Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar will visit Pakistan on Friday to discuss ways of cracking down on a Sunni rebel group behind a deadly attack on the elite Revolutionary Guards.
State television reported late on Thursday that Najjar will head a large security delegation to Islamabad for talks with his Pakistani counterpart and other top officials on means of fighting Jundallah.
"Mostafa Mohammad Najjar will meet Pakistani officials, namely the interior minister, about the recent terrorist attack and ways of fighting against the terrorist group," an interior ministry spokesman, Mehdi Azar Makan, said.
Iran on Tuesday turned up the heat on Pakistan saying that Jundallah (Soldiers of God) which claimed responsibility for the Oct. 18 suicide bombing, is based on its territory. Islamabad denied the allegations.
Top commanders of the Revolutionary Guards were among 42 people killed in the attack -- the deadliest assault in recent years on Iran's prestigious military force which was set up after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Tehran says that Jundallah chief Abdolmalek Rigi is based in Pakistan and has asked Islamabad to hand him over.
However, Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Basit has denied that Rigi is in the country and said the attack was aimed at undermining ties between Islamabad and Tehran.
"We don't know the whereabouts of Rigi," Basit said. "As Interior Minister Rehman Malik said, Rigi is not in Pakistan."
A Jundallah statement on the Internet said the aim of Sunday's operation was to avenge "the wounds of the Baluch people which have been bleeding for years without end."
Pakistan's southwestern Baluchistan province, which shares a border with both Iran and Afghanistan, is also rife with Islamist militancy, Sunni-Shiite sectarian violence and a regional Baluch insurgency.
Suleiman Haddad wrote that peace is almost impossible, and urged the U.S. and the international community to pressure Israel to implement the U.N. resolutions. Otherwise, he said, "the region will face difficult choices, and resistance will be the only [possible] option for the Arab and Palestinian people..."
Haddad went on to distinguish several groups within the Arab world: "Some," he wrote, "have accepted a mistaken and unacceptable formula of peace with Israel for no reward, while others are still hesitating between moving ahead and withdrawing [from previous agreements]. [These people] need to take a decision, [and] we call upon them, in the name of justice, history, and the millions of shahids who have fallen since 1948, not to sacrifice the [Arab] cause.
"There is yet another group who is now standing up and calling out loud not to relinquish a single [Arab] right or a single grain of soil. This group knows that the Arabs have given more than is possible, and that their consent to [a Palestinian state] within the 1967 borders is a concession that we never imagined we would give. [But even] this concession has been rejected by the enemy that has come from the ends of the world to occupy our land, kill our people, and defile our holy places while uttering lofty [slogans] about [its] rights. This enemy believes that peace will only be achieved through the muzzle of the gun, [and] we are informing it today that we too have become convinced that peace will only be achieved through the muzzle of the gun..."
"Al-Thawra editor As'ad 'Aboud called on the Arab countries not to be fooled by the Western attempts to portray Iran as the Arabs' enemy, and to realize that the real enemy is Israel. He wrote: "A confrontation [with Israel] is inevitable, because they leave us no choice. Every day they continue the settlement, the Judaizing [of Jerusalem], and the crimes against Al-Aqsa. There are always more shahids, more prisoners, more arrests, and more crimes. Who stands against all these, and how?
"In light of the glad tidings of [intra-]Palestinian reconciliation that Khaled Mash'al has brought us, a third Palestinian intifada may be possible.
Or not, considering that Abbas has called for elections to take place because the reconciliation kind of fell through.
Considering the failure of all the Arab efforts towards peace, perhaps we must make the [Palestinian] cause once again an Arab and Muslim cause.
Go for it. See what happens with Bibi Netanyahu as prime minister.
"In light of our legitimate desire to preserve our rights, our culture, our Palestine and our Al-Aqsa, [we must understand that] Iran is a real power that does not hide its solidarity with those who acknowledge our rights, and does not hide [the fact] that it has no intention to attack, in any way, the countries of the region or any one of these countries.
"I am sure that all the countries in the region, and all the Arab and Muslim countries, understand the danger, and realize that the source of danger is not Iran's missiles or nuclear facilities, but rather Israel..."
"Quick! Feed Israel to the crocodile before it notices the rest of us!!"
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
HMMMMM, HMMM, DIALECTISM = PRAGMATISM > wwhell, we have the mainly MUSLIM NEAR EAST, ADRIATIC + CASPIAN, going nukulaar peaceably; whilst CENTRAL ASIA is being "ink blotted", i.e. differentiated SOVEREIGN OR AUTONOMOUS PRO-ISLAMIST enclaves are being forcibly carved out from the COLD WAR NUC MAJOR STATES OF RUSSIA, CHINA, + INDIA, likely intended to unite at a time later.
The editor of the London-based Saudi daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, Tareq Al-Homayed, wrote in an editorial titled "Iran -- Terrorism Returns Home":(1) "The Iranian regime raised its voice in condemnation of terrorism and cast accusations against the West following the suicide bombing that targeted Revolutionary Guards leaders and others in the Sistan-Baluchistan province, near Iran's border with Pakistan. [But] we could say here that terrorism has returned home, i.e. to Iran...
"The Iranians [have] tried to use extremist groups in our region in order to realize the Islamic Revolution's goals, whether [these groups] are Al-Qaeda or other similar groups in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. [Moreover,] Iran was a stopover [for fighters] on the way to joining Al-Qaeda, [as reported by] some members who surrendered themselves recently in Riyadh, such as Fawwaz Al-Otaibi. In fact some of those who [passed] through Iran to join Al-Qaeda in Pakistan or Afghanistan [have] admitted that people wearing [Iranian] security uniforms facilitated their journey through Iran!...
"The second lesson to be learned from this suicide operation, for which the Iranian group Jundallah [has] claimed responsibility, is the danger of tampering with the sectarian issue... [This] issue, which Iran has exploited and continues to exploit in our region, blew up in the face of the Mullah regime, and did so violently...
"Exploiting terrorism for political or security reasons, and tampering with sectarianism, is fire that burns the hands of all of those who play with it and exploit these issues. This is what we have seen with regards to all the conflicts in our region for [many] years.
"The [October 19, 2009] suicide operation that took place in Iran clearly involved two matters that usually please Iran -- suicide operations and the sectarian dimension. These are two issues from which we have suffered a great deal in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan and even in Lebanon, Yemen, and Egypt -- and of course the list goes on!"(
Continued on Page 47
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2009 00:00 ||
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An editorial in the Saudi daily Al-Watan accused Iran of destabilizing Arab countries by supporting Al-Qaeda and by instigating sectarian conflict: "...Whatever harms the Arabian Peninsula and the Arab Gulf has an impact on the rest of the countries of the region, [and] if a country like Iran thinks itself safe from [the dire effects of] the deterioration of stability in the region, then it is wrong. Hence, it must reassess its policy on the security of the Arabian Gulf and Arabian Peninsula, and stop trying to destabilize the countries of the region. This is now clear to any reasonable person.
"Those who follow the events have identified Iranian intervention in some of the Gulf countries, as well as in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, and Yemen. [This intervention] is carried out by means of agents from [Iran's] Revolutionary Guards Corps, the Basij, and the Iranian intelligence apparatuses, who use their resources and abilities to destabilize the countries of the region. The internal war in Yemen [between the Houthis and the government] is nothing but the result of Iranian meddling, for Iran's political and media support of the rebellious and destructive Houthi forces has become as plain as day.
"Concurrently with these irresponsible Iranian moves, the Iranian propaganda [apparatuses] are not ashamed to cast accusations at the Saudi Kingdom. We would like to ask Iran, and its filthy writers and spokesmen, a few questions: Who is it that drives the Lebanese to argue and quarrel, and works day and night to delay the formation of their government? Who is it that supplies the suicide bombers and gunmen with ammunition and explosives? Who is it that poisons the minds of the Iraqis with sectarian [hatred], when they were once loving brothers?
"Who is it that has begun to divide the countries of the [Gulf] Cooperation Council along sectarian lines, encouraging certain sectarian parties and groups to clash with their governments? Who is supporting the Houthis in Yemen with weapons and money, and boosting their confidence so that they clash with their state, after brainwashing them with the revolutionary ideology of Qom? Who has occupied the UAE islands? Who is flaunting imperialist dreams and wants to annex Bahrain? Who has harassed the pilgrims in Mecca and the visitors in Medina with strident cries, marches, and the blocking of roads? Who is now supporting Al-Qaeda and sheltering its leaders? Who has conspired against Egypt, and honored its terrorists by naming streets in Tehran after them?(3) Last but not least, who has turned the region's security, stability and peace into a bargaining chip [in its maneuvers] vis-à-vis America and the West, as part of a political struggle whose slogan is 'the nuclear bomb may turn into an all-out war?'
"Clearly, it was the fingers of Iran and its secret organizations that ignited fitna [civil war] between the Arab Sunnis and Shi'ites. [It is the Iranians] who are currently working to undermine the political unity of some Arab states, and it is they who are spreading and supporting terrorism. The Iranian mouthpieces, which are intended to revive hatred, racism, sectarianism, and violence, must stop spreading their poison in our nation.
"Moreover, the capabilities that [Iran now] utilizes to generate fear and conflict within the Arab societies must [instead be channeled] to benefiting the Iranian people -- which is bearing a serious economic burden. Though the Iranian propaganda and intelligence apparatuses attempt to create [various] farces to distract [the world] from the role [Iran] is playing in undermining the security, stability and peace [of the region], they will fail to insult the intelligence of the Arab and Islamic peoples -- for [these peoples] know that Iran's fingers, [which are busy] reigniting dormant conflicts, can be seen as plain as day."(
Continued on Page 47
Posted by: Fred ||
10/24/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Who is now supporting Al-Qaeda and sheltering its leaders?
This is the most sense I have ever heard coming from the Saudis. Maybe they could be enlisted to defend the Muslim lands from Iranian intervention?
The Al-Quds Al-Arabi article states: "Sukariyya is certain that Israel cannot possibly agree to peace, and this is for objective reasons, the most important of which is that peace would prevent it from launching preemptive military strikes, at which it has excelled for decades, and whose purpose has always been to crush the resistance and generate crises. Moreover, if Israel enters the peace process as a small state in its present boundaries, it will forever be a hostage in the hands of the U.S. Therefore, the Israelis want peace, but [only] after they [attain their goal of] the 'greater Israel' -- because in its present dimensions, Israel cannot ensure its safety...
"[As for] Syria, Sukariyya says that it wants peace [too], but as part of [a general] Arab [agreement] and not in a separate framework. He adds that the understandings recently [reached] by Syria and Saudi Arabia will help to prevent normalization between the Arab world and Israel. [According to him,] Syria's rallying to the support of the resistance in Lebanon, and [its] occasional [attempts] to direct the activity [of the resistance], [are part of] a defensive strategy which is crucial for Syria, while Syria's stance on normalization [with Israel], on the [Arab peace] initiative, on the negotiations [with Israel], and even on peace are [only] tactical bargaining chips. Since, for obvious reasons, Syria cannot [conduct] a confrontation through direct resistance, it has opened [its] border with Iraq to all the resistance fighters of Al-Qaeda, even though it does not share their ideology. [As for Hizbullah, Syria] supports it because it is the only resistance [force] that is present in Lebanon, in the area closest to Israel..."
Continued on Page 47
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10/24/2009 00:00 ||
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[Al Arabiya Latest] Iran declined on Friday to endorse proposals by the U.N. nuclear watchdog to help reduce Iran's stockpile of low-enriched uranium.
It said it was awaiting a "positive and constructive" response from world powers to its proposal on providing nuclear fuel for a Tehran reactor producing medical isotopes, state television reported.
"Now we are awaiting a positive and constructive response on Iran's proposal from the other party on providing nuclear fuel for Tehran's reactor," TV quoted a member of Iran's negotiating team, who attended the Vienna meeting on Oct. 21, as saying.
"The other party is expected to avoid past mistakes in violating agreements ... and to gain Iran's trust," the unnamed official said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier Friday his country accepts the IAEA proposals.
"We agree with these proposals and we are counting on not only Iran, but all the other participants of the negotiations, to confirm their readiness to implement the proposed scheme," Lavrov told reporters.
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Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
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Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
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[Al Arabiya Latest] Iran declined on Friday to endorse proposals by the U.N. nuclear watchdog to help reduce Iran's stockpile of low-enriched uranium.
