Money, Power and Turf: Winning the Middle East Media War at Any Cost

Ramzy Baroud

It is hardly surprising to see Middle Eastern countries at the bottom of the World Press Freedom Index, as the worst violators of freedom of the press. But equally alarming is the complete polarization of public opinion as a result of self-serving media and, bankrolled by rich Arab countries, whose only goal is to serve their specific, often sinister, agendas.

One does not need to highlight of how state-controlled media in the Middle East lacks the minimal required degree of partiality, let alone integrity. Only a deluded person would argue that governments that kill, torture and imprison journalists, intellectuals and social media activists have an iota of respect for the freedom of the press and expression – in fact, of any kind of freedom at all.

Of the 180 countries classified by Reporters Without Borders’ annual report on press freedom, seven Middle Eastern countries are listed at the bottom 10% category of the world’s worst violators.

In 2018, Israel, which often prides itself on being “the only democracy in the Middle East”, ranked 88th, a hardly shocking realization, considering its constant targeting, killing, wounding and arresting of Palestinian journalists. The Palestinian Authority achieved an even worse rank, at 137th place. It is telling that not a single Middle Eastern country has made it to the top 30% rank.

In countries like Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Yemen, where independent monitoring of government behavior is almost entirely absent, hundreds of journalists simply disappear in the black hole of brutal prison systems – malnourished, medically neglected, and routinely tortured.

In November, an independent panel of United Nations’ experts resolved that the death in jail of democratically-elected President of Egypt Mohammed Morsi was a “state-sanctioned arbitrary killing”. If this is the fate of an elected President, imagine the fate of ordinary journalists who dare criticize the Egyptian government for its systematic violence, corruption, and lack of transparency.

However, we often place all of our focus on this sad state of affairs and neglect the bigger picture, the fact that honest, objective, and trust-worthy journalism in the Middle East is suffering a long, agonizing death. This is not only an outcome of government crackdowns on the media, but also of the well-financed propaganda empires that have recruited thousands of journalists in the region and beyond to fight an ugly, seemingly endless turf-war.

However, it has not always been this way. When the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, a generation of capable and courageous Arab journalists rose from the ashes of that war. While Western journalists allowed themselves to be embedded among US soldiers, thus, entering Baghdad and other conquered Iraqi cities on the back of American tanks, Iraqi and Arab journalists were killed, imprisoned and tortured. Navigating the small margins of freedom available in their own countries, journalists in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere responded to the plight of Iraqis, writing openly against the US, Western designs in Iraq and the entire region.

In the following years, a new breed of Arab journalists took their places in the trenches as citizen-journalists. They challenged us all, narrating stories that were never told and writing about issues that state-sanctioned media would never dare touch.

All of this culminated in the brave display of unabashed reporting that first accompanied the revolts and upheaval in the Arab world, known as the “Arab Spring”. Whenever state media failed to report on the bloody crackdowns by government security forces, citizen-journalists stepped in, filling the gap and exposing the atrocities with the hope of holding the culprits to account.

But that brief honeymoon quickly disintegrated, when counter-revolutionary forces managed to regain the initiative. Over the last eight years, Arab governments gradually understood the significance of the press and especially social media in mobilizing the public. The massive crackdown on these journalists has not ceased since. Thousands of journalists were imprisoned and tortured. Many disappeared, leaving no trails to inform their families on whether they are dead or alive.

The ongoing onslaught was quickly joined by another form of media warfare. All state-run media throughout the Arab world were stuffed with loyalists. All opposition-run media were either shut down or faced numerous restrictions that made it nearly impossible for them to play a meaningful role in challenging their countries’ official discourses.

As Gulf Arab countries descended into their own internal conflict, large sums of money were dedicated to expanding their political outreach and influence. Thousands of foreign journalists, with no cultural or political connection to the Middle East, were shipped in, to replace their Arab colleagues, and to participate, willingly or otherwise, in the dirty propaganda campaigns championed by one rich Arab countries or another. The boundaries of that war extended to the rest of the world where newspapers were acquired, websites set, and TV news stations established, all with only one goal in mind – countering the propaganda of the enemy and imposing their own.

Sadly, many journalists willingly allowed themselves to participate in this shameful display, betraying the basic standards of good journalism, in fact good moral judgement. Of course, there are those who refused to sell out despite the repercussions of their choice. The thousands of journalists who are currently held in Middle Eastern jails are testimony to the courage and bravery of our colleagues.

But this is not the end of the story. Good journalism must not be allowed to die. We must fight back, in the name of Tareq Ayyoub who was killed by US forces in Iraq in 2003, and Yaser Murtaja who was killed by Israeli snipers in Gaza in 2018, and thousands like them, who are either dead or spending tortuous years in Arab or Israeli prisons.

We cannot let fear control us or money compromise our values. Arab regimes have their own agenda – the need to survive at any cost. The Israeli government has its own agenda – silencing any Palestinian call for freedom. Rich Gulf States have their own agendas – defending their political, economic and strategic interests. But who will stand for the agenda of the people, for their freedom, human rights, and ultimate liberation? If it is not us, then who?

Israeli minister calls for Western-Arab alliance against Iran

Israeli foreign minister, Israel Katz, called on Thursday for a Western-Arab alliance headed by the US against Iran, in order to curb its missile development and “aggression”.

This call came following a letter sent by France, Germany and the UK to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, warning that “Iran’s developments of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles” violates a UN Security Council resolution endorsing the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Katz posted on Twitter: “The next step must be an effective military threat of a Western-Arab coalition led by the US to deter Iranian aggression. These are critical moments.”

According to the Times of Israel, Katz also tweeted: “This is the decisive moment.”

This came in the context of a meeting between Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Lisbon, where they discussed the Moroccan-Israeli relations.

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"It's Now or Never": Bolivian Elite Destroying the Country

By: Edu Montesanti

To the Bolivian upper classes, President Evo Morales has to resign even if forced by extreme violence, or through a civil war.

"It's now or never!", said a family in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, gathered close to Christ the Redeemer statue where thousands of demonstrators and road blockers stay seven days of the week, night and day. 

Violence, Our Daily Bread

That statement was in response to this reporter's observance, that circumstances in Bolivia were getting out of control leading to a civil war. Answering that, the family laughed and did not hesitate in declaring: "We want things to get out of control. This is the only way to overthrow this president, once and for all."

For almost 20 days, the South American country is economically stopped, as opposition groups are blocking roads and preventing trade, in the last case with exceptions some short times for markets.

However, if one walks by The Ramada, commercial center in downtown Santa Cruz de la Sierra, sees almost every trade with open doors, an act of disobedience to the rebel leaders of the national strike. This author has talked to some local merchants. 

"Nobody in this area supports the strike," said to this author a woman merchant. "In the city, generally, not everybody opposes the President, on the contrary, I could say people are divided," added the old woman, who owns a large store in The Ramada.

The owner's daughter added: "Nobody did for Bolivia what President Evo Morales has done. He has granted several rights to workers, as no president did before. This is one thing that angers the elite."

Everybody has been afraid to publicly speak, given the uncertainty and virulence in the essence of the current protests that take the nation. Recently, in this area, a woman spoke out against the strike saying people want and need to work as there is no money nor food anymore. She was beaten and obliged to kneel and ask demonstrators for forgiveness.

In regions like Cochabamba, Potosi, and La Paz, the situation is more tense, with frequent clashes between pro-government and opponent groups, and several wounded. In Cochabamba, a 20-year old man was killed last Wednesday, a victim of severe head injury, skull base fracture and brain death due to confrontations, which grow more and more. The civil war is fastly advancing in Bolivia.

Fury without Rationality

The following has been a rule in Bolivia, before the last presidential election: the opposition spills their hate against the local government, especially against President Evo Morales but when confronted with some official data, internationally recognized in favor of the first indigenous president of the nation, criticism change its direction. 

What had seen strong condemnations against the "situation of the country", quickly changed to "a future dictator if many years in power." So they start to explain their political theories about more than two or three mandates in the Presidency. And so, they create their conjectures. 

Angela Merkel has been the German Prime-Minister since 2005, as her country has a solid democracy not questioned in Bolivia nor nowhere around the world. What determines a strong democracy in a country, is the solidity of its institutions. 

Last Monday evening, the biggest demonstration against President Evo Morales since the elections on Oct. 20, took place in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 

"We will siege every government institution including tax collectors ones, and national borders, so the government won't collect one cent. Evo is going to be a president without a State!", said in the demonstration Luis Fernando Camacho, the leader of the current national strike based out in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 

Camacho's biography and ancestry, outlined below in this report, is another serious indication that what is advancing in Bolivia is a Color Revolution, idealized by the American Gene Sharp to overthrow governments all over the world, not aligned to the Washington regime.

President Evo Morales has challenged the opposition to give evidence of fraud to the Organization of American States (OAE), which has been auditing the Bolivia election. So far, nobody presented any piece of evidence of fraud regarding the last presidential election; the opposition claim, since OAS arrival to audit the elections, they do not want any audit nor a runoff anymore, but Morales' resignation and new elections.

This reporter has checked people lost in their observances, as emotions overflowed. One of the features of a Color Revolution. It has been this way in Syria, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Brazil, and other countries lately.

There are other features in these protests is in Bolivia, clearly pointing to a Color Revolution. 

Paying for Demonstrators 

There have been witnesses that road blockers have gotten 200 bolivianos (US$29) per day. A woman confirmed that information to this author, who says she has met a road blocker who has spoken to her about it. 

Camacho has recognized that he paid 1,200 bolivianos (US$174) to a Cruceñista Youth Union member to burn the Electoral Tribunal in Santa Cruz de la Sierra on Oct. 23.

The businessman also speaks out when telling he funds all kinds of demonstrations against the current government, "and always did [before the elections]," which included the attacks against several official party's head offices across Santa Cruz de la Sierra, on Sept.12.

U.S.-Backed Groups

Recent revelations point to a U.S.-backed plan of shaking the nation. The Radio Education Network of Bolivia (Erbol) has released 16 audios, which uncover talks between U.S. officials, Bolivian opponents, and former military.

In a three-part plan outlined by U.S. officials, former President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada (2002-2003) is mentioned. Lozada had Carlos Mesa (the principal opponent of Morales in the last election) as his vice-president and currently lives in the U.S.

 U.S. senators Bob Menendez, Ted Cruz, and Marco Rubio are some of the American officials mentioned in the audios, linked to the Bolivian opposition planning a coup against President Evo Morales.

Officials of the State Department accredited in the country, such as Mariane Scott and Rolf A. Olson, have been meeting with high level diplomatic officials from Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, in order that they organize and plan destabilization actions against the Bolivian government, as well as delivering the U.S. funds to the Bolivian opposition.

(...) Parallel, in the month of July a private meeting between the opponents Jaime Antonio Alarcón Daza, Iván Arias and other members of the civic committees was carried out, in which it was agreed to acquire “machines for fast vote-counting” for the coming presidential elections, for the sake of manipulating public opinion on the electoral results.

"These machines would altogether have a cost of US$300,000. The U.S. Embassy and the representation of the European Union in the country would contribute to financing the purchase, which they would provide through the Jubileo Foundation and the Evangelical Church. With that specific aim, they have already managed to gather more of US$800,000, from which the payment to the people participating in the fast count of votes would also come out."

An attack against the Cuban Embassy in Bolivia has also been planned.

All the audios, which include the three-part plan to achieve a regime change in Bolivia, can be read here.

Touching Emotion through the Mainstream Media of Propaganda 

Demonstrations in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, according to the Bolivian mainstream media, have been held "at the feet of Christ" strongly touching people's emotions, especially the people's faith. In Bolivia's biggest city, demonstrators are used to gathering, as mentioned above, around Christ the Redeemer statue.

So the virulent and anti-democratic demonstrations which are shaking the South American country, leaving many people without food, have an aspect of sacrosanct manifestations by the media - who is against them, is against God and in favor of the Devil. Or something like that.

Religious leaders have used people like puppets for so long in Bolivia. Which of course requires using imagination. It has been so very strong, that this reporter had predicted exactly what is going on these days in Bolivia, months ago. 

Speaking out loud and clear, to the fundamental participation of religious leaders who have dedicated most of their time to spread lies, discrimination, and hate among the Bolivian people, with clear aims. They are mute now, before too much violence in the country.  

Such misuse of people's emotions is not only a Color Revolution feature these days, but was a pillar to the ascension of Germany's Nazism in the 1930s.

In these dark and too tense days in Bolivia, the mainstream media of propaganda is playing a fundamental role in the demonstration’s favor. It has been a bombardment by what can be denominated a war media. No investigation, no impartiality, only propaganda.

Fighting the Wrong Enemy

Oct. 31 evening, when the situation aggravated in Bolivia, this reporter checked one of the main crossroads in the highly tense Santa Cruz de la Sierra, blocked 24 hours per day by demonstrators. 

That day in the city, a policeman had been severely beaten by opponent civilians to the Morales administration. One day before, two men had been killed in Santa Cruz de la Sierra outskirts (Pravda reported).

When this investigation crossed the blocking, under the surveillance of its controllers, a so very loudly radio was saying: "We are reporting multitudinous demonstrations taking place right now in Potosi! Multitudinous demonstrations taking place right now in Cochabamba!  Multitudinous demonstrations taking place right now in Santa Cruz de la Sierra!  Multitudinous demonstrations taking place right now in La Paz!".

Suddenly, in a much more touching way, the narrator said: "In La Paz, the multitude shout, 'No more Cubans, get out Cubans! No more Russians, get out, Russians! No more Chineses, get out Chineses!". A saying started to be spread in Santa Cruz, that "Vladimir Putin has already sent his men to kill everybody in Bolivia." 

So the popular claim in Bolivia changed from recounting the votes to a runoff, no matter the results of the election; another election; Evo Morales' resignation; combating the "big enemies" of the nation, the nightmare of the Bolivian elites, Cubans, Russians, and Chinese. 

Needless to address the absurdities of these remarks. Not to mention the absence of the U.S. in the memory of that same elite given the military coups Uncle Sam has perpetrated against democracies in the region - including Bolivia -, and the plunder of the natural resources of the Bolivian nation (before Evo Morales years in the Presidency).

Luis Fernando Camacho is based-out in Santa Cruz, and most of his public appearances against the Bolivian president, are in his native city. An entrepreneur, he is the president of Committee Pro-Santa Cruz, devoted to advocating justice and progress to Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 

The billionaire has not been voted president of the Committee by the "cruceño" (original from Santa Cruz de la Sierra) people, but by the committee summit. It is widely said in the city that the tycoon won the presidency of the organization through millionaire bribes. Which coincides with the Bolivian too corrupted reality.

Camacho's committee has a long history of spreading racism, discrimination, hate, and violence in Bolivia. In 2008, the organization took part in the violent attempt of separate Santa Cruz de la Sierra from Bolivia. At the time, in response to a false denouncement by the Committee Pro-Santa Cruz against the Morales administration, International Federation for Human Rights seriously rebuked the organization now presided by Camacho, for attacking indigenous people, State institutions, and speech and acts for secessionism (read Open Letter). 

Camacho is 40 years old; he and his family are part of Grupo Empresarial de Inversiones Nacional Vida S.A., a synergy insurance company, His father, José Luis Camacho Miserendino, founded Sergas, a gas company which, in 1989, had contracts with the neoliberal state linked to insurance companies and pension funds. 

Sergas owes 20 million de bolivianos (US$2,890,173) to the Bolivian State for tax evasion, when the company supplied gas to Santa Cruz de la Sierra city. So what is at stake is possibly debt forgiveness if a neoliberal government takes again the power in the South American country. It is said and makes sense that if Carlos Mesa takes the power, substituting Evo Morales in a coup or a resignation, the once Lozada's vice-president will immediately forgive Sergas debt with the State. 

Camacho's committee acts close to Cruceñista Youth Union, widely known for fascist sayings and doings - also for having led the violent and failed project of separating Santa Cruz de la Sierra from Bolivia, in 2007. 

Last Wednesday, Jorge Fernando Quiroga Ramírez, alias Tuto Quiroga, landed in Santa Cruz de la Sierra to meet and support Camacho. Quiroga was vice-president of Hugo Banzer (1971-78, 1997-2001), a bloody dictator pro-Washington regime.

Most recently and closest to Bolivia, Brazil in the world scenario of Color Revolution overthrew President Dilma Rousseff in 2016, to give place to Michel Temer who paved the way for fascist Jair Bolsonaro. Since the coup against Dilma Rousseff, the mainstream media, the upper classes, and the political opposition has said that once the first woman president in Brazil's history was toppled, the South American country would find its way back to democracy and economic growth. 

Needless to address the Brazilian situation since then. Just worthy to mention: those Brazilian segments do not care about corruption anymore, nor have been seen in that too loud strong state of hysteria for economic growth as in 2016. 

If the planned coup succeeds in Bolivia, this country will surely have the same fate as Brazil, economically and politically saying.

A Long Process Based on Misinformation and Hate

"I hate Evo Morales!" said in July last year in a talk to this reporter, a Santa Cruz de la Sierra-bases out hairdresser woman - without any political justification to that deep sentiment. A white professional at 40 years of age, only hates. She openly hates the first indigenous president in Bolivia's history.

Cochabamba's Lawmaker Norma Pierola has been prosecuted for racism for not greeting President Evo Morales in an official activity, late last year. Norma alleged that Morales does not respect women as a president, without any justification for that. On the contrary, the Morales administration is well-known including among critics for granting rights for women, the LGBT community, and indigenous people.

At that time, Santa Cruz de la Sierra Governor Ruben Costas called indigenous people "dumb and stupid," so rekindling the fire of deep racism that used to shame Bolivia in the years previous to Evo Morales.

This video shows strong acts of racism and discrimination Evo Morales is suffering since took power in 2006, and strong violence against innocent and unarmed indigenous people and peasants, "a damn race." Shocking images taped especially in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, before Evo Morales in the Presidency, who has, with the Congress mostly composed of its partisans, passed bills that severely punish acts of discrimination.

But the deep hate has been kept inside hearts, even growing in many people's sentiments through the years. It has been strongly realized by talking to people, who do not tolerate a "red skin," a peasant, or a different accent. Or even an Evo voter.

"If Camacho gets his aims, this atmosphere of discrimination, racism, hate, and deep violence will be back to Bolivia, as he is allied to Ruben Costas," said to this journalist a Bolivian from La Paz, who has been living in Santa Cruz for several years.

Among many non-sense lies spread in Bolivia, both by the opposition and religious leaders (the latter have played a fundamental role in discrimination and diffusion of slanders campaign), could be highlighted that "Evo had an airplane arrested in the U.S. years ago, loaded with cocaine." 

Personally talking to Catholic leaders of Knights Templar in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, this reporter asked them, well aware that was a lie: "So why did Evo was not arrested in the U.S., then?". The ridiculous answer was, "he has immunity as president of Bolivia [in U.S. ground!]." 

Another spread lie is that Evo Morales owns the air company Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) - a state company created in 2007 a year after Evo took power.

"I have been surprised that they [religious leaders] first pray and then they hate, what is that?" Evo asked last week. “They pray [then] kick poor people,” the president of Bolivia denounced, well-aware that such a segment is behind the dirty war of hate and lies across the country.

Social Confusion

Leaving the demonstration "at the feet of Christ" last Monday, this reporter talked to some people. A couple's reaction to some of this journalist's observations is a hallmark of the current state of mind among the opposition voters in Bolivia. 

After explaining the reasons why the young guys were requiring Evo Morales to be overthrown, this report presented some little data about Bolivia's economy in recent years, comparing to the years previous to the current president.

The couple then repeated a posture commonly seen by this author when talking to people by the streets of Santa Cruz de la Sierra: they firstly withered to later change the subject. The problem was not the economy, but a president being many years in power. Which is at least arguable, as pointed out above.

Another strong feature of these protests in Bolivia, a hallmark of Color Revolutions, is the spread of lies among people which is previous to the current mess: the scenario of social confusion based on an inversion of facts has been advancing long ago in the South American country.

Last Tuesday, this reporter got a WhatsApp message from a lawyer based out in La Paz, who works in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, too. "This is the beginning of strong social movements in Bolivia. (...) So starts a social movement, first the group manifests, later elaborate the ideology," he said. Which is an absurd, and another Color Revolution strong feature, as social movements' process is the inverse: they first have a direction, then they organize themselves, and fight for their ideals. Any movement or group without an ideal is artificial.

Fighting for something without a clear path to be pursued is ridiculous, leading nations victims of Color Revolutions, unavoidable to chaos, generally to fascist politics, a worse situation the respective nations used to live before such artificial movements. 

There is no project by the opposition. They want the justice system, controlled by the current government, it is true, to be under their control again, not to reform it. And they aim to collapse every Morales administration gains.

Uncle Sam's Sharp, Cruel Claws

In 2014, Jacob Ostreicher, a Jewish businessman funded by local drug trafficking and the CIA disguised as a diplomatic mission to destabilize Bolivia, illegally, and protected by the CIA, left the South American country not to be arrested. Who provided Ostreicher's escape was "diplomat" Larry Lamont Memmott, a CIA agent operating in Bolivia.

Who is behind protests in Bolivia are dark powers, the stingy, destructive Bolivian elite that in the two centuries before Evo Morales, used to sell local natural resources to get in return Empire's crumbs - the U.S. deep State who is, once again, using the old puppet Bolivian elite as its tool for geostrategic and economic purposes. 

All this seems impossible to be argued with many people in Bolivia right now. Their minds have been confused by the daily mainstream media's bombardment and religious leaders. 

The current chaos, with the local economy stuck for almost 20 days, has no forecast to finish. Who is destroying Bolivia is not surely Cuba, nor Russia, nor China. But in the deeply troubled Bolivia these days, Joseph Goebbels's teachings reigns:  "A lie told once remains a lie, but a lie told a thousand times becomes the truth." 

Lie, something the most terrorist Empire in history is an expert in spreading. And in the destruction of nations, another thing that, for so long, Latin America disgracefully knows very well. 

It's Bolivia turn, again...

Tehranis’ Thorough Thrashing of Trump’s Terrorists

By: Kayhan Int’l 

Tehran witnessed yet another million-strong rally on Monday, November 25, on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the historic decree of the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA), for formation of the Basij or Mass Mobilization Volunteer Force, to defend the country’s Islamic solidarity, national sovereignty, territorial integrity, cultural affinity, and economic-industrial productivity, against enemies of all kinds, including traitorous rioters serving Global Arrogance.

Though millions of other Tehranis couldn’t participate because of their duties to the country in different spheres on a working day, the rally which converged on the capital’s Maidan-e Inqelab (Revolution Square) near Tehran University Campus, from various directions, was a climax to the massive marches being staged all over Iran over the past few days to reaffirm support for the Islamic Republic, following the failed bid by the US, the Zionist regime, and Saudi Arabia, to grease the hands of treasonous elements to indulge in acts of arson, sacrilege of religious symbols, sniping on peaceful protestors against the recent petroleum price hike, and looting of public and private properties.

This Basiji spirit of the nation which is not particular to any strata of society but involves people from all walks of life, is another resounding slap for the US regime and its feverish bid to dent the indomitable resolve of Iran through saboteurs, seditionists, hypocrites, terrorists, and the outcasts who have no place in Iran, following the failure of its policy of economic terrorism and flexing of its aching military muscles in the Persian Gulf region.

It is worth recalling that a few days ago in the wake of the fizzling out of the crude American-Zionist coup attempt within a mere 48 hours, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, had said: "Let all friends and foes know that we pushed back the enemy in the recent security war”.
Yes, the Iranian people are proud of their latest victory in the security theatre over their avowed enemies, after having soundly defeated them in the military, media, political, cultural, scientific, and cyber wars.
This is harbinger of the grand victory awaiting the nation in the economic war, by the Grace of God Almighty, as prophesied by Ayatollah Khamenei.
Iran’s lofty status today, despite the hardships the people have endured over the past four decades with profound faith in their time tested and time-honoured values, coupled with devotion to the independence of their homeland against foreign domination, is indebted to the foresight of the Founder of the Islamic Republic, whose words of turning the nation into a formidable force of 20 million Basijis active in all spheres of the society, continue to ring loud and clear, as Iran surmounts hurdles to master modern technologies, ranging from stem cells to aerospace, and the nuclear fuel cycle to cyberspace.
Imam Khomeini had said: "If we really want to present a perfect meaning of sacrifice, sincerity, devotion and love of God and Islam; is there anyone more deserving than the Basij?”
True indeed, without an iota of doubt. As shown by the recent events, whenever the enemies, on the basis of their misconstrued policies tried to mess up with Iran, they have received a thorough thrashing.  
The US cannot do a damn thing, thanks to the Basiji spirit of the nation of Iran.
To sum up, here is a famous definition of Basij from Ayatollah Khamenei: "Basij has a specific definition: a group of people who show their presence in the middle of the arena and anywhere necessary with lofty divine goals and with an untiring spirit; who show their talents and bring all of their capacities to the arena; and who are not afraid of the dangers of this path. Such people are prepared to lay down their lives. Well, "being prepared to lay down one’s life” is easy to say, but it is not so easy in practice. Thus, the "Basiji” is a person who is prepared for this difficult task – laying down one’s life and sacrificing things that are even dearer than one’s life. This is the meaning of Basij and it is one of the unique characteristics of our country.”

40 years since the Iranian student takeover of the US embassy: What has changed?

November 4th is today known as the National Day of Fight against Global Arrogance in Iran, and Iranians continue to rally in the capital of Tehran every year to mark one of the most crucial events between Iran and the United States in modern history.

JESSICA AYA HARN

On November the 4th, 1979, Iranian students climbed over the gate and broke into the American embassy in Tehran, taking hostage 52 US citizens over what would end up being a period of 444 days. This historical event was spurred by massive protests beginning in 1977, against the US-backed Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. After the Shah fled into exile in the US, and was replaced by the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in the wider 1979 Iranian Revolution, many Iranians felt cheated that the Shah was able to escape trial.

The Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, was the last King of Iran and was heavily criticized for being a pawn of the US government. Essentially replacing the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in a 1953 CIA-backed coup, the Shah became associated with a backwards lavishness and Western-influenced imperialism while the majority of Iranians suffered under economic strain and his notorious secret police service.

Iranian students scale the gate into the US embassy.

After the Iranian Revolution in early 1979, the Shah flew into exile in the United States, which eventually lead to the hostage crisis of November the 4th. Upset that the Shah would not return to Iran to face trial over the numerous human rights abuses, extrajudicial killings, and torture of the Iranian people during his reign, many took to the streets demanding his return.

Iranian students, supported by massive protests across the country, overran the US embassy in Tehran and took hostage more than 50 American diplomats and other citizens who were in the embassy, holding them hostage for a total of 444 days. Demanding the Shah return to Iran for trial, the hostage crisis only ended when Iran agreed to release the hostages in 1980 after the Algiers Accords, minutes before US President Ronald Reagan was sworn into office.

November 4th is today known as the National Day of Fight against Global Arrogance in Iran, and Iranians continue to rally in the capital of Tehran every year to mark one of the most crucial events between Iran and the United States in modern history. In a time of heightened tensions between the US and Iran, it remains deeply worrying that the tensions that erupted in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution have only continued to simmer underneath renewed sanctions and political backbiting between the two nations.

The hostage crisis of 1979 lasted 444 days.

US President Trump’s decision last year to withdraw from a major nuclear deal with Iran, paired with renewed sanctions on ordinary Iranians, have shocked those hoping for a possible peace deal between the two nations in regards to nuclear proliferation. In addition to this, the US’ continued alliance with Saudi Arabia, who views Iran as its eternal enemy in the region, have only furthered the rift between Iran and the West at large. The recent attack on Saudi’s oil fields, which the Houthi rebels of Yemen claimed responsibility for, were immediately blamed as being a direct attack from Iran by both Saudi Arabia and the US.

All of this points towards the continued stance of the US on painting Iran as the enemy of the East, constantly blaming Iran for numerous conflicts in the wider Middle East while adamantly standing alongside Saudi Arabia, despite Saudi’s continued human rights abuses in Yemen. Iran as well has continued to repute attacks from the US, and while can be criticized on numerous accounts for internal human rights abuses, has never shied away from criticizing US imperialism.

In light of this, it seems as though nothing has really changed much with Iranian-US relations. While there has been a greater flow of peoples, language, and culture between the two nations, the government of both Iran and the US continue to remain staunch enemies. As the Arabian Peninsula becomes increasingly burdened by the yoke of Saudi Arabia, Iran is oftentimes on its own when it comes to political partnerships in the region. While another Iranian Revolution or student takeover of the US embassy are likely to never happen again, ordinary Iranians continue to suffer under harsh sanctions and governmental bickering from both sides – it remains to be seen whether any real relationship between the two nations will ever form at the highest levels of government.

Jessica Aya Harn

Deputy Editor here at The Muslim Vibe