I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y FEBRUARY 8, 2020 IN FOCUS 3

Cleric calls for massive turnout Top judge strongly warns U.S. against escalation in parliamentary polls ‘Any military measure against Iran POLITICAL TEHRAN — Ayatollah tury” as a “scandal” for Washington, saying will send American forces to bottom deskMohammad Emami the world will realize that this plan is awful. Kashani, a Tehran Friday prayer leader, “It is quite odd that a handful of thieves of Persian Gulf’ has called on Iranian people to participate and enemies intrude into the homeland of in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Palestinian people, take their homes and POLITICAL TEHRAN — Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raisi massive numbers. lives, and in the end, they say let’s divide deskhas strongly warned the United States that any “The greatness of Iran is that people come [the land] and the true owners do not have military measure against Iran will send the American forces to to the ballot box and the enemy becomes as- any rights about it,” he said. the bottom of the Persian Gulf. tonished,” Emami Kashani told worshippers “They bill this as the deal of the century, in Tehran on Friday. but it is nothing other than a scandal,” the “The enemy looks at the crowd, [seeing] cleric added. that the people, with every taste, have come Addressing a pro-Israel audience at the to the ballot box,” he said, according to Mehr. White House with Israeli Prime Minister The cleric said if the Islamic Revolution Benjamin Netanyahu by his side, Trump had not occurred, the United States and Is- announced the general provisions of the rael would have completely dominated the plan late in January. Muslim world. The White House claimed that the plan Iran itself was under U.S. and Israel dom- is the most serious, realistic, and detailed inance in all political, economic, moral and plan ever presented, one that could make cultural issues, he said. Israelis, Palestinians, and the region safer He also said the anniversary of the Islamic In the early hours of January 8, the IRGC el that none of their military commanders and more prosperous. Revolution coincides with the 40th day after attacked the U.S. airbase of Ain al-Assad in will be safe should they take action against “This Vision is just the first step and pro- the martyrdom of Lieutenant General Qas- Anbar province in western Iraq as part of Iranian generals. vides the basis for historic progress toward sem Soleimani. its promised “tough revenge” for the U.S. “The Americans and the Zionists beware peace. The United States hopes this Vision “We are indebted to General Soleimani terror attack. that if they threaten our commanders with will lead to direct negotiations between Israel for our security, Emami Kashani said. Brian Hook, the U.S. special representative assassination and if they implement their and the Palestinians,” it added. U.S. President Donald Trump ordered for Iran, told the Arabic-language daily Asharq threat, life of none of their commanders will Following Trump’s announcement, The U.S. forces will suffer defeat if they begin any confronta- strikes that martyred General Soleimani, chief al-Awsat on January 23 that Esmail Ghaani, be safe,” Major General Salami said. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud tion with the Iranian armed forces, Raisi said in an address to a of the IRGC Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi who is successor of General Soleimani, could ‘Deal of century is a scandal Abbas said “a thousand no’s to the deal gathering of military forces in the southern port city of Bushehr, al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of also be assassinated. for Washington’ of the century.” Palestinians also took to Tasnim reported on Friday. Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), Responding to the remarks, IRGC Chief Elsewhere in his sermon, Emami Kashani streets in Gaza and the West Bank to pro- He lauded the Iranian armed forces for contributing to regional on January 3. warned the U.S. and Isra- pointed to Trump’s so-called “deal of the cen- test the plan. security, saying Iran’s military will never allow the Americans, the Europeans and the British to come to the region from the other side of the world and threaten regional security. The powerful presence of the armed forces will not allow the Americans to sleep peacefully at night in the region, the Judiciary chief warned. Tehran, Damascus discuss bilateral relations Iranian military and political officials have repeatedly warned POLITICAL TEHRAN — An Iranian delegation met discuss bilateral ties. at bolstering joint cooperation, and hoped that the the enemies against the dire consequences of a military action deskon Thursday with Speaker of Syrian Peo- Hammoudeh highlighted the deep Tehran-Damascus delegation’s visit would contribute to developing bi- against the Islamic Republic. ple’s Assembly Hammoudeh Sabbagh to discuss ways to ties, saying closer coordination between the two sides will lateral relations. In remarks in April 2018, Leader of the Islamic Revolution strengthen relations between the two countries. counter hegemonic powers, especially the United States, For his part, Danaeifar underscored the importance of Ayatollah said the U.S. is aware of the crushing Headed by Hassan Danaeifar, an advisor to Vice Pres- Mehr reported. enhancing cooperation between the two countries and de- response it will receive in case of taking military action against Iran. ident Es’haq Jahangiri, the delegation traveled to Syria to He also pointed to the need to exchange visits aimed veloping relations in various fields. The era of hit and run is now over, and the U.S. knows that if it gets entangled in a military conflict with Iran, it will receive much harsher blows, Ayatollah Khamenei underlined. The U.S. is seeking a way to evade the costs of standing against Iran and place them on regional countries, the Leader said, re- Tehran says ready to help settle Turkey-Syria conflict in Idlib minding certain regional countries that if they confront Iran, “they will definitely suffer blows and defeat”. 1 Highlighting the Sochi agreement them, will not prevent the Syrian army Tensions have spiked between Iran and the United States after over the situation in Idlib, Takht-Ravanchi from continuing its campaign against the U.S. assassination of Iran’s top anti-terror general Qassem said, “The Astana meeting underlined the terrorism until the entire Syrian territo- Soleimani on January 3. importance of the Sochi agreement.” ries are liberated and completely purged In the early hours of January 8, the IRGC attacked the U.S. On Thursday, Damascus denounced from the presence of terror groups,” the airbase of Ain al-Assad in Anbar province in western Iraq as part the near-simultaneous deployment of source highlighted. of its promised “tough revenge” for the assassination. Turkish military forces to Syria’s Idlib and SANA, citing a statement released by Despite initially claiming that the attack resulted in no casu- the recent Israeli air aggression against the Syrian General Command of the Army alties, the Trump administration has since gradually announced the Arab country, saying they prove that and Armed Forces, reported that a Turkish casualties from the Iranian attack, most recently claiming that Ankara works hand in glove with the Tel military convoy, including a number of 64 U.S. troops have suffered from “traumatic brain injuries”. Aviv regime. armored vehicles, had passed from the Ogli- Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Aerospace Force of “Turkish forces, in a close collaboration nar area into Syria and deployed along the the IRGC, said on Thursday that Iran will soon disclose new and exposed concurrence and under the line linking the towns of Binnish, Ma’arrat information about its missile attack against the U.S. base. cover of the Israeli aggression, infringed Misrin and Taftanaz early on Thursday. upon Syrian borders and were deployed The development took place shortly after in areas stretching between the towns of Syrian air defense forces intercepted several Binnish, Ma’arrat Misrin and Taftanaz. missiles launched from the occupied Golan Iran able to respond quickly Such a step affirms the common interests Heights and southern Lebanon targeting of Turkish and Israeli regimes regarding the al-Kiswa area, Marj al-Sultan, Bagh- to any threat: Air Force chief the protection of terrorists, particularly dad Bridge and South of Izra’ around the POLITICAL TEHRAN — Chief of the Islamic Republic of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly known capital, Damascus. 12 observation posts ringing the Idlib to an agreement reached in the Russian desk as al-Nusra Front), and to impede the Meanwhile, Syrian forces have entered enclave, attempted to reinforce rebel resort aimed at demilitarizing Idlib, the Iran Air Force (IRIAF) Aziz Nasirzadeh said on advancement of the Syrian army in Idlib the city of Saraqeb in Idlib province. positions in a number of strategic lo- last-remaining rebel enclave. Friday Iran is capable of responding quickly to any military threat. and Aleppo, and to prevent the complete The so-called Syrian Observatory for cations, including Taftenaz Airport, as Turkey shelled Syrian government posi- “As we are capable of creating security in the region and will defeat of their proxies in Syria,” an un- Human Rights said in a report corroborated well as the towns of Binesh and Maarat tions during the past several days to avenge respond to any threat quickly, we also have the capability to create named source at the Syrian Ministry of by witnesses that Syrian troops marched Misreen. Syrian forces are now outside the deaths of more than a half dozen of its peace and stability,” Nasirzadeh said, addressing worshippers Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a through the city, situated 15 kilometers the strategic town of Saraqeb and appear soldiers in a Syrian government attack this in Tehran, Mehr reported. statement carried by Syria’s official news (9.3 miles) east of Idlib city on Thursday poised to take it. week. Erdogan said Ankara would retaliate agency SANA. following battles with foreign-sponsored Erdogan said the Syrian government “without warning.” The ministry official added that both Takfiri militants. advance had caused an unacceptable Arab media reported that a Russian the Turkish military deployment and According to voanews.com, Syrian “flood of a million [Syrian] refugees” military delegation was visiting the Turk- the Israeli airstrikes in the early hours government forces continue to whittle toward Turkish territory in recent days. ish capital, Ankara, Thursday to discuss of Thursday are a blatant violation of the away at Turkish-supported rebel forces He demanded that government forces the recent escalation of violence in Idlib Syrian sovereignty and international law, inside Idlib enclave, gaining more ground withdraw from areas close to Turkish province, in which it acknowledged that and clearly prove to the entire world the along the strategic Damascus-to-Aleppo army observation posts. both Turkish and Russian military forces parties that support, sponsor and protect highway. It said the Syrian army appears He said two of Turkey’s observation have been killed. The Russian Foreign terrorism in Syria. poised to capture another strategic town. posts — established in coordination with Ministry also issued a statement denounc- Such incidents, the source added, took Syrian state TV reported Thursday that Russia in the Sochi accord — are now behind ing what it said were “over a thousand the mask off the face of Turkish leader military advances, beginning with the re- Syrian government lines. He is demand- rebel attacks on government forces in Recep Tayyip Erdogan who used to express cent capture of Maarat Naaman and 22 ing that Damascus withdraw from these the past month.” hostility towards Israel. smaller towns, have “sparked a collapse in positions by the end of February or else Syrian government media showed video On January 8, Iran fired dozens of ballistic missiles on a U.S. “The Syrian Arab Republic reiter- morale” among Turkish-supported rebel Turkey, he warns, will take military action of Turkey moving trucks and other military airbase in Iraq from which the Pentagon had flown drones to ates that acts of aggression, either by forces in Idlib province. to force it to do so. equipment into Idlib province to reinforce assassinate General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the the Turkish regime or Israel or both of Turkish military forces, which have By the Sochi accord, he was referring its presence there. IRGC Quds Force. The attack took place immediately after General Soleimani was laid to rest after massive funeral precessions in big cities such as Ahwaz, Mashhad, Tehran, Qom, and Kerman, his birthplace. Referring to the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, Na- Tehran: Washington’s anti-Iran hostilities proved futile sirzadeh also said the Revolution has had a profound impact TEHRAN (FNA) — Iranian President’s Chief of Staff to improve the country, describing sanctions as a driving on international relations and it has created hope in the hearts Mahmoud Vaezi said that the U.S. call for direct talks with force to increase power. of the world’s oppressed people under the leadership of Imam no-preconditions prove that Washington’s hostile campaign “Despite the fact that most of the country’s needs were Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei. against Tehran has failed, reminding that the White House supplied through imports in the past, the focus for supplying The Islamic Revolution is the most amazing phenomenon of set 12 prerequisites for talks in 2018 and is now begging for goods is on indigenized products after sanctions,” Larijani contemporary history, he remarked. negotiations with no prior demands. said, addressing a ceremony in the Southwestern province The Iranian nation toppled the U.S.-backed Pahlavi regime on Vaezi referred to efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump of Khuzestan. February 11, 1979, ending 2,500 years of monarchy in the country. for holding direct talks with Iran, and said that the U.S. is He noted that the internal and knowledge-based companies The Revolution, spearheaded by the late Imam Khomeini, begging for negotiation with Iran as its hostile actions have have become more active and strengthened the country after established a new political system based on Islamic values and been fruitless. sanctions, and continued, “This will improve the economic democracy. It seems that the United States and its president have conditions next year.” On Bahman 22nd, which falls on February 11, Iranian people nothing to do except controlling Iran, and they seek to limit “Iran has for years stood on its feet and played an im- pour into the streets in their millions to commemorate the great our economic relations with other countries by any means, portant role in the region which is a great job and a source victory of the Islamic Revolution. he said, adding that they only use 400 people in the U.S. of honor for the country,” Larijani said. In a statement last year, marking the 40th anniversary of Department of the Treasury to control sanctions against Iran. Washington’s unilateral sanctions against Tehran began the Islamic Revolution, the Leader asked the youth to take “the The Iranian government and nation won’t come back to in November 2018, five months after U.S. President Don- second great step” for the progress of the revolution.” the negotiating table under pressure and the other side has ald Trump withdrew from an international deal on Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted on “justice and campaign no choice but to change its wrong decision and undoubtedly, that the U.S. now is begging for negotiation with Iran with nuclear program. against corruption” in the next stage. the future is bright, Vaezi said. no precondition as its hostile actions have proved fruitless. Claiming that the bans were working properly, Trump The Leader also pushed for promotion of science and research; The U.S. initially set 12 preconditions for negotiations at the On Tuesday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani tightened them in May, only to see that Iran was finding economy; spiritually and ethics; independence, freedom, and outset of its embargo and pressure on Iran, he added, saying underlined the need for more attention to internal capacities new solutions to recoup the losses. national dignity; foreign relations; and lifestyle.