I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y FEBRUARY 8, 2020 IRAN 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. Hossein Salami 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 Ali Khamenei 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- Amir 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.