Sunday, March 31, 2024

Iran win 2024 IIHF Women's Asia and Oceania Cup

TEHRAN – Iran national team defeated the Philippines 4-0 on Saturday to win the 2024 IIHF Women's Asia and Oceania Cup.

The competition was held at the Gorodskoi Katok in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Team Melli had defeated the UAE 16-0, Kyrgyzstan 6-0 and India 10-0 in their previous matches.

Iran had won a sliver in the competition last year.

The 2024 IIHF Women's Asia and Oceania Cup is an international women's ice hockey tournament run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

This edition of the tournament took place from March 24 to 30 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The tournament followed a single round robin format.

Pres. Raisi Discusses Gaza with Erdogan

Alwaght- Iranian President Seyyed Ibrahim Raisi has held a phone conversation with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, discussing with him ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza.

The president referred to the Israeli war on Gaza and the crimes it commits daily in the besieged Palestinian enclave, according to Fars News Agency.

He pointed to the "indescribable pain" of the Palestinians in Gaza under the heavy Israeli bombardment despite the UN Security Council’s resolution that called for immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

He added: "The Zionist regime does not adhere not only to this resolution, but also to any law, treaty and international covenant, and violating more than 400 international statements and resolutions bear witness to the aggressive, law-breaking and anti-human nature of this regime, which requires the serious cooperation of Islamic countries to support the oppressed people in Gaza."

He maintained that today the Muslim nations expect a "resolute and deterrent action" from the Muslim world leaders to put an end to the Israeli crimes and genocide against the Palestinians.

He said that this is possible through work of the regional and Islamic organizations like the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Raisi also emphasized the necessity of cooperation and unity of Islamic countries in sending humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip to prevent famine, announcing the readiness of Tehran for any initiative in this field.

The two also discussed bilateral ties in trade and other areas.

Raisi voiced his optimism that the two neighbours will enhance their partnership in trade and energy as this best serves their national interests.

Iranian nation determined to continue making Iran proud

FM Spox.

TEHRAN, (MNA) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson stated that 1402 was a prosperous year in Iran's foreign relations, saying that the Iranian nation is determined to continue making their country proud in all fields.

The 10th ceremony of honoring Iran's flag on the occasion of Islamic Republic Day was held on Sunday, Farvardin 12, in the presence of Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Ezzatollah Zarghami, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Nasser Kan'ani and a group of foreign ambassadors in the tourist area of Abbas Abad in Tehran.

"We are proud that in the last 45 years, the Iranian nation has made great achievements in the history of the Islamic Republic in various fields which is obvious to everyone," Kan'ani said.

He emphasized that all ethnic groups and classes are determined to continue making their country proud in all fields.

Kan'ani stated that Iran has passed 45 glorious years and 1402 was also a prosperous year in the country's foreign relations.

He added that Iran has decided to expand its relations with countries that are willing to develop their relations with Iran within the framework of common interests and mutual respect in the new year.

Referring to the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson noted that the world is witnessing difficult times for Palestine, calling it an international responsibility for all nations and governments to stop the killing machine of the Zionist regime in Palestine.

Turkish president casts vote in Turkey's local elections

TEHRAN, (MNA) – The local elections "will mark the beginning of a new era in our country”, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said after casting his vote in Istanbul along with First Lady Emine Erdogan.

Erdogan -- whose political career began as mayor of Istanbul in 1994 -- also mentioned last year’s hard-fought parliamentary and presidential elections and hope that "these will be instrumental in the beginning of a new era, a new century in our country.”

According to TRT, after voting in the city’s Uskudar district, Erdogan stressed the importance of participation in the elections, urging all eligible citizens to "come out and make their choice."

Voting began across Türkiye on Sunday to elect city mayors, district mayors, and other local officials who will serve for the next five years, including in the hotly-contested cities of Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.

Voting started at 7 am local time and will continue through 4 pm in 32 eastern provinces, and in the remaining provinces, polling stations opened at 8 am and closed at 5 pm.

In the March 31 local elections, more than 61 million voters nationwide are eligible to cast their votes at over 200,000 polling stations with candidates from 34 political parties competing.

Iran Marks Islamic Republic Day

Alwaght- Today Iran is marking Islamic Republic Day, the day Iranians voted on March 31, 1979, in a referendum to approve of Islamic Republic to become their official political system.

Known in the Persian Callender as 12 Farvardin, the day marks the official abolishment of 2,500 years of monarchy in Iran.

The day also marked official end of the pro-Western Pahlavi monarchy that ruled Iran for nearly 6 decades.

The Islamic Republic Day is an important holiday in Iran, which highlights the country's political and cultural identity, and celebrates its achievements and aspirations as a nation.

In this day, people took to the voting stations to choose their new political system, less than two months after the Leader of Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini returned to Iran and announced victory of the revolution.

On the 12th of Farvardin 1358 (March 31, 1979), the maximum participation of the people proved the will of the Islamic Iranian people in pride, freedom, and independence.

On the day, Iranians voted yes to the establishment of an Islamic Republic in the country, and their commitment and vigilance based Iran’s political system on Islam.

Iran made its choice for Islamic Republic while at the time the world countries were slices of two poles: Capitalism or Socialism backed by the West and Soviet Union.

The day since then was identified as a reflection of the national Iranian will for independence and self-determination.

The referendum to choose the type of political system was held despite the fact that a majority of the people of Iran were in favor of Islamic politics and political system after decades of Pahlavis' submission and dependence to the West.

Through this referendum Imam Khomeini actually brought about a new type of ruling: Religious democracy; "a divine gift that was awarded to the Iranian nation by the late founder of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini" as described by Supreme Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei.

On this day 98.2% of the Iranian people voted for a change in the political system of their country. After enduring years of secular political systems and various monarchies, Iranians voted for a political system that was consistent with Islamic beliefs. This new political system did not push away religion but rather embraced it.

The Islamic Republic Day set in motion an all new policy to Iran under Islamic Republic, a policy of total national independence at a time the world nations are struggling with neo-colonialism of the West.

By electing an Islamic Republic, Iranians also chose to be free of any unhealthy affiliations and attachments to the West. In addition, they voted and fought for the independence of their country. As a result, Iran is now an independent country.

The Islamic Republic initiated a new Iran that decided to build its power not based on the Western help but national will. Since then, Iran has walked a long way, presenting itself as a regional power and an international game-changer.

The West has done more than enough of plots to destroy the current political system in Iran, but it only met its failure as popular support to Islamic Republic remains the defining feature of this political system despite all challenges, mainly in economy. Provoking Saddam's war and backing terror and separatist organizations to home riots and tough economic sanctions are all conspiracies the West has done over the past 45 years.

Despite all the challenges, Iran remains on the track the Islamic Republic Day set for it over four decades ago.

Over 400 Palestinians killed in al-Shifa Hospital siege

Gaza media office

TEHRAN, (MNA) – Local authorities say more than 400 Palestinians have lost their lives during the Israeli military’s raid on Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital where a siege has entered its 13th day.

Gaza's media office announced in a statement that Israeli forces have perpetrated various crimes during the ongoing attack on the hospital, the largest medical facility in the territory that houses thousands of patients and displaced people. The troops have targeted, destroyed and set fire to 1,050 houses.

The statement added that the fatalities include patients, war-displaced and healthcare staff, noting that hundreds more have been arrested and subjected to torture.

Gaza's media office went on to lambaste the silence of the international community on such atrocities, condemning the US administration and certain world countries’ complicity with the Israeli regime in the bloody military campaign against the besieged coastal sliver.

Medical staff in other hospitals in the war-torn Gaza Strip are also contending with Israeli brutalities as the war rages on.

Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabalia in northern Gaza, stated that medical staff at the facility are working under deplorable conditions.

On March 18, heavily armed Israeli forces stormed the al-Shifa Hospital using tanks and drones, firing at people inside the complex.

The Israeli military claimed that the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement is using the facility to “conduct and promote terrorist activity.” Later that day, Israel said that “terrorist forces” were firing at Israeli troops.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said at the time that about 3,000 people were inside the medical complex seeking refuge and that those attempting to leave were being targeted by snipers and fire from helicopters.

The deadly raid has been going on for nearly two weeks now, with the occupation troops laying siege on the hospital and targeting those trying to flee.

Meanwhile, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said that Israeli forces had killed 26 members of its team since the start of the war on Gaza.

The group said some 15 of its staff were killed “while performing their humanitarian duties and wearing the protected Red Crescent emblem.”

Israel has been targeting hospitals in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of its war on Gaza in early October last year, claiming Hamas uses them as command centers. Hamas officials have rejected such claims on several occasions.

Israel waged its brutal US-backed war on the Gaza Strip on October 7 after Hamas carried out a historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for the regime’s intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

However, more than six months into the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has failed to achieve its objectives of “destroying Hamas” and finding Israeli captives despite killing at least 32,705 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 75,190 others.

Ayatollah Khamenei’s remarks ‘important’ for Armenia: MP

Tehran, IRNA- An Armenian lawmaker says the position of Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei regarding conflict in the Caucasus region has given the people of Armenia an important boost in morale.

Lilit Galtian told IRNA in an exclusive interview published on Saturday that after the 44-day war of 2020 between Armenia and Azerbaijan, “the balance of power in the South Caucasus was disrupted".

Even though many countries have since emphasized on sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia, she said, the statement made by Iran’s Supreme Leader stressing on “the security of the people and no change in borders has been more important for the people of Armenia from the point of view of morale".

“Last month, an official survey was conducted in Armenia asking the people, ‘which countries do you consider to be friends of Armenia?’ It might be interesting to you that the first three countries in this survey were Iran, America and France,” the Armenian MP said.

Galtian said that national security is “the most important issue” for Armenia at the moment “because our security is facing a serious threat".

Asked how Iran and other regional countries can help establish that security, she said Armenia has always been keen to address its security challenges through “dialogue” and will welcome governments that want to mediate between Yerevan and Baku.

“The presence of foreign countries cannot help with the regional crisis,” the Armenian MP added.

Iran Calls for International Community to Stop Israeli Killing Machine: FM Spokesman

Alwaght- The world community and the international institutions should stop the ongoing Israeli massacres in Gaza, said the spokesman to Iranian Foreign Ministry Nasser Kan'ani.

He further said that these days are "painful" days in the history of Palestine.

"We are witnessing tough days [in Palestine]. This is an international responsibility for all nations, governments, and international organizations and mechanisms to scramble to help the Palestinians and stop the killing machine and crimes of the usurping Zionist regime," he added.

He maintained that people in Gaza are subjected to a true genocide, but the international institutions under influence of the Western backers of the Israeli regime are standing actionless.

He noted that Iran does its best for support of the Palestinians who are struggling for liberation of their occupied lands.

Iran hosted Afghan refugees for 40 years: Taliban minister

Kabul, IRNA - The spokesperson of the Ministry of Refugees Affairs of the caretaker government of Afghanistan praised the hospitality of the Afghan refugees by the Islamic Republic of Iran and said that "we want this kind hospitality of our Muslim neighbor for some time".

Abdulmutallab Haqqani, the spokesman of the Ministry of Refugees Affairs of the caretaker government of Afghanistan in an interview with the IRNA news agency reporter in Kabul, said that Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, in addition to good diplomatic relations and international principles, have many religious and cultural commonalities.

"Therefore, these two neighboring Muslim countries have rights against each other," he said.

Haqqani stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran hosted millions of Afghan immigrants well in the last 40 years.

"We ask the Islamic Republic of Iran to tolerate the presence of Afghan immigrants for some more time and be patient with them so that we facilitate their dignified return to the country," he added.

Amir-abdollahian meeting with al-Nakhalah in Tehran

By:Mohsen RanginKaman

TEHRAN, (MNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-abdollahian and the Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement of Palestine Ziyad al-Nakhalah met in Tehran on Saturday.

Pro-Palestine protesters chain themselves to US warship heading to Gaza

A group of pro-Palestine American protesters chained themselves to a US warship on Friday to block the vessel from transporting weapons and military equipment to Israel amid the occupying regime’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Some 800 demonstrators gathered in a San Francisco port, where the USNS Harvey Milk was docked before heading to the Israeli-occupied territories.

Photos and videos posted on social media showed eight protesters standing on the ship’s gangway, chanting, “Palestine will live forever,” as some chained themselves to the gangway to block the vessel from transporting supplies, according to CBS News.

The demonstrators had earlier flocked to the streets in San Francisco, with the rally's coordinators, which include the Arab Resource Organizing Center (AROC) and the Palestinian Youth Movement, voicing their strong opposition to Washington’s untrammeled support to Israel by providing the illegal entity with financial and logistical support during its brutal aggression on Gaza.

Holding signs and banners in support of Palestinians, the American protesters chanted “Free, Free Palestine,” and called for a ceasefire in Gaza as well as an end to the US-funded arming of Israel.

“It is outrageous and unacceptable that our government continues to fund and supply the Israeli military as it carries out genocide against the people of Gaza,” Lara Kiswani, AROC’s executive director, said in a news release.

Local reports said 14 protesters were arrested by police in the mass rally and a media event scheduled to be held by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was canceled due to the protests.

“The clear majority of people in the country–and across the world–are opposed to Israel’s war in Palestine,” Kiswani added in the news release. “Rather than celebrate this vessel’s participation in Israel's violations of human rights and international law, Rep. Pelosi needs to represent her constituents and join the call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire now.”

The rally was staged after US media reported of President Joe Biden’s authorization of the delivery of “billions of dollars” worth of arms to Israel amid the Gaza war.

"President Biden has in recent days authorized the transfer of billions of dollars in bombs and warplanes to Israel, although Washington expresses concern about a possible military attack on Rafah, south of Gaza,” The Washington Post reported, citing Pentagon and State Department officials.

The newspaper said the new weapons batches include more than 1,800 2,000-pound MK84 bombs and 500 500-pound MK82 bombs.

“The provision of new military aid to Israel shows that even though there is a divergence of views between the United States and Israel on the continuation of the war in Gaza, the Biden administration nevertheless does not associate military aid to Israel to the actions of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu,” the US daily stressed.

Israel began hostilities in Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for the regime's intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The regime has also cut off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

Israel has killed more than 32,500 Palestinians and injured nearly 75,000 others in Gaza since the October day.

According to the UN, the ongoing Israeli genocide has resulted in the internal displacement of 85% of Gaza's population, who are now facing severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Additionally, the UN reports that 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been either damaged or completely destroyed.

Tel Aviv Protests Blame Netanyahu for Prolonged War, Call for Ceasefire Deal

Alwaght- Thousands of Israelis have protested in Tel Aviv, blaming Netanyahu for the dire security situation the Israeli regime is in and demanding a ceasefire deal that will bring home prisoners held by Hamas since October 7.

Like other Saturday nights, the protestors gathered outside the defense ministry and called for Netanyahu to step down amid ongoing war on Gaza and a failure to secure a deal with Hamas resistance movement. A similar protest was organized near Netanyahu’s residence in Al-Quds (Jerusalem).

They chanted "we will not settle down until they [prisoners] return home", and "Stop the war, the most important thing are the hostages."

Police forces, meanwhile, clashed with demonstrators as they tried to disperse them.

According to Israeli media outlets, hundreds stormed the barriers set up by the police in front of Netanyahu's residence.

The families of the prisoners present in the demonstration declared that Netanyahu was responsible for the captivity of their members.

They said: "Netanyahu's behavior is a crime, and if we don't do something to remove him, we will never see our children again."

They insisted that Netanyahu ouster is their final aim. "We act to remove you," they addressed Netanyahu.

According to Aljazeera, the demonstrators accused the PM of prioritizing his party's interests over the interests of the Israeli regime and demanded the conclusion of negotiations with Hamas.

Many Israelis feel that Netanyahu is the main obstacle to signing a deal with Hamas and bringing the captives held in Gaza back home, Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut said.

The rallies against Netanyahu continue amid rays of hope about resumption of truce talks.

An Israeli official told the Reuters news agency that Israel would send a delegation to the Cairo talks on Sunday. A Hamas official however told Reuters the resistance movement would wait to hear from Cairo mediators on the outcome of their talks with Israel first.

A statement from Netanyahu’s office said he had authorised the Israeli negotiating team to meet with mediators in both Cairo and Doha, and had given them a mandate with which to negotiate, Aljazeera reported.

Islamic Republic Day turning point in Iran's history

IRGC

TEHRAN, (MNA) – The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) called the “Islamic Republic Day" a bright and determining turning point in the history of Iran.

IRGC statement considered April 1st as a bright and determining turning point in the history of Iran, saying that the independence of the country was guaranteed in a unique referendum and with the establishment of the holy system with the vote of 98.2% of the Iranian people which liberated the country from the dominion of arrogant powers and showed the new model of governance based on Islam and religious democracy to the world.

This statement added that the Islamic Republic of Iran with its attractive right-seeking and justice-oriented discourse for humanity has been the target of the enemies since the beginning and has faced a long and varied list of conspiracies which separatist and terrorist movements of the beginning of the victory of the revolution in the border provinces of the country, the imposed eight-year war, blockade, sanctions and economic war and chain seditions are among them.

The Islamic Establishment has overcome all the enmities with the grace of God, the guidance of Imam Khomeini (RA) and Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, and the insightful and intelligent presence of the Iranian people and turned all the conspiracies to an opportunity for the strength and progress of the Revolution and the Islamic system, the statement noted.

The IRGC pledged in this statement to defend the independence, security, and national interests and protect the glorious achievements of the revolution and the holy system of the Islamic Republic of Iran in cooperation with other armed forces and intelligence and security institutions of the country.