Free Republic

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday that God would punish Iranians if they did not support the country's disputed nuclear program, state radio reported. "The Iranian people openly announce that they will defend their rights... God will reprimand them if they do not do so," state radio quoted Khamenei as saying. The 68-year-old ayatollah, who has the final say on all state matters, said Washington's claim that Iran was trying to build a nuclear weapon was false. The Iranian government has long insisted its nuclear activities are only for peaceful generation of fuel. "They know that Iran is...

Tehran, 11 Jan. (AKI) - In the past year, the incidence of AIDS has doubled in the holy Shia city of Qom, second only to the Iraqi city of Najaf in religious significance. "The great share of the newly infected have contracted the HIV virus, not through using infected syringes, but through unprotected sexual relations," said Amir, Akbari, director of the city's health centre. In the past year the number of those affected by AIDS in Qom has risen from 177 to 324. Forty per cent of those infected are students from the theological colleges in Qom. In Iran, according...

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) was set up shortly after the 1979 Iranian revolution to defend the country's Islamic system, and to provide a counterweight to the regular armed forces. It has since become a major military, political and economic force in Iran, with close ties to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a former member.

TEHRAN: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said yesterday that US President George W Bush had been defeated in his Middle East plans and would one day stand trial for "atrocities" committed in Iraq. "Bush will one day be tried in court, just like deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, for his involvement in the Iraq tragedy. "A day will come that the current US president and officials will be tried in an international supreme court for the catastrophes they caused in Iraq," he added, as he spoke to thousands of worshippers during the first Friday prayer of Ramadan. Khamenei's remarks...

We need some TV ads with cameo pictures of all the treasonous Dems (Clinton,Reid,Pelosi, etc.) huddled together around the Ayatollah as he rattles off their talking points in his speech or even a picture of him carrying a sign supporting MoveOn.org and the Demorats! Run it constantly...what a knockout punch to the heart of our enemies!!!

ROMA, August 7, 2007 – At the end of last week’s general audience, Benedict XVI surprisingly dedicated a thought to a sports event, the victory of Iraq’s soccer team in the Asian Cup: “I was pleasantly startled by the enthusiasm that spread among all the inhabitants, driving them into the streets to celebrate the event. As on so many occasions I have wept with the Iraqis, this time I rejoice with them. This experience of shared celebration reveals the desire of a people to have a normal and peaceful life. I hope that the event can contribute to realizing...

Ayatollah Boroujerdi (son of the prominent shia cleric Seyyed Mohammad Ali Kazemeini Boroujerdi) has been sentenced to death together with 17 of his followers. The secular ideology of this Shia cleric is that the “Hidden Imam” is the only one who has the legitimate competence to rule and pass judgment based on Islam, not the “Supreme Leader” and other self pro-claimed “Marjas” (Council of Guardian) who have the ultimate power in Iran, one after the other above the mostly symbolic president and parliament. The popularity of Kazemeini made the regime very uncomfortable last year after many speeches he gave against...

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's supreme leader gave his backing Wednesday to U.S.-Iran talks about Iraq's security. But he took a tough line, insisting the meeting will deal only with fixing American policies in Iraq, not changing Iran's. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's harsh tone appeared aimed at quieting criticism by hard-liners over the planned meeting in Baghdad with the United States — and signaled that it's unlikely the talks will make progress in reducing tensions between Washington and Tehran. The Iraqi government has been seeking the talks, hoping the two sides can find a way to ease Iraq's turmoil. Khamenei said Iran...

This is a Shi'ite Twelver treatise on the Mahdi. Al-Imam al-Mahdi The Just Leader of Humanity by Ayatollah Ibrahim Amini Translated by Dr. Abdulaziz Sachedina Click for Transliterated Version Contents Translator's Introduction Author's IntroductionChapter 1 The Beginning of the Belief in the Mahdi The Mahdi from among the Descendants of the Prophet The Sunni hadith on the Subject of the Mahdi The Objection Raised by One of the Authors Ibn Khaldun and the Traditions about the Mahdi Other Opinions from Ibn Khaldun The Existence of the Mahdi is Certain People Awaited the Appearance of the Mahdi The Discussion among the...

WASHINGTON | President Bush on Wednesday accused Iran of contributing to American deaths in Iraq and said, “I intend to do something about it.” But he insisted that he wasn’t looking for another war in the Middle East. Bush also acknowledged that he doesn’t know whether Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or other top Iranian officials have authorized the shipment of sophisticated roadside bombs to Iraq. The munitions, known as “explosively formed penetrators,” are one of the deadliest weapons used by Iraqi insurgents. Bush outlined the circumstantial evidence against Iran at a White House news conference dominated by questions on Iraq....

Iranian photographer Jahangir Razmi, took 70 pictures of an execution in Kurdistan on Aug. 27, 1979. One picture (No. 20, below) won the Pulitzer Prize. It was, however, awarded to an unnamed photographer -- the only anonymous recipient in the 90-year history of the award. Mr. Razmi preserved 27 of the photos on a contact sheet and stowed it away in his home. Below are those photos -- made public for the first time. Photos: http://online.wsj.com/public/page/8_0004.html VIDEO - interview of WSJ reporter's story about identifying the photographer http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-iranpics0611-28.html

Vast majority of Iranian lawmakers vote to move up presidential elections by 18 months, final say on matter up to Ahmadinejad's arch-rival. Will Ahmadinejad's term be cut short? The Iranian parliament voted on Sunday to unite the presidential elections with the upcoming parliamentary ones, this according to the official Iranian news agency. The proposal, which passed with a surprising 80 percent majority, may cut the term of sitting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by 18 months. The bill must still be ratified by the Iranian constitutional committee, which is headed by former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Ahmadinejad's arch-rival, a fact which many...

An ultra-conservative Iranian cleric who opposes all dialogue with the West is a frontrunner to become the country's next supreme spiritual leader.In a move that would push Iran even further into the diplomatic wilderness, Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah-Yazdi, 71, who publicly backs the use of suicide bombers against Israel, is campaigning to succeed Grand Ayatollah Ali Khameini, 67, as the head of the Islamic state. Considered an extremist even by fellow mullahs, he was a fringe figure in Iran's theocracy until last year's election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a fellow fundamentalist who views him as his ideological mentor. He is...

Ayatollah who backs suicide bombs aims to be Iran's next spiritual leader By Colin Freeman and Kay Biouki in Teheran, Sunday Telegraph Last Updated: 12:28am GMT 19/11/2006 An ultra-conservative Iranian cleric who opposes all dialogue with the West is a frontrunner to become the country's next supreme spiritual leader. Mohammad Mesbah-Yazdi In a move that would push Iran even further into the diplomatic wilderness, Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah-Yazdi, 71, who publicly backs the use of suicide bombers against Israel, is campaigning to succeed Grand Ayatollah Ali Khameini, 67, as the head of the Islamic state. Considered an extremist even by...

According to the Iranian media Monday, Iranian President Mahoud Ahmadinejad declared that Israel was destined to ‘disappearance and destruction’ at a council meeting with Iranian ministers. “The western powers created the Zionist regime in order to expand their control of the area. This regime massacres Palestinians everyday, but since this regime is against nature, we will soon witness its disappearance and destruction,” Ahmadinejad said.

Sorry for the delay in this but I have been preoccupied with a few matters that have been developing. You have all heard by now that at 4 a.m. on Sunday, the Islamic Regime sent in various law and security enforcement agencies backed by armored vehicles, water cannon trucks spouting boiling water and even firing live rounds on the demonstrators to finally arrest Ayatollah Boroujerdi. Publicly treating him in a shameful and degrading manner after they had their hands on him. Several aspects and questions came to light: 1. To what extent were outside forces involved in this quite significant...

Top News Story Western military buildup underway in the Middle East. Global Research published a major report on the military build-up of conventional, ground, air, naval, and nuclear forces in and around the Middle East and Central Asia. The probability of another war in the Middle East is high. Caroline Glick, The Jerusalem Post reported that the clouds of the coming war are converging upon Israel. But our political and military leaders refuse to look up at the darkening sky.   US confident Russia and China will join in sanctions on Iran. The Washington Times reported that the United...

Top News Story Ahmadinejad to shake up his cabinet. Iran Press News reported that a source close to Ahmadinejad's cabinet said that in the coming days vast changes will be taking place within the administration. The first to leave will be the oil minister; Vaziri Hamaneh is expected to be dismissed from the cabinet.   Ahmadinejad fails to deliver his economic miracle. Inter Press Service reported that Iranian citizens are wondering if Ahmadinejad will ever make good on an election promise to crack down on the corrupt and distribute Iran's vast oil revenues more equitably.BBC News reported that Iran's...

Top News Story Ahmadinejad plans huge increase in uranium enrichment. ABC News reported that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said they want to install up to 100,000 centrifuges to process uranium gas for enrichment in order to produce nuclear fuel. Bush pleased with the Iran Freedom and Support Act The White House, Office of the Press Secretary reported that President Bush said "I applaud Congress for demonstrating its bipartisan commitment to confronting the Iranian regime's repressive and destabilizing activities by passing the Iran Freedom Support Act." Here are a few other news items you may have missed. The International Herald Tribune reported...

Top News Story Bush signs Iran Freedom and Support Act! The Washington Post reported that President Bush on Saturday signed legislation that would impose mandatory sanctions on entities that provide goods or services for Iran's weapons programs.The Associated Press reported that the US Senate finally passed the Iran Freedom and Support Act.The Library of Congress published the full text of the Iran Freedom and Support Act.   But does Condi support a change of regime in Iran? The Wall Street Journal reexamined their recent interview with Condi Rice in which he concludes: Her primary method for dealing with the...