[h=1]US created ISIS, seeks discord among Muslims – Ayatollah Khamenei[/h]Published time: 30 Dec, 2015 18:05
The US is hostile towards Islam and tries to create divisions between Muslims, said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, also accusing Washington of conceiving the Islamic State terrorist group.
“One of the main tools used by the enemies to prevent the birth of modern Islamic civilization is through creating divisions among Muslims,” Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday, as cited by Fars news agency.
Khamenei believes that the US is against the principles of Islam and promoting terror groups such as Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).
“The present US officials are against the principles of Islam and, unlike their statements, they are after fomenting differences among Muslims, and its example is creating terrorist groups like Daesh (the Arabic acronym for ISIS) and other groups that have been created through the funding of the US affiliates and their political aids; they (the American officials) have caused the recent tragedies in the Muslim world,”Khamenei said.
“The Shiite or Sunni does not make any difference for the Americans; they are against any Muslim who wants to live in accordance with Islamic rules and make efforts to that end.”
Iran’s spiritual leader insisted that “arrogant powers” are creating internal conflicts between Muslims and destroy infrastructures of Arab countries such as Libya, Syria and Yemen.
“…when the Islamic awakening started they grew worried and tried to contain it and they even succeeded in some countries, but the Islamic awakening cannot be destroyed…” the Ayatollah said.
He also criticized the Islamic world for keeping silent about the pressure exerted on Bahraini Muslims, the ongoing bombings in Yemen, as well as the situation in Iraq and Syria.
Criticism of the polarization of the Muslim world was also expressed by Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, who called for unity on Sunday.
“There is neither a Shiite nor a Sunni crescent. We have an Islamic moon. We, Muslims, are in a world where we must be united,” the Iranian president said. “Does the destruction of Syria help strengthen Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates or other countries? Is anyone pleased by Syria’s destruction, apart from Israel?”
Ali Khamenei, who became Iran’s Supreme Leader in 1989 after the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, is a vigorous critic of the US policy.
The problem of Islamic State is a common challenge for Muslim states. Prominent politicians from Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Turkey and other countries have criticized IS for its policy of terror, saying the group has nothing to do with Islam.
The US is hostile towards Islam and tries to create divisions between Muslims, said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, also accusing Washington of conceiving the Islamic State terrorist group.
“One of the main tools used by the enemies to prevent the birth of modern Islamic civilization is through creating divisions among Muslims,” Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday, as cited by Fars news agency.
Khamenei believes that the US is against the principles of Islam and promoting terror groups such as Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).
“The present US officials are against the principles of Islam and, unlike their statements, they are after fomenting differences among Muslims, and its example is creating terrorist groups like Daesh (the Arabic acronym for ISIS) and other groups that have been created through the funding of the US affiliates and their political aids; they (the American officials) have caused the recent tragedies in the Muslim world,”Khamenei said.
“The Shiite or Sunni does not make any difference for the Americans; they are against any Muslim who wants to live in accordance with Islamic rules and make efforts to that end.”
Iran’s spiritual leader insisted that “arrogant powers” are creating internal conflicts between Muslims and destroy infrastructures of Arab countries such as Libya, Syria and Yemen.
“…when the Islamic awakening started they grew worried and tried to contain it and they even succeeded in some countries, but the Islamic awakening cannot be destroyed…” the Ayatollah said.
He also criticized the Islamic world for keeping silent about the pressure exerted on Bahraini Muslims, the ongoing bombings in Yemen, as well as the situation in Iraq and Syria.
Criticism of the polarization of the Muslim world was also expressed by Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, who called for unity on Sunday.
“There is neither a Shiite nor a Sunni crescent. We have an Islamic moon. We, Muslims, are in a world where we must be united,” the Iranian president said. “Does the destruction of Syria help strengthen Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates or other countries? Is anyone pleased by Syria’s destruction, apart from Israel?”
Ali Khamenei, who became Iran’s Supreme Leader in 1989 after the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, is a vigorous critic of the US policy.
The problem of Islamic State is a common challenge for Muslim states. Prominent politicians from Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Turkey and other countries have criticized IS for its policy of terror, saying the group has nothing to do with Islam.
[h=1]U.S. preparing new sanctions over Iran's ballistic missile program -sources[/h]WASHINGTON
Dec 30 The Obama administration is preparing new sanctions on international companies and individuals over Iran's ballistic missile program, sources familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.
Dec 30 The Obama administration is preparing new sanctions on international companies and individuals over Iran's ballistic missile program, sources familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.
Iranian president wants to expand missile program in response to US sanctions - media
Published time: 31 Dec, 2015 16:36Edited time: 31 Dec, 2015 17:39
Iran is set to expand its missile program in response to the US threat to introduce new sanctions, President Hassan Rouhani said, according to Iranian news agency IRNA.
Iran needs to step up its missile capabilities in response to aggressive actions by the US, which is threatening to impose more sanctions over a missile test that Iran held in October, Rouhani wrote in a letter addressed to Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan. The president says Iran has a right to continue developing its missiles since they are not capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
“As the US government is clearly still pursuing its hostile policies and illegal meddling ... the armed forces need to quickly and significantly increase their missile capability,” Rouhani wrote.
A number of individuals and international companies are to be subjected to a new round of sanctions prepared by the Treasury Department for their alleged role in supporting Iran’s missile program, a US official said Wednesday.
The US move comes after an Iranian missile test carried out in October that broke a UN Security Council resolution restricting the development of missiles that are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
The list of companies and individuals that may face sanctions includes Dubai-based Mabrooka Trading Co and its founder Hossein Pournaghshband; Hong Kong-based Anhui Land Group Co; Sayyed Javad Musavi, commercial director of Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group; and seven officials from Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, or MODAFL.
If passed, the sanctions would prohibit US and foreign nationals from doing business with those on the list, while US banks would have to block their assets, should they come under their jurisdiction.
The new sanctions would be the first since the US and Iran closed a deal in July that limited Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from nuclear restrictions.
Iran has already accused the US of violating the deal after Congress adopted a bill requiring foreign nationals who have visited Syria or Iran to obtain an American visa before entering the country. The measures were approved following the mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, in early December.
Published time: 31 Dec, 2015 16:36Edited time: 31 Dec, 2015 17:39
Iran is set to expand its missile program in response to the US threat to introduce new sanctions, President Hassan Rouhani said, according to Iranian news agency IRNA.
Iran needs to step up its missile capabilities in response to aggressive actions by the US, which is threatening to impose more sanctions over a missile test that Iran held in October, Rouhani wrote in a letter addressed to Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan. The president says Iran has a right to continue developing its missiles since they are not capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
“As the US government is clearly still pursuing its hostile policies and illegal meddling ... the armed forces need to quickly and significantly increase their missile capability,” Rouhani wrote.
A number of individuals and international companies are to be subjected to a new round of sanctions prepared by the Treasury Department for their alleged role in supporting Iran’s missile program, a US official said Wednesday.
The US move comes after an Iranian missile test carried out in October that broke a UN Security Council resolution restricting the development of missiles that are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
The list of companies and individuals that may face sanctions includes Dubai-based Mabrooka Trading Co and its founder Hossein Pournaghshband; Hong Kong-based Anhui Land Group Co; Sayyed Javad Musavi, commercial director of Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group; and seven officials from Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, or MODAFL.
If passed, the sanctions would prohibit US and foreign nationals from doing business with those on the list, while US banks would have to block their assets, should they come under their jurisdiction.
The new sanctions would be the first since the US and Iran closed a deal in July that limited Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from nuclear restrictions.
Iran has already accused the US of violating the deal after Congress adopted a bill requiring foreign nationals who have visited Syria or Iran to obtain an American visa before entering the country. The measures were approved following the mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, in early December.
[h=1]US Says Iran Launched 'Provocative' Rocket Test Near Ships[/h] The U.S. on Wednesday accused Iran of launching a "highly provocative" rocket test last week near its warships and commercial traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz, exposing how tensions between the two countries could escalate even after a landmark nuclear deal.
The strategic Persian Gulf waterway, which sees nearly a third of all oil traded by sea pass through it, has been the scene of past confrontations between America and Iran, including a one-day naval battle in 1988.
But Saturday's incident brought no immediate response from Iranian officials or media, while French authorities downplayed its danger.
Military vessels taking part in the war against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria also pass through the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. On Saturday, the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, the USS Bulkeley destroyer and a French frigate, the FS Provence, were passing through it, said Cmdr. Kyle Raines, a U.S. Central Command spokesman.
As they passed, Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels, hailing other ships in the strait over maritime radio, announced they'd be carrying out a live fire exercise, Raines said in a statement. After 23 minutes, the Iranian boats fired "several unguided rockets" about 1,370 meters (1,500 yards) from the warships and commercial traffic, he said.
While the rockets weren't fired in the direction of any ships, Raines said Iran's "actions were highly provocative."
"Firing weapons so close to passing coalition ships and commercial traffic within an internationally recognized maritime traffic lane is unsafe, unprofessional and inconsistent with international maritime law," he said.
A French military official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to be publicly named, confirmed the rocket fire took place Saturday. However, the official said the French military did not consider it to be a threatening event as the rocket fire clearly wasn't directed toward the Western fleet.
The French frigate is now escorting the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which is launching airstrikes against the Islamic State group, the official said.
NBC News first reported news of the Iranian rocket fire.
U.S. Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, responded to Saturday's incident with renewed criticism of the nuclear deal with Iran.
"A rush to sanctions relief threatens to embolden an increasingly aggressive Iranian regime that has no intention of normalizing relations with the West or of retreating from a malign policy intended to destabilize the Middle East," McCain said in a statement released Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a senior U.S. official told the AP that America is considering designating a number of additional targets for sanctions related to Iran's ballistic missile program. Congress is being informed about those deliberations, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he wasn't authorized to publicly disclose the information.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that the Treasury Department was preparing sanctions against several individuals and companies in Iran, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.
The Strait of Hormuz is only about 33 kilometers (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point. Ships traversing the chokepoint have even less room to maneuver. The shipping lane in either direction is only 2 miles (3.22 kilometers) wide, with a 2-mile (3.22-kilometer) buffer zone between them.
The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet is based in nearby Bahrain, on the southern coast of the Gulf. It conducts anti-piracy patrols in the greater Gulf and serves as a regional counterbalance to Iran.
U.S. and Iranian forces clashed in the Strait of Hormuz in the 1980s, during the Iran-Iraq war. On April 18, 1988, the U.S. attacked two Iranian oil rigs and sank or damaged six Iranian vessels, including two naval frigates, in Operation Praying Mantis. That came after the near-sinking of the missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts by an Iranian mine.
A few months later, in July 1988, the USS Vincennes in the strait mistook an Iran Air flight heading to Dubai for an attacking fighter jet, shooting down the plane and killing all 290 passengers and crew onboard. The shoot-down of the jet came shortly after the U.S. vessel reported coming under fire from Iranian speedboats.
Tensions have persisted in the strait even into this year. Iran sank a replica of a U.S. aircraft carrier in February near the strait and it earlier tested out so-called "suicide drones" it said could crash into naval vessels.
Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship and later released it in May after its forces had earlier surrounded a U.S.-flagged cargo ship transiting the strait. That caused the 5th Fleet to escort commercial ships traveling in the Gulf for a short time.
Iran and world powers led by the U.S. agreed to a landmark nuclear deal earlier this year to limit Tehran's enrichment of uranium in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. Iran has always denied seeking nuclear arms.
The deal reached with moderate President Hassan Rouhani's administration has been panned by Iranian hard-liners, and in the months since, Iran has conducted missile tests criticized by the U.S., as well as aired footage on state television of an underground missile base.
Saturday's rocket fire should be seen as part of a pattern by Iran since its naval loss in 1988, said Eugene Gholz, an associate professor at the University of Texas who is an expert on the use of military power in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran wants to portray itself as the region's major power, but doesn't want to directly battle U.S. naval forces again, he said.
"Theater is a good word for it," Gholz said. "You build a set, you carry out activity on the set, you send actors — in this case (Iranian Revolutionary Guard) special forces — and you hope people are watching and really paying the price of admission."
———
Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris and Josh Lederman in Washington contributed to this report.
http://abcnews.go.com/International...ran-conducting-missile-test-warships-36002986
The strategic Persian Gulf waterway, which sees nearly a third of all oil traded by sea pass through it, has been the scene of past confrontations between America and Iran, including a one-day naval battle in 1988.
But Saturday's incident brought no immediate response from Iranian officials or media, while French authorities downplayed its danger.
Military vessels taking part in the war against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria also pass through the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. On Saturday, the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, the USS Bulkeley destroyer and a French frigate, the FS Provence, were passing through it, said Cmdr. Kyle Raines, a U.S. Central Command spokesman.
As they passed, Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels, hailing other ships in the strait over maritime radio, announced they'd be carrying out a live fire exercise, Raines said in a statement. After 23 minutes, the Iranian boats fired "several unguided rockets" about 1,370 meters (1,500 yards) from the warships and commercial traffic, he said.
While the rockets weren't fired in the direction of any ships, Raines said Iran's "actions were highly provocative."
"Firing weapons so close to passing coalition ships and commercial traffic within an internationally recognized maritime traffic lane is unsafe, unprofessional and inconsistent with international maritime law," he said.
A French military official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to be publicly named, confirmed the rocket fire took place Saturday. However, the official said the French military did not consider it to be a threatening event as the rocket fire clearly wasn't directed toward the Western fleet.
The French frigate is now escorting the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which is launching airstrikes against the Islamic State group, the official said.
NBC News first reported news of the Iranian rocket fire.
U.S. Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, responded to Saturday's incident with renewed criticism of the nuclear deal with Iran.
"A rush to sanctions relief threatens to embolden an increasingly aggressive Iranian regime that has no intention of normalizing relations with the West or of retreating from a malign policy intended to destabilize the Middle East," McCain said in a statement released Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a senior U.S. official told the AP that America is considering designating a number of additional targets for sanctions related to Iran's ballistic missile program. Congress is being informed about those deliberations, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he wasn't authorized to publicly disclose the information.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that the Treasury Department was preparing sanctions against several individuals and companies in Iran, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.
The Strait of Hormuz is only about 33 kilometers (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point. Ships traversing the chokepoint have even less room to maneuver. The shipping lane in either direction is only 2 miles (3.22 kilometers) wide, with a 2-mile (3.22-kilometer) buffer zone between them.
The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet is based in nearby Bahrain, on the southern coast of the Gulf. It conducts anti-piracy patrols in the greater Gulf and serves as a regional counterbalance to Iran.
U.S. and Iranian forces clashed in the Strait of Hormuz in the 1980s, during the Iran-Iraq war. On April 18, 1988, the U.S. attacked two Iranian oil rigs and sank or damaged six Iranian vessels, including two naval frigates, in Operation Praying Mantis. That came after the near-sinking of the missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts by an Iranian mine.
A few months later, in July 1988, the USS Vincennes in the strait mistook an Iran Air flight heading to Dubai for an attacking fighter jet, shooting down the plane and killing all 290 passengers and crew onboard. The shoot-down of the jet came shortly after the U.S. vessel reported coming under fire from Iranian speedboats.
Tensions have persisted in the strait even into this year. Iran sank a replica of a U.S. aircraft carrier in February near the strait and it earlier tested out so-called "suicide drones" it said could crash into naval vessels.
Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship and later released it in May after its forces had earlier surrounded a U.S.-flagged cargo ship transiting the strait. That caused the 5th Fleet to escort commercial ships traveling in the Gulf for a short time.
Iran and world powers led by the U.S. agreed to a landmark nuclear deal earlier this year to limit Tehran's enrichment of uranium in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. Iran has always denied seeking nuclear arms.
The deal reached with moderate President Hassan Rouhani's administration has been panned by Iranian hard-liners, and in the months since, Iran has conducted missile tests criticized by the U.S., as well as aired footage on state television of an underground missile base.
Saturday's rocket fire should be seen as part of a pattern by Iran since its naval loss in 1988, said Eugene Gholz, an associate professor at the University of Texas who is an expert on the use of military power in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran wants to portray itself as the region's major power, but doesn't want to directly battle U.S. naval forces again, he said.
"Theater is a good word for it," Gholz said. "You build a set, you carry out activity on the set, you send actors — in this case (Iranian Revolutionary Guard) special forces — and you hope people are watching and really paying the price of admission."
———
Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris and Josh Lederman in Washington contributed to this report.
http://abcnews.go.com/International...ran-conducting-missile-test-warships-36002986
Saudi execution of Shia cleric sparks outrage in Middle East
Iranian government and religious leaders say killing of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr will have serious repercussions for royal family
The Iranian government and religious leaders across the Middle East have condemned Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shia cleric and warned of repercussions that could bring down the country’s royal family.
In a serious escalation of religious and diplomatic tensions in the region, councils and clerics in Iran, Yemen and Lebanon said the killing of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr would prompt widespread anger.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Hossein Jaber Ansari, accused Riyadh of hypocrisy. “The Saudi government supports terrorists and takfiri [radical Sunni] extremists, while executing and suppressing critics inside the country,” he told the Iranian state news agency.
In Bahrain, police fired teargas at several dozen people protesting against the cleric’s execution, a witness said. Demonstrators carrying pictures of Nimr faced security forces in a standoff in Abu-Saiba, a Shia village west of the capital, Manama.
Activists have called for protests in the Sunni-ruled kingdom, a sign that Nimr’s death may further inflame sectarian tensions in the Middle East.
The execution was described as a “grave mistake” by the Supreme Islamic Shia Council in Lebanon and a “flagrant violation of human rights” by Yemen’s Houthi movement.
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a leading Iranian cleric, said repercussions would bring down the Saudi ruling family.
He told the Mehr news agency: “I have no doubt that this pure blood will stain the collar of the House of Saud and wipe them from the pages of history. The crime of executing Sheikh Nimr is part of a criminal pattern by this treacherous family … the Islamic world is expected to cry out and denounce this infamous regime as much as it can.”
Nimr was one of 47 people Saudi Arabian executed for terrorism on Friday. The interior ministry said most of those killed were involved in a series of al-Qaida attacks between 2003 and 2006.
It also detained hundreds of minority Shia Muslims after protests between 2011 and 2013, during which several police officers were killed in shootings and petrol bomb attacks. Several of those held were sentenced to death.
The interior ministry statement began with verses from the Qur’an justifying the use of execution, and state television showed footage of the aftermath of al-Qaida attacks in the last decade. The Saudi grand mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh, appeared on television soon after to describe the executions as just.
Iran’s Shia leadership said the execution of Nimr “would cost Saudi Arabiadearly”. The brother of the cleric said the family was shocked by news of his execution but hoped that any reaction would be peaceful.
“Sheikh Nimr enjoyed high esteem in his community and within Muslim society in general and no doubt there will be reaction,” Mohammed al-Nimr told Reuters by telephone. “We hope that any reactions would be confined to a peaceful framework. No one should have any reaction outside this peaceful framework. Enough bloodshed.”
In October 2015 Saudi Arabia’s supreme court rejected an appeal against the death sentence passed earlier on Nimr, who had called for pro-democracy demonstrations and whose arrest in 2012 sparked protests in which three people died.
Nimr had long been regarded as the most vocal Shia leader in the eastern Saudi province of Qatif, willing to publicly criticise the ruling al-Saud family and call for elections. He was, however, careful to avoid calling for violence, analysts say.
That did not prevent the interior ministry from accusing him of being behind attacks on police, alongside a group of other suspects it said were working on behalf of Iran, the kingdom’s main regional rival.
The simultaneous execution of 47 people on security grounds was the biggest such event in Saudi Arabia since the 1980 killing of 63 jihadi rebels who seized Mecca’s Grand Mosque in 1979.
The executions are Saudi Arabia’s first in 2016. At least 157 people were put to death last year, a significant increase on the 90 people killed in 2014.
Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, seen here in an undated photograph, was a vocal critic of the Saudi authorities
He was among 47 people put to death after being convicted of terrorism offences, it said in a statement.
Another bad beard bites the dust, Yippee.
Iranian government and religious leaders say killing of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr will have serious repercussions for royal family
The Iranian government and religious leaders across the Middle East have condemned Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shia cleric and warned of repercussions that could bring down the country’s royal family.
In a serious escalation of religious and diplomatic tensions in the region, councils and clerics in Iran, Yemen and Lebanon said the killing of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr would prompt widespread anger.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Hossein Jaber Ansari, accused Riyadh of hypocrisy. “The Saudi government supports terrorists and takfiri [radical Sunni] extremists, while executing and suppressing critics inside the country,” he told the Iranian state news agency.
In Bahrain, police fired teargas at several dozen people protesting against the cleric’s execution, a witness said. Demonstrators carrying pictures of Nimr faced security forces in a standoff in Abu-Saiba, a Shia village west of the capital, Manama.
Activists have called for protests in the Sunni-ruled kingdom, a sign that Nimr’s death may further inflame sectarian tensions in the Middle East.
The execution was described as a “grave mistake” by the Supreme Islamic Shia Council in Lebanon and a “flagrant violation of human rights” by Yemen’s Houthi movement.
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a leading Iranian cleric, said repercussions would bring down the Saudi ruling family.
He told the Mehr news agency: “I have no doubt that this pure blood will stain the collar of the House of Saud and wipe them from the pages of history. The crime of executing Sheikh Nimr is part of a criminal pattern by this treacherous family … the Islamic world is expected to cry out and denounce this infamous regime as much as it can.”
Nimr was one of 47 people Saudi Arabian executed for terrorism on Friday. The interior ministry said most of those killed were involved in a series of al-Qaida attacks between 2003 and 2006.
It also detained hundreds of minority Shia Muslims after protests between 2011 and 2013, during which several police officers were killed in shootings and petrol bomb attacks. Several of those held were sentenced to death.
The interior ministry statement began with verses from the Qur’an justifying the use of execution, and state television showed footage of the aftermath of al-Qaida attacks in the last decade. The Saudi grand mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh, appeared on television soon after to describe the executions as just.
Iran’s Shia leadership said the execution of Nimr “would cost Saudi Arabiadearly”. The brother of the cleric said the family was shocked by news of his execution but hoped that any reaction would be peaceful.
“Sheikh Nimr enjoyed high esteem in his community and within Muslim society in general and no doubt there will be reaction,” Mohammed al-Nimr told Reuters by telephone. “We hope that any reactions would be confined to a peaceful framework. No one should have any reaction outside this peaceful framework. Enough bloodshed.”
In October 2015 Saudi Arabia’s supreme court rejected an appeal against the death sentence passed earlier on Nimr, who had called for pro-democracy demonstrations and whose arrest in 2012 sparked protests in which three people died.
Nimr had long been regarded as the most vocal Shia leader in the eastern Saudi province of Qatif, willing to publicly criticise the ruling al-Saud family and call for elections. He was, however, careful to avoid calling for violence, analysts say.
That did not prevent the interior ministry from accusing him of being behind attacks on police, alongside a group of other suspects it said were working on behalf of Iran, the kingdom’s main regional rival.
The simultaneous execution of 47 people on security grounds was the biggest such event in Saudi Arabia since the 1980 killing of 63 jihadi rebels who seized Mecca’s Grand Mosque in 1979.
The executions are Saudi Arabia’s first in 2016. At least 157 people were put to death last year, a significant increase on the 90 people killed in 2014.
Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, seen here in an undated photograph, was a vocal critic of the Saudi authorities
He was among 47 people put to death after being convicted of terrorism offences, it said in a statement.
Another bad beard bites the dust, Yippee.
Iran has a bad habit of storming Embassies.
Saudi Foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir
Saudi Arabia has cut diplomatic ties with Iran over the storming of its embassy in Tehran on Saturday. The move comes while relations between the regional rivals are plunging over the execution of a top Shiite cleric.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir demanded that the Iranian diplomatic mission and related entities leave the country within 48 hours.
He said Riyadh would not allow the Islamic Republic to undermine the Sunni kingdom’s security.
Saudi Foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir
Saudi Arabia has cut diplomatic ties with Iran over the storming of its embassy in Tehran on Saturday. The move comes while relations between the regional rivals are plunging over the execution of a top Shiite cleric.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir demanded that the Iranian diplomatic mission and related entities leave the country within 48 hours.
He said Riyadh would not allow the Islamic Republic to undermine the Sunni kingdom’s security.
[h=1]‘Any differences?’ Iran Supreme Leader's cartoon equates ISIS with Saudi Arabia after executions[/h]Published time: 3 Jan, 2016 18:50
© khamenei.ir
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, released an incendiary cartoon comparing Saudi Arabia to Islamic State, after Riyadh carried out a death sentence against opposition Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.
The satirical picture showing Saudi and Islamic State executioners standing side-by-side, with English captions reading “Any differences?” was published on his official website on Saturday. Khamenei also released a statement on Sunday promising “divine” retribution against Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia – Iran’s regional archrival.
“Sheikh Nimr will undoubtedly receive the grace of God and the hands of divine vengeance will surely snatch – by their necks – those cruel individuals who took his life and this is a source of comfort for us,” said Khamenei, who has greater political power than the president of Iran and status as a leading religious authority.
© khamenei.ir
Nimr was among 47 people beheaded or shot by firing squad across Saudi Arabia on Saturday in the biggest single-day execution spree since 1980. All but four of the condemned were convicted as Al-Qaeda members, while Nimr and three other Shias were accused of inciting riots among Saudi Arabia’s Shia minority between 2010 and 2012, when Nimr was arrested.
The execution of Nimr, a public figure popular with youths, alongside terrorists responsible for a series of bombings carried out between 2003 and 2006, provoked additional outrage in the Shia world. Iran summoned the Saudi ambassador, and just hours later, a mob set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran, chanting “Death to Al Saud!” – the ruling family of Saudi Arabia.
“This oppressed scholar had neither invited people to armed movement, nor was involved in covert plots,” said Khamenei.“Sheikh Nimr martyrdom and unfair bloodshed is a political mistake by Saudi Arabia. Those truly concerned about the destiny of humans must watch Saudi crimes and avoid indifference towards them.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader also listed the bombing campaign led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen, and its army’s buttressing of the Bahraini regime, as additional transgressions by Riyadh.
Khamenei is not the first to draw comparisons between the militants of Islamic State, who are rampaging through nearby Syria and Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, since both espouse a very similar Wahhabi ideology, and consequently share comparable legal and criminal codes, despite being sworn enemies.
According to public sources, Saudi Arabia executed at least 157 people last year, the most in two decades, predominantly by beheading, the same technique favored by Islamic State.
© khamenei.ir
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, released an incendiary cartoon comparing Saudi Arabia to Islamic State, after Riyadh carried out a death sentence against opposition Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.
The satirical picture showing Saudi and Islamic State executioners standing side-by-side, with English captions reading “Any differences?” was published on his official website on Saturday. Khamenei also released a statement on Sunday promising “divine” retribution against Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia – Iran’s regional archrival.
Khamenei.ir
Doubtlessly, unfairly-spilled blood of oppressed martyr #SheikhNimr will affect rapidly & Divine revenge will seize Saudi politicians.“Sheikh Nimr will undoubtedly receive the grace of God and the hands of divine vengeance will surely snatch – by their necks – those cruel individuals who took his life and this is a source of comfort for us,” said Khamenei, who has greater political power than the president of Iran and status as a leading religious authority.
Nimr was among 47 people beheaded or shot by firing squad across Saudi Arabia on Saturday in the biggest single-day execution spree since 1980. All but four of the condemned were convicted as Al-Qaeda members, while Nimr and three other Shias were accused of inciting riots among Saudi Arabia’s Shia minority between 2010 and 2012, when Nimr was arrested.
Hassan Rouhani
I hereby condemn #SheikhNimr's execution & send my condolences to his family & Muslim world. This act violates human rights & Islamic valuesThe execution of Nimr, a public figure popular with youths, alongside terrorists responsible for a series of bombings carried out between 2003 and 2006, provoked additional outrage in the Shia world. Iran summoned the Saudi ambassador, and just hours later, a mob set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran, chanting “Death to Al Saud!” – the ruling family of Saudi Arabia.
“This oppressed scholar had neither invited people to armed movement, nor was involved in covert plots,” said Khamenei.“Sheikh Nimr martyrdom and unfair bloodshed is a political mistake by Saudi Arabia. Those truly concerned about the destiny of humans must watch Saudi crimes and avoid indifference towards them.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader also listed the bombing campaign led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen, and its army’s buttressing of the Bahraini regime, as additional transgressions by Riyadh.
Khamenei is not the first to draw comparisons between the militants of Islamic State, who are rampaging through nearby Syria and Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, since both espouse a very similar Wahhabi ideology, and consequently share comparable legal and criminal codes, despite being sworn enemies.
According to public sources, Saudi Arabia executed at least 157 people last year, the most in two decades, predominantly by beheading, the same technique favored by Islamic State.
Bahrain and Sudan have both severed relations with Iran, and the UAE has downgraded its diplomatic team.
Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy's 5th Fleet, has frequently accused Iran of fomenting unrest in the country since 2011.
Bahrain, which is ruled by a Sunni monarchy but has a majority Shia population, on Monday gave Iranian diplomats 48 hours to leave the country.
It accused Iran of "increasing, flagrant and dangerous meddling" in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states.
It said the attack on the Saudi embassy was part of a "very dangerous pattern of sectarian policies that should be confronted... to preserve security and stability in the entire region".
Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy's 5th Fleet, has frequently accused Iran of fomenting unrest in the country since 2011.
Bahrain, which is ruled by a Sunni monarchy but has a majority Shia population, on Monday gave Iranian diplomats 48 hours to leave the country.
It accused Iran of "increasing, flagrant and dangerous meddling" in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states.
It said the attack on the Saudi embassy was part of a "very dangerous pattern of sectarian policies that should be confronted... to preserve security and stability in the entire region".
Just another epic, epic beclowning thread by an Obama voter
Bahrain, Sudan cut ties with Tehran as crisis widens in Saudi-Iran split
BEIRUT — Bahrain and Sudan joined Saudi Arabia in severing diplomatic relations with Iran on Monday as the worst crisis in three decades between the region’s rival Sunni and Shiite powers drew worldwide expressions of alarm.
The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, recalled its ambassador from Tehran in a downgrading of diplomatic ties to focus mainly on commercial affairs. Dubai is the base for many Iranian-run businesses.
Bahrain, Sudan cut ties with Tehran as crisis widens in Saudi-Iran split
BEIRUT — Bahrain and Sudan joined Saudi Arabia in severing diplomatic relations with Iran on Monday as the worst crisis in three decades between the region’s rival Sunni and Shiite powers drew worldwide expressions of alarm.
The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, recalled its ambassador from Tehran in a downgrading of diplomatic ties to focus mainly on commercial affairs. Dubai is the base for many Iranian-run businesses.
Kuwait has become the latest Muslim nation to renounce ties with Iran after it recalled its ambassador to Tehran, following the Islamic Republic's rift with Saudi Arabia.
[FONT=Segoe UI, Gill Sans Light, Helvetica]Also Bahrain has announced it has halted all flights to and from Iran, Bahrain News Agency reported.[/FONT]
[FONT=Segoe UI, Gill Sans Light, Helvetica]The Saudi embassy mob invasion was Iran state control. Iran is a police state, mobs only gather if instructed by the state, Don't buy the bull shit that Iran has arrested the mob, and that Iran condemns the mobs action.[/FONT]
[FONT=Segoe UI, Gill Sans Light, Helvetica]Also Bahrain has announced it has halted all flights to and from Iran, Bahrain News Agency reported.[/FONT]
[FONT=Segoe UI, Gill Sans Light, Helvetica]The Saudi embassy mob invasion was Iran state control. Iran is a police state, mobs only gather if instructed by the state, Don't buy the bull shit that Iran has arrested the mob, and that Iran condemns the mobs action.[/FONT]
Saudi is a military ally to the US, although not perfect Saudi is a ally. Iran is a enemy of the US, and Iranian prove that at every Friday prayers. Yet Obama treats his friends and enemies the same. Instead of supporting Saudi, he sits in the middle, even though the very same Iran attacked the American embassy in the past.
Let's check back on this inane statement, shall we?
http://thehill.com/policy/national-...s-followed-letter-but-not-spirit-of-nuke-deal
The Stuttering Clusterfuck himself says Iran is ok with the specifics of the deal, but they aren't following the 'spirit' of the deal. I'd love to hear the distinction in his mind as to how the former can be followed without the latter in this case.
If only someone could have predicted this would happen...I guess the deal was just too great...
