Saturday, April 30, 2022

Even with deal on the table, nuclear talks freeze: analysis

TEHRAN - Negotiations to restore the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) have reached a complete standstill, Politico said in a commentary on April 28. 

Despite having a roughly 27-page agreement virtually ready to go, diplomats are still hung up over one final sticking point between the U.S. and Iran: The status of a powerful branch of the Iranian military, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC).

The U.S. placed the group on its “Foreign Terrorist Organization” list in 2019, part of President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign after pulling out of the nuclear deal, which limited Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for terminating economic and financial sanctions.

Now the issue has been dragged into the final stages of long-running talks to revive the nuclear deal under President Joe Biden. The topic is of such immense political sensitivity in both Washington and Tehran that a compromise has proved impossible and now seems increasingly unrealistic.

“The U.S. position has been that unless Iran agrees to take certain steps to assuage security concerns beyond the JCPOA, Washington will not lift the terror designation, which itself is beyond the JCPOA,” a U.S. official familiar with the issue told POLITICO.

And that stance is not changing, the official added. The Biden administration is facing bipartisan political resistance at home to not strip the terrorist tag. Because of all these factors, the official said, “The Biden administration is highly unlikely at this point to drop the designation in the context of the JCPOA talks.”

The stalemate has made an Iran nuclear deal revival, seen as imminent only a few months back, a distant prospect. Talks also briefly ran aground recently over a demand from Russia — an original signatory on the agreement — that it receives sanctions protections for any future business with Iran. 

Now, the terrorist label appears to be the tallest hurdle. 

Washington initially offered to delist the IRGC in exchange for Iran committing to eschew retaliation against former U.S. officials deemed responsible for decisions like killing IRGC commander General Qassem Soleimani in January 2020.

But Iran refused to make such reciprocal concessions. 

Enrique Mora, the European Union official coordinating the indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran, has been transmitting proposals between the two sides over the past seven weeks in vain and even engaged in shuttle diplomacy between Tehran and Washington last month in an effort to achieve a resolution. 

Still, the talks have come to an effective halt.

While Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell have discussed the possibility of another personal meeting in a recent phone call, no get-together has materialized.

The Iranian foreign minister has told Borrell that the “U.S. administration needs to have the courage to correct the past wrong policies of the White House. There is no doubt in the will of Iranian government to reach a good, strong durable agreement.”

In the meantime, the tide in Washington has been turning against taking the Iranian military group off the terrorist list, narrowing the window for the U.S. to resolve the issue.

A growing number of Republican senators, as well as some key senators from Biden’s Democratic Party, are putting pressure on the White House to not budge.

Trump imposed the terrorist tag on the IRGC amid numerous other sanctions not related to the country’s nuclear program. 

Numerous foreign policy analysts argued the pile of non-nuclear sanctions was aimed at scuttling future attempts to return to the nuclear deal — a prediction that now appears prescient, with the odds growing higher the talks could fail. One potential option may be an agreement to discuss the delisting in a separate, follow-up negotiation after the nuclear deal is successfully revived. 

Nonproliferation advocates are fretting about the negotiations permanently falling apart.

“If prospects to restore the JCPOA collapse, the nuclear crisis will escalate and the risk of conflict dramatically increases,” said Kelsey Davenport, director of nonproliferation policy at the Washington-based Arms Control Association. “Restoring the nuclear deal is the only good option for staving off a nuclear crisis.”

Iran has always maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful and that it has no intention of producing an atomic bomb. Numerous reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations nuclear watchdog, have confirmed this. 

Analysts and government officials have been warning that time is running out to restore the Iran nuclear deal. In an open letter dated April 26, over 40 former top European officials have urged the United States and Iran to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, warning that strategic implications of failure to do so “would be grave and profound”.

In response to illegal sanctions, Iran limited inspections by the IAEA.

“While talks remain stalled, Iran’s nuclear program continues to grow unchecked,” Davenport claimed.

The draft agreement, forged in EU-mediated negotiations in the Austrian capital over the past year, contains all elements necessary for bringing the U.S. and Iran back into full compliance with the original 2015 deal. It rolls back sanctions on Iran in return for strict limits on its nuclear program. 

Highly technical details have all been agreed on in painstaking talks between diplomats from Britain, France, Germany, Iran, Russia, China and the U.S.

“I can tell you that people who invested themselves heavily in this negotiation are frustrated because a very good agreement that benefits all the parties, as well as the non-proliferation architecture, is being taken hostage to bilateral questions that have nothing to do with the JCPOA or nuclear issues,” one senior Western official, who took part in the talks, told POLITICO.

Quds Day - An Existential threat to the Hegemonic Powers

Every year without fault, swathes of the world population have gathered from every corner of the world, flying the flag for Palestine whilst bolstering the resistance front. But what is it in particular about the Quds Day marches that has triggered hefty counter-demonstrations and mammoth efforts to get it banned, as has been the case in Berlin? This article seeks to break down the philosophy behind Quds Day, that singles it out as one of the strongest forces of mobilization and change against the unjust status quo, which the enemies of liberation fear greatly.

1)    Zionist confrontation shifts from the regional to the international arena  

Quds Day calls for international grassroots mobilization, transferring the confrontation from one confined in the region of West Asia, to concerning the masses of the world. In the same way the world superpowers conspired to uproot the Palestinian nation and established the Wrong State, from Britain to the United States and the Soviet Union, reversing this biggest shame to have occurred before the conscious of the world requires a global effort of unity. Quds Day raises the slogan of complete liberation for all historic Palestine, and it is unity in potent solutions reflecting the true reality on the ground, that the hegemonic powers fear.   

2)    The very existence of the Wrong State is called into question

Mobilization occurs on a yearly basis, irrespective of whether there are heightened aggressions by the occupation forces, as the partial issues themselves are not the frame of reference, such as the transgression on Al-Aqsa Mosque, the release of prisoners, dismantling the settlements in the West Bank etc. The dismantlement of the Wrong State is echoed as the only way to achieving justice and the only solution to this is through armed struggle until liberation. 


3)    Facilitating the downfall of oppressive systems is on par with Divine worship

Imam Khomeini chose a significant time for the Muslims, a Friday and during the Holy month of Ramadan where they are fasting and engaging in perpetual worship, signifying the act of resistance against systems of oppression is a religious duty before it is to be classified as socio-political activism. Once the seeds have planted in the hearts of two billion Muslims globally that Palestine is an obligatory religious commandment, a strong united front is formed that cannot be broken by the hegemonic Powers, as the basis for this unity is God Himself.

4)    Centralising the Palestinian cause, focal point of unity for all Muslims    

Quds Day centralized the Palestinian cause as the cause that all Muslims should unite on. From a religious perspective, all Muslims unite on the fact that this is a blessed land, it is the third holiest site in the religion, it is the lands of the Prophets of God, and this land has been usurped. Palestine therefore represents the point of unity between the Muslims and all justice seekers of the world.

One of the greatest tactics of the enemies of liberation is to split the Muslims and to use the cover of sectarianism, because the reality is that they bet on this weakness. It is not the strength of the aggressor that allows the unjust status quo to continue, but the weakness of the oppressed.

The stance of the Islamic Republic revived the Muslim Ummah at large, at a time when it was in complete slumber, humiliation, captivity to external aggressors, and those four decades post the Islamic revolution cannot be compared to the decades before it, as the revolutionary line breathed life into resistance movements in the region that took up arms and forced the change.
From a political perspective, centralising the Palestinian cause signifies the unique nature of the Palestinian oppression, that took the form of the world superpowers conspiring to steal a land, uproot its people and maintain a perpetual hegemonic order feeding their interests.  

5)    Quds is stamped for eternity 

Quds Day was the first call of its kind for all people of the globe to rise and mobilise, and until today there is not a single day stamped in which people globally come out for the cause of Palestine, irrespective of the regional developments. Since this day is stamped, it will continue to be commemorated for eternity, even after Palestine’s liberation; Quds Day will still be commemorated and the call for the liberation of all oppressed will be in light and legacy of Palestine. 

Quds Force chief lauds triumphant flight of drones over occupied lands

TEHRAN- The chief of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force has hailed successful flights by two unidentified drones over the Israeli-occupied territory, which the Tel Aviv regime attempted to keep hidden.

Esmail Qaani broke the story while addressing Quds Day marchers on the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan in the northeastern city of Mashhad.

The successful operation, according to Brigadier General Qaani, took place a few months ago.

“Zionist entity sent 41 fighter jets and reconnaissance aircraft to intercept the two drones but they failed,” he stated.

The drones put Israel on “high alert,” but the Zionist regime “did not disclose the truth of what happened” and subsequently lied to its people by claiming to have performed surprise drills, the IRGC Quds Force commander stated.

“The regime was not man enough to tell the truth about the drone operation, where the drones came from, what they belonged to and what they were supposed to do,” Qaani said.

“They lied to their own people; they said they were conducting drills.”

Iran has made significant advances in its military sector over the last few decades. The Islamic Republic has succeeded in producing missiles, drones, planes, tanks, submarines, and other military hardware.

Israel's minister of military affairs confirmed Iran's drone capability in September 2021, asserting the Islamic Republic had "accurate" and "destructive" drones capable of crossing thousands of kilometers.

In his address on Friday, Qaani also said the splendid Quds Day rallies will continue and that the resistance front would become stronger day by day until the occupying regime was overthrown.

“It is better for the Zionists to return to their original homelands in Europe or any other place from which they came before it is too late. Israel is heading towards extinction,” General Qaani underlined.

Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, is respected as a spiritual leader by Muslims all over the globe, and International Quds Day is one of his legacies. Ayatollah Khomeini called the last Friday of Ramadan Quds Day in 1979, shortly after leading an Islamic Revolution that deposed the U.S.-backed regime of Shah in Iran.

Hundreds of thousands of people stage rallies every year in different corners of the world in support of the Palestinians in their struggle to liberate their lands occupied by the Zionist regime.

Will Iran-Saudi talks result in agreement?

TEHRAN – After more than a year of security talks, Iran and Saudi Arabia are moving closer to reaching an agreement on restoring diplomatic relations. But the Saudis’ insistence on linking the talks to the Yemen war could delay the agreement.

Following the successful conclusion of the last round of talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the outlook for restoration of the diplomatic ties between Tehran and Riyadh looks brighter than a few weeks ago. 

Two key officials from Iran and Iraq with direct knowledge of the talks have voiced optimism that the talks would result in a breakthrough in the future.
Iran’s outgoing ambassador to Iraq, Iraj Masjedi, who will soon be replaced by Mohammad Kazem Al Sadeq, said that the fifth round of Iran-Saudi talks hosted by Baghdad on April 21 resulted in the two sides approving a roadmap for their future interactions.

 “In the last round of negotiations, it was important that the two sides have an agreed framework for the future which came to fruition. And this is per se a positive point that will pave the future way for both sides,” Masjedi said. 

According to Masjedi, the Iranian and Saudi negotiators discussed during their last round of talks a number of issues such as “confidence-building” measures, bilateral cooperation and measures such as Hajj pilgrimage and the reopening of embassies, and “regional and international matters.”

It seems that the two sides have made progress toward resuming their ties as it is expected that the next round of talks would be held at a diplomatic and political level, not at a security level as it was in the past. 
 
The Iraqi prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who played a pivotal role in facilitating the talks, has said that he expects that the talks will end in an agreement soon. 

“The brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic are dealing with the dialogue file with high responsibility and the requirements of the current situation in the region, and we are confident that the understanding will soon be reached, God willing,” al-Kadhimi said in remarks to Iraq’s Al-Sabah newspaper.

He added, “There is a real and wide breakthrough in the relations between all the countries of the region.”

But the breakthrough in Iran-Saudi relations seems to be depending, in one way or another, on the war in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of militarily supporting Ansarullah. 

Saudi Arabia is asking that Iran put pressure on Ansarullah to reach a political solution to the Yemen war, according to Arab press reports. 

The London-based Al-Arab newspaper cited Arab circles on Saturday as saying that “the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran requires Tehran to take practical steps to narrow the confidence gap, and among these steps is to pressure” Ansarullah “to reach a realistic political settlement to the Yemeni crisis that erupted eight years ago.”

The Yemen issue disrupted the talks for nine months in the third round of talks, according to Seyed Reza Sadr al-Hosseini, a leading Iranian expert on the West Asia region. 

The expert told Jahan News website that in the third round of talks, Saudi Arabia presented “illogical demands about non-interference in the affairs of the Ansarullah movement.” In reply to that demand, Iran gave a “clear and negative” response, he added.

As a result, Saudi Arabia delayed the talks for nine months, Sadr al-Hosseini said. 

Iran has said it does not dictate any decisions on Yemen and respects the choice the Ansarullah movement makes. Iran considers Ansarullah as a “mature and respectable group which represents large swaths of the Yemeni people,” according to the Iranian expert. 

Therefore, if Saudi Arabia continues to refrain from recognizing Ansarullah as a Yemeni independent group and asks Iran to wield influence there, a deal in Baghdad would be unlikely. Because Iran is not likely to put pressure on the government in Sanaa. Iran has said that it supports a Yemeni-Yemeni settlement to the crisis. 

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Revolution in the West Bank: Israel unsafer than ever!

TEHRAN— As we are moving from “stone intifada” to “missile intifada,” things are looking differently for the apartheid regime of Israel, which is on the verge of decline.

As the Israeli forces try to put more pressure on the Palestinian citizens residing in the West Bank, the righteous struggle for freedom among Palestinian fighters have gone to a new level. 

In this regard, the Israeli regime’s army announced early on Saturday that a shooting had taken place near the Ariel settlement bloc in the north of the West Bank.

According to the regime's Channel 13, a security guard in the Ariel settlement was shot dead by two armed Palestinians.

The Israeli army radio dubbed the operation as a “security incident,” stating that it is not over and that the security forces of the regime were looking for the perpetrators.
The shooters apparently used improvised Carlo submachine guns.

Ariel and other settlements of the area issued a lockdown order over fears the Palestinian fighters may retaliate again.

A large number of Israeli occupation forces began to block off roads as police and the military launched a massive manhunt for the fighters. Confusion started to dominate as local security officials stated that they did not know where the vehicle headed after the attack.

The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, known as Hamas, praised the operation in the heart of the West Bank, saying it was a “heroic operation” and a “natural response to the crimes of the occupation and its settlers.” 

The Israeli army has stepped up its West Bank activities in an attempt to crack down on the Palestinian worshippers.

The subsequent strikes sparked by the Israeli troops left at least 25 Palestinians dead, including many innocent fasting civilians. 

The correspondent of Al-Mayadeen News Network in the occupied Palestine reported that the occupation forces closed the entrance to the Salafist area after the incident.

The director of the Al-Mayadeen Network office in the occupied Palestine also said that the Ariel settlement was heavily guarded and that shots were fired at the town's security forces from a distance.

He added that the selection of this Zionist settlement bloc in the West Bank to carry out the operation was intended to present a great security challenge for the occupying Israeli forces.

The “security incident” comes as the Israeli army announced on Thursday morning that six battalions of reserve forces had been called in to replace normal forces along the retaining wall and the West Bank contact line.

According to the Israeli military spokesman, this decision was taken after the assessment of Aviv Kochavi, the chief of the joint staff of the Israeli army, from the current situation, and the mentioned forces will be present in the said areas for at least three weeks.

With a reference to the start of the fiercest wave of Palestinian reprisals, Israeli paper Yedioth Ahronoth wrote that the Israeli sense of security has reached its lowest level since Operation Barrier Wall in 2002.

Haaretz, another Israeli media outlet, described the recent series of resistance operations in the occupied territories as a "strategic event," writing that the Israeli regime's cabinet did not expect such operations from the Palestinian fighters.

According to Israel’s Channel 14, 15 Israeli soldiers have been killed in just over the last 40 days.

The channel admitted that this is the most intense wave of Palestinian operations against Israeli forces in recent years.

A spokesman for Hamas said on Saturday morning that the operation in the Ariel settlement reiterates that the new wave of revolution is spreading throughout the West Bank.

“Operation Ariel emphasizes that the occupiers' measures against the insistence of the Palestinian youth are counteracting,” he added.

To remember the struggle of the Palestinians to liberate their lands, the Tehran Times is hosting its first online event. The event, titled “Remember Palestine”, is to remind everyone of the long-driven struggle of the Palestinians for their most fundamental rights including their motherlands.

Iran, Saudi Arabia to reach agreement soon: Iraqi PM

TEHRAN – Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has said that talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia will soon result in an agreement. 

“The brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic are dealing with the dialogue file with high responsibility and the requirements of the current situation in the region, and we are confident that the understanding will soon be reached, God willing,” al-Kadhimi said.

He made the remarks in an interview with the Iraqi Al-Sabah newspaper. 

The prime minister added, “There is a real and wide breakthrough in the relations between all the countries of the region, supported by a firm conviction and sound intentions that the future of the region depends on starting to view it as a system of converging and not intersecting interests and this system cannot devote itself to economic construction and catch up with global development without solving its problems and zeroing out its crises.”

He pointed out that Iraq has a direct interest in achieving understandings between the countries of the region and achieving regional stability.

“And because we have good relations with the two parties and with various regional and international parties, we were able to create a positive dialogue atmosphere on Iraqi soil, many of which were not announced,” al-Kadhimi said.

Iran FM: Unity among Muslim nations necessary to fight extremism

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says strengthening of unity among Muslim countries is a necessary step to fight extremism.

Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a Saturday phone call with his Bruneian counterpart, Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, saying the Islamic Republic welcomes further expansion of relations with Brunei.

The Iranian top diplomat addressed the issue of the deadly violence used by the Israeli regime against Palestinians throughout the occupied territories, which has taken turn for the worse since the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, condemning the regime's brutality.

The Iranian minister, however, asserted that Muslim nations' monumental demonstrations on the occasion of the International Quds Day on Friday, indicated that the Palestinian cause of freedom from Israeli aggression and occupation as well as resistance for the liberation of the holy city of al-Quds, were still alive.

World can hear loud sound of intl. Zionism’s bones breaking: Iran top security official
World can hear loud sound of intl. Zionism’s bones breaking: Iran top security official

Amir-Abdollahian underscored the significance of boosting cooperation between Iran and Muslim, friendly, and Asian countries, noting that it was among the main priorities of the current Iranian administration's foreign policy.

He expressed gratitude for Brunei's "positive stances" across international bodies, urging the two countries' technical committee to meet.

Iran's top diplomat also emphasized the need for enhancement of bilateral technical, commercial, scientific, and economic relations between Tehran and Bandar Seri Begawan.

For his part, the Bruneian official denounced the Israeli regime's atrocities, saying his country backed the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to hold a meeting to discuss the dire situation across the occupied Palestinian territories.

Iran urges more security measures to protect its missions in Afghanistan

Separately, the Iranian top diplomat held another telephone conversation with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Afghan government's foreign minister, expressing concern about possible threats posed to Iran's diplomatic mission in the country.

Iran's foreign minister urged the acting Taliban government in Afghanistan to protect Iranian embassy and its consulate generals in the Afghan cities of Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Qandahar, and Jalalabad.

Amir-Abdollahian also condoled with the Afghan people over the Friday deadly bombing, which killed at least 50 people at a mosque in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

'50 dead, dozens injured' as blast rips through mosque in Kabul

The Taliban official described the countries' ties with Iran as important, saying that the two countries' enemies are trying to sabotage bilateral relations between Tehran and Kabul.

Muttaqi then assured the Iranian foreign minister, saying that Afghanistan's security forces will try their utmost to ensure security of Iranian diplomatic missions across the country.

Envoy: Regional States, Resistance Groups Iran's Real Allies

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Ambassador to Damascus Mehdi Sobhani said that the regional states and resistance groups are the real allies of Iran, stressing strategic ties with Syria in several fields.

 "Syria and Iran have strategic relations in some areas. We have always sympathized with Syria, and this strategic relationship is based on our identity and common relations," Sobhani said in an interview with Lebanese Almanar TV. 

He referred to Iran's cooperation with Syria in the fight against terrorism, and said, "We have gained a great achievement in the fight against terrorism, and this war is not over until the defeat of Takfiri terrorism."

Stressing that the regional countries and resistance groups are Iran's real allies, Sobhani noted that Tehran had never relied on any world power.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad said in December that his country attaches special importance to the development of trade and economic relations with Iran, and called for the removal of sanctions against both states.

“Syria pays special attention to strengthening trade relations with Iran. We welcome any efforts to end the sanctions. We welcome any cooperation with Iran in Syria,” Mikdad said in a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian in Tehran.

He also called for the removal of all sanctions against Iran and Syria.

Civil groups hold anti-Zionist gathering in Brighton

London, IRNA – Tens of members of British civil groups held a gathering in Brighton on Saturday to protest against the brutal acts of the Zionist regime in the Palestinian occupied lands.

The rioting people chanted slogans against the Zionist regime and called for the liberation of Palestine.

They also carried placards which urged the need for establishment of justice in Palestine and putting an end to the violence of the apartheid regime of Tel Aviv.

The gathering comes a day after the International Quds Day which falls on the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan.  

Persian Gulf; blue zone of ancient civilization

Commentary (IP) – Today, April 30, 2022, is the anniversary of the expulsion of the Portuguese colonialists from the southern waters of Iran in 1622, which has been designated as Persian Gulf National Day.

Iran Press/Iran news: The Persian Gulf is a water area of more than 237,000 square kilometers along the Sea of Oman, between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. This gulf is an important waterway and is the third-largest bay globally after the Gulf of Mexico and the Hudson's Bay, an important and strategic region at the international level due to its oil and gas resources.

The historical name of this gulf, in various languages, has been a translation of the phrase the Persian Gulf or Persian Sea. Still, by inciting Western colonialism, some Arab countries along the Persian Gulf have sought to distort its name in recent years.

However, the Persian Gulf is the prominent name that has survived from the oldest sources. Islamic geographers and historians such as Tabari, Mas'udi, and Ya'qubi have unanimously stated in their surviving manuscripts that all parts of the Persian Gulf belonged to Iran in pre-Islamic times. The ancient Greeks called this bay "Sinus Persicus," the Persian Gulf.

According to the directive of the United Nations Secretariat of 14 May 1999, the waterway's name between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Arabian Peninsula is "Persian Gulf," and the full name "Persian Gulf" must be used in UN documents and publications.

The Iranian Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution (SCCR) has named April 30, the day of the expulsion of the Portuguese from the Strait of Hormuz, as the Persian Gulf National Day.

The Persian Gulf, however, due to its geographical and civilizational values, has always been the arena of competition and conflicts between the colonial and aggressor powers; one of the periods of foreign presence in the Persian Gulf is the 150-year domination of the Portuguese over this waterway and the Strait of Hormuz, which ended on April 30, 1621 AD.

In 1506, the Portuguese set foot in the Persian Gulf under the command of Captain Albuquerque, a famous Portuguese sailor. Albuquerque believed that any country could rule world trade by occupying the three points of Malaga, Aden, and Hormuz. This thought caused the Portuguese to settle the islands of Qeshm, Hormuz, and Gambron (present-day Bandar Abbas).

The British colonialists also coveted the area at some point in the history of the Persian Gulf, but they were eventually forced to leave the area. The British attacked Bushehr in southern Iran four times. Each time, the ulema issued a fatwa in defense, and commanders such as Ra'is Ali Delvari and Ahmad-Khan Tangestani created an epic and defeated the old colonization.

Mohammad Ajam, a writer and researcher in the Persian Gulf and West Asia and one of the founders and activists of the Persian Gulf Studies Center, writes about the importance of the Persian Gulf region and the impact of this waterway on various fields: "The sensitivity of the Persian Gulf is very important in terms of economic, political, commercial and communication dimensions in the world; in the documents that exist in Arabic, the word Khalij al-Farsi (Persian Gulf) is also mentioned."

The Persian Gulf is considered the largest communication center between the three continents due to its particular location. Its rich resources and connection with the world's great water regions have made this region one of the most critical strategic regions in the world.

This waterway is also crucial for Iran in the domestic and regional arenas; accordingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, emphasizing the neighborhood policy, has expressed hope that this watershed will be guarantee security and stability in the region and a symbol of peace, friendship, and coexistence between regional nations. Others would respect its peace and security at the hands of the countries around the Persian Gulf. 

Nader Talebzadeh, filmmaker and TV producer of revolutionary programs, dies at 69

Photo: Filmmaker and TV producer Nader Talebzadeh in an undated photo.

TEHRAN – Nader Talebzadeh, a renowned filmmaker and TV producer who became famous as a symbol of revolutionary programs and events over the past two decades, passed away on Friday at the age of 69.

He was admitted to a Tehran hospital last week on account of chronic heart disease, and ultimately died Friday evening, Persian news agencies announced.

Talebzadeh was the president of the Ammar Popular Film Festival, which he co-founded along with several Iranian revolutionary figures.

He also was a co-founder of Ofoq, IRIB’s channel for documentary cinema, and worked as a host and TV producer presenting programs on political issues, media and films.

He was born into a military family whose father was a high-ranking officer during the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah, the last monarch of Iran.

After finishing his high school education he left Iran to study English literature in the United States of America. He received a degree in filmmaking at Columbia University in New York City.

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, he returned to Iran and started his film career with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).

In the early days of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, he joined the Iranian troops on the frontlines to make documentaries for IRIB.

He also worked with Morteza Avini, a top filmmaker who was famous for his documentaries on the war. He made “Fajr and Poppy” and “25 Hour” for Avini’s popular documentary series “The Narration of Triumph” (“Revayate Fat’h”).

As a documentarian, he also went to the 1990s Balkan Wars, and his films are preserved in IRIB’s archives.

In 2007, he made his debut feature film “The Messiah”, which portrays the story of Jesus Christ as told from an Islamic perspective. The movie was changed into a TV series that aired on IRIB in 2010.

Afterwards, he focused on making TV programs, including “Asr” and “Raaz”, for which he was bestowed with such titles as “chief of the cultural front of the revolution”, “standard-bearer of the cultural front of the revolution” and “exemplar of a revolutionary artist” by his sympathetic friends and Iranian officials. 

He also launched the New Horizon Conference, inviting figures from across the world who stand in opposition to U.S. policies.

Speaking on a TV program, Talebzadeh once said that he had survived a “biological terrorism” attempt during the Arbaeen gathering in 2016. He said that his suitcase was confiscated by some armed men in Najaf. The suitcase was sent back to him in Karbala a few days later, but after handling it, he began to suffer from asthma and continued to suffer from insomnia. 

Talebzadeh’s death came as a shock, triggering a flood of messages of condolences from his friends and officials, including filmmaker Ebrahim Hatamikia and President Ebrahim Raisi.

Hatamikia, the director of “Damascus Time”, called Talebzadeh, “the most exceptional person” he knew in cinema, and added, “It’s unlikely that someone can fill his place in cinema.”

In his message of condolences, Raisi said, “The death of the revolutionary artist and influential figure on the cultural front of the Islamic Revolution, the late Nader Talebzadeh, caused much grief for artists and cultural figures.”

“This jihadist on the frontlines of soft warfare made numerous brilliant documentary films and TV programs, and as a media activist, cultural manager and expert on international issues opened up new horizons for awakening and struggle against cultural invasion,” he added.

Talebzadeh’s funeral procession will begin from IRIB’s Bilal Mosque on Sunday, and he will be buried in Tehran’s Behesht Zahra Cemetery.