Issa, a commander responsible for Hezbollah's operations in Syria and Iraq.
Once solely focused on fighting Israel, Hezbollah is now deeply involved in the war in neighboring Syria, where it backs President Bashar Assad.
'Resistance will decide response'
With its forces spread thin, and little appetite in fragile Lebanon for a new conflict with Israel, analysts said Hezbollah would seek to respond to the raid without provoking a full-on war.
On Monday afternoon, thousands of mourners gathered in Hezbollah's southern Beirut stronghold for Mughniyeh's funeral.
"God willing, the resistance will retaliate but the leadership of the resistance will be the one to decide the nature and timing," said Hassana Sadaqa, as she prepared to pay her respects.
Mourners chanted "Our party is Hezbollah, our leader is Nasrallah" as the coffin was carried through the streets and shots were fired into the air.
Mughniyeh was buried in the same cemetery as his father Imad, who was killed in a 2008 car bombing that Hezbollah blamed on Israel.
As the crowds marched through the streets, residents threw confetti down from their balconies, celebrating what they see as the fighters' "martyrdom."
Hezbollah's al-Manar television said the six were killed as they carried out reconnaissance.
But an Israeli security source said an Israeli helicopter carried our a strike on "terrorists" who were preparing an attack on Israel.
'Israel called Hezbollah's bluff'
The strike came days after Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah threatened to retaliate against Israel for its repeated strikes on targets in Syria and boasted the movement was stronger than ever.
He touted its sophisticated arsenal, including Fateh-110 missiles, which have a range of 200 kilometers (125 miles) or more and are capable of hitting much of Israel.
Analysts said the Israeli strike, days after Nasrallah's bellicose remarks, stood to embarrass Hezbollah.
"What happened is that the Israelis called Hezbollah's bluff last night," said Hilal Khashan, a professor of political science at the American University in Beirut.
But he said Hezbollah's response was likely to be limited "because if it retaliates, it will be another war. Hezbollah is in Syria and it is not ready for another war against Israel."
Walid Charara, an analyst close to Hezbollah, said he had "no doubt" that the group would respond, either from Lebanese or Syrian territory.
Khashan said Hezbollah could resort to small-scale attacks, like a roadside bomb on the ceasefire line with Israel it claimed last year, but would avoid a more serious response.
Speaking to reporters at the funeral, Mahmoud Qmati, a member of Hezbollah's political bureau, said all-out war was unlikely, but that "the war of (limited) strikes, assassinations, and intermittent confrontation continues."
But another Hezbollah official, MP Bilal Farhat, refused to say what might happen next. "Let's wait and see," he said.
Lebanese media weighed the prospect of conflict, with the al-Safir newspaper saying Hezbollah needed something "more than a reply and less than a war."
In Israel, analysts made the same calculation.
"Hezbollah doesn't want a full-fledged war," said Yoram Schweitzer, a former Israeli military counterterrorism chief.
"It has a number of possibilities to respond in different arenas. We assume that it currently does not want full contact," he told AFP.
Israel occupied parts of Lebanon for 22 years until 2000 and the two countries are still technically at war.
In 2006, Israel fought a bloody war against Hezbollah that killed more than 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and some 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.
Israel strike on Syria 'also killed 6 Iranians'
An Israeli strike on Syria that killed six members of Hezbollah also killed six Iranian solders, including commanders, a source close to the Lebanese Shiite group told AFP on Monday.
"The Israeli strike killed six Iranian soldiers, including commanders, as well as the six members of Hezbollah. They were all in a convoy of three cars," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Page: 2 - 1
