 |
| Putin |
“I hope that your tenure as president will contribute to a reinforcement of constructive bilateral cooperation between our friendly peoples,” Putin said in a message to Pezeshkian.
Russia an Iran, the target of stiff Western sanctions, can “coordinate efforts to resolve international issues in a constructive manner,” Putin said.
|
| Putin |
“I hope that your tenure as president will contribute to a reinforcement of constructive bilateral cooperation between our friendly peoples,” Putin said in a message to Pezeshkian.
Russia an Iran, the target of stiff Western sanctions, can “coordinate efforts to resolve international issues in a constructive manner,” Putin said.
According to the interior ministry, the all male list consists of senior government figures such as hardliner Saeed Jalili who is Ali Khamenei's representative in the Iranian Supreme National Security Council.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the current Parliament Speaker and Masoud Pezeshkian, a 'reformist' parliamentarian. Also in the approved list is Mostafa Pourmohammadi, a former minister of justice and interior,
The Guardian Council also gave endorsement to Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, a current Vice President, and another hardliner, Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani.
According to a report by Iran International, several high-profile figures were disqualified from running, including ex-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former parliament speaker Ali Larijani, and former Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri.
The pattern of selection is similar to the 2021 election, when Ahmadinejad and Larijani were rejected and only a second-echelon 'moderate' candidate was allowed to run. The result was a low-turnout election when Ebrahim Raisi passed the line in the first round.
Some analysts in Iran have told the local media that the race now will most likely be between Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator and an opponent of an agreement with the West, and Ghalibaf who is considered a more flexible politician.
In any case, the issue of relations with the West and the fate of Iran's nuclear program are under the purview of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Meanwhile, Jalili, 58, is making his third presidential bid, having been a significant figure in Iran's nuclear negotiation team and holding various senior positions within the ministry of foreign affairs. Jalili, who holds a Ph.D. in political science from Imam Sadiq University, is noted for his uncompromising conservative stance.
Former IRGC general Ghalibaf, 63, who is the current Parliament Speaker, is known for his military and political experience.
The only reform leaning candidate, Pezeshkian, 69, has served as health minister and chancellor of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. He is also a trained cardiac surgeon, holding a medical degree from Tabriz University.
Pourmohammadi, 64, infamous for his role in the "Death Commission" during the 1980s, has been a polarizing figure due to his past actions as deputy intelligence minister.
Ghazizadeh Hashemi, 53, currently serving as Vice President, head of the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, and an ENT surgeon, has maintained a conservative stance throughout his political career, representing the Mashhad and Kalat electoral district in Parliament for several terms. He holds a medical degree from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.
Mayor of Tehran, Zakani, 58, noted for his confrontational style and conservative views. holds a Ph.D. in nuclear medicine from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. He has been an outspoken critic of the nuclear deal and a key figure in the conservative camp supporting the crackdowns on women defying compulsory hijab.
The snap election follows the sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash on May 19 along with his entourage.
The candidates' approval by the Guardian Council, a body of clerics known for its allegiance to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, highlights the clerical rulers' continued grip on power.
The upcoming elections are expected to see record low participation as the population rejects the sham polls rigged by the country's theocratic dictator.
The disqualification of heavyweights such as outspoken Ahmadinejad and Larijani came with mixed reactions from among the public.
Ahmadinejad was highly unlikely to get through, but many thought that Larijani, as a quiet insider, will make it to final stage considering Khamenei's comment after his "unfair disqualification" in 2021.
On the other hand, the 'reformists' must be somewhat disappointed as only one of their official candidates has his credentials approved, Iranian analyst and Iran International contributor Behruz Turani said.
The only reform-minded candidate, Pezeshkian's chances to win the presidency is uncertain because of his ethnic voter base, something that Khamenei is known to detest.
The final battle will be among "revolutionary" Jalili, insider Ghalibaf, and ambitious Zakani, observers say.
Khamenei sees no difference among them although he definitely does not like Jalili's link to the over-ambitious and ultra-hardliner Paydari party, according to sources.
In view of the security situation in the post 2022 protests, Khamenei's ideal candidates are more likely Ghalibaf and Zakani, both experienced IRGC and Basij operatives with a proven track record of suppressing dissent.
According to the interior ministry, the all male list consists of senior government figures such as hardliner Saeed Jalili who is Ali Khamenei's representative in the Iranian Supreme National Security Council.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the current Parliament Speaker and Masoud Pezeshkian, a 'reformist' parliamentarian. Also in the approved list is Mostafa Pourmohammadi, a former minister of justice and interior,
The Guardian Council also gave endorsement to Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, a current Vice President, and another hardliner, Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani.
According to a report by Iran International, several high-profile figures were disqualified from running, including ex-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former parliament speaker Ali Larijani, and former Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri.
The pattern of selection is similar to the 2021 election, when Ahmadinejad and Larijani were rejected and only a second-echelon 'moderate' candidate was allowed to run. The result was a low-turnout election when Ebrahim Raisi passed the line in the first round.
Some analysts in Iran have told the local media that the race now will most likely be between Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator and an opponent of an agreement with the West, and Ghalibaf who is considered a more flexible politician.
In any case, the issue of relations with the West and the fate of Iran's nuclear program are under the purview of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Meanwhile, Jalili, 58, is making his third presidential bid, having been a significant figure in Iran's nuclear negotiation team and holding various senior positions within the ministry of foreign affairs. Jalili, who holds a Ph.D. in political science from Imam Sadiq University, is noted for his uncompromising conservative stance.
Former IRGC general Ghalibaf, 63, who is the current Parliament Speaker, is known for his military and political experience.
The only reform leaning candidate, Pezeshkian, 69, has served as health minister and chancellor of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. He is also a trained cardiac surgeon, holding a medical degree from Tabriz University.
Pourmohammadi, 64, infamous for his role in the "Death Commission" during the 1980s, has been a polarizing figure due to his past actions as deputy intelligence minister.
Ghazizadeh Hashemi, 53, currently serving as Vice President, head of the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, and an ENT surgeon, has maintained a conservative stance throughout his political career, representing the Mashhad and Kalat electoral district in Parliament for several terms. He holds a medical degree from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.
Mayor of Tehran, Zakani, 58, noted for his confrontational style and conservative views. holds a Ph.D. in nuclear medicine from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. He has been an outspoken critic of the nuclear deal and a key figure in the conservative camp supporting the crackdowns on women defying compulsory hijab.
The snap election follows the sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash on May 19 along with his entourage.
The candidates' approval by the Guardian Council, a body of clerics known for its allegiance to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, highlights the clerical rulers' continued grip on power.
The upcoming elections are expected to see record low participation as the population rejects the sham polls rigged by the country's theocratic dictator.
The disqualification of heavyweights such as outspoken Ahmadinejad and Larijani came with mixed reactions from among the public.
Ahmadinejad was highly unlikely to get through, but many thought that Larijani, as a quiet insider, will make it to final stage considering Khamenei's comment after his "unfair disqualification" in 2021.
On the other hand, the 'reformists' must be somewhat disappointed as only one of their official candidates has his credentials approved, Iranian analyst and Iran International contributor Behruz Turani said.
The only reform-minded candidate, Pezeshkian's chances to win the presidency is uncertain because of his ethnic voter base, something that Khamenei is known to detest.
The final battle will be among "revolutionary" Jalili, insider Ghalibaf, and ambitious Zakani, observers say.
Khamenei sees no difference among them although he definitely does not like Jalili's link to the over-ambitious and ultra-hardliner Paydari party, according to sources.
In view of the security situation in the post 2022 protests, Khamenei's ideal candidates are more likely Ghalibaf and Zakani, both experienced IRGC and Basij operatives with a proven track record of suppressing dissent.
In response to Spain's recognition of a Palestinian state and the antisemitic call by Spain's Deputy Prime Minister to not just recognize a Palestinian state but to 'liberate Palestine from the river to the sea,' I have decided to sever the connection between Spain's…
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) May 24, 2024
He further said, " If this ignorant, hate-filled individual wants to understand what radical Islam truly seeks, she should study the 700 years of Islamic rule in Al-Andalus—today's Spain."
The leaders of Norway, Ireland and Spain have said their countries will formally recognise Palestine as a state next week for the sake of “peace in the Middle East“, prompting Israel to immediately recall its envoys.
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said on Wednesday that a two-state solution was in Israel’s best interest and the recognition of Palestinian statehood would come as of May 28.
“There cannot be peace in the Middle East if there is no recognition,” he said in Oslo.
Ireland’s prime minister Simon Harris made a similar announcement in Dublin, as did Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid, to applause in parliament.
“In the midst of a war, with tens of thousands killed and injured [in Gaza], we must keep alive the only alternative that offers a political solution for Israelis and Palestinians alike: Two states, living side by side, in peace and security,” Gahr Store said.
“Recognition of Palestine is a means of supporting the moderate forces which have been losing ground in this protracted and brutal conflict,” he said.
Harris told a news conference: “I’m confident that further countries will join us in taking this important step in the coming weeks.”
Ireland’s foreign minister Micheal Martin said on X that the recognition will take place on May 28.
Sanchez, while announcing that Spain’s council of ministers would also recognise an independent Palestinian state on May 28, accused his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu of putting the two-state solution in “danger” with his policy of “pain and destruction” in Gaza.
“We hope that our recognition and our reasons contribute to other Western countries to follow this path, because the more we are, the more strength we will have to impose a ceasefire,” Sanchez said.
Harris also said that Ireland was unequivocal in recognising Israel’s right to exist “securely and in peace with its neighbours”, and called for all captives in Gaza to be immediately returned.
“But let me also be clear, Hamas is not the Palestinian people … a two-state solution is the only way out of the generational cycles of violence, retaliation and resentment,” he added.
At least 35,709 people have been killed and 79,990 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attack is 1,139, with dozens still held captive.
It's perhaps unsurprising that Norway has taken the lead on this because they were behind the Oslo Accords – the agreement in 1993 that really did two things: it recognised the Palestine Liberation Organization, the PLO, as the legitimate representatives of the Palestinian people,” Khan added.
The timing of the move comes amid heightened international pressure on Israel. Just this week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Kharim Khan announced that he was seeking an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, among others, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hears on South Africa’s request for a ruling to stop the Israeli offensive in Rafah, southern Gaza.
Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Turkey welcomed the three leaders’ decision. France said now was not the right moment, but added that recognition was not “taboo”. Meanwhile, the White House acknowledged that each country can make its own decision on whether to recognise a Palestinian state, but stressed that US President Joe Biden thinks direct negotiations by the parties is the best approach.
If we take Jenin, for example, in the north of the occupied West Bank, it is suffering the repercussions of a second day of an Israeli raid.”
Israeli warning
Israel immediately announced it was recalling its envoys to Ireland and Norway for “urgent consultations”.
“Today, I am sending a sharp message to Ireland and Norway: Israel will not go over this in silence,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement, adding that he planned to do the same with the Spanish ambassador.
The Israeli foreign ministry had earlier posted a video message addressed to Ireland on X warning that “recognising a Palestinian state risks turning you into a pawn in the hands of Iran and Hamas”, adding the move would “only fuel extremism and instability”.
Israel has said plans for Palestinian recognition constitute a “prize for terrorism” that would reduce the chances of a negotiated resolution to the war in Gaza, which began on October 7 when Hamas fighters stormed into southern Israel.
Hussein al-Sheikh, the secretary-general of the executive committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), posted on X: “Historical moments in which the free world triumphs for truth and justice after long decades of Palestinian national struggle, suffering, pain, occupation, racism, murder, oppression, abuse and destruction to which the people of Palestine were subjected.”
Hamas called the decision by the three countries an “important step”.
Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti said it was a “powerful political and symbolically significant step” that moved the achievement of “freedom and justice” closer for the Palestinian people.
“This is also a blow to Netanyahu and his extreme government, and to the fascists in his government … It means the acts of fascism and extremism in the Israeli government has no future,” he said .
Source; Aljazeera news and social media
In response to Spain's recognition of a Palestinian state and the antisemitic call by Spain's Deputy Prime Minister to not just recognize a Palestinian state but to 'liberate Palestine from the river to the sea,' I have decided to sever the connection between Spain's…
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) May 24, 2024
He further said, " If this ignorant, hate-filled individual wants to understand what radical Islam truly seeks, she should study the 700 years of Islamic rule in Al-Andalus—today's Spain."
The leaders of Norway, Ireland and Spain have said their countries will formally recognise Palestine as a state next week for the sake of “peace in the Middle East“, prompting Israel to immediately recall its envoys.
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said on Wednesday that a two-state solution was in Israel’s best interest and the recognition of Palestinian statehood would come as of May 28.
“There cannot be peace in the Middle East if there is no recognition,” he said in Oslo.
Ireland’s prime minister Simon Harris made a similar announcement in Dublin, as did Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid, to applause in parliament.
“In the midst of a war, with tens of thousands killed and injured [in Gaza], we must keep alive the only alternative that offers a political solution for Israelis and Palestinians alike: Two states, living side by side, in peace and security,” Gahr Store said.
“Recognition of Palestine is a means of supporting the moderate forces which have been losing ground in this protracted and brutal conflict,” he said.
Harris told a news conference: “I’m confident that further countries will join us in taking this important step in the coming weeks.”
Ireland’s foreign minister Micheal Martin said on X that the recognition will take place on May 28.
Sanchez, while announcing that Spain’s council of ministers would also recognise an independent Palestinian state on May 28, accused his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu of putting the two-state solution in “danger” with his policy of “pain and destruction” in Gaza.
“We hope that our recognition and our reasons contribute to other Western countries to follow this path, because the more we are, the more strength we will have to impose a ceasefire,” Sanchez said.
Harris also said that Ireland was unequivocal in recognising Israel’s right to exist “securely and in peace with its neighbours”, and called for all captives in Gaza to be immediately returned.
“But let me also be clear, Hamas is not the Palestinian people … a two-state solution is the only way out of the generational cycles of violence, retaliation and resentment,” he added.
At least 35,709 people have been killed and 79,990 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attack is 1,139, with dozens still held captive.
It's perhaps unsurprising that Norway has taken the lead on this because they were behind the Oslo Accords – the agreement in 1993 that really did two things: it recognised the Palestine Liberation Organization, the PLO, as the legitimate representatives of the Palestinian people,” Khan added.
The timing of the move comes amid heightened international pressure on Israel. Just this week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Kharim Khan announced that he was seeking an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, among others, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hears on South Africa’s request for a ruling to stop the Israeli offensive in Rafah, southern Gaza.
Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Turkey welcomed the three leaders’ decision. France said now was not the right moment, but added that recognition was not “taboo”. Meanwhile, the White House acknowledged that each country can make its own decision on whether to recognise a Palestinian state, but stressed that US President Joe Biden thinks direct negotiations by the parties is the best approach.
If we take Jenin, for example, in the north of the occupied West Bank, it is suffering the repercussions of a second day of an Israeli raid.”
Israeli warning
Israel immediately announced it was recalling its envoys to Ireland and Norway for “urgent consultations”.
“Today, I am sending a sharp message to Ireland and Norway: Israel will not go over this in silence,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement, adding that he planned to do the same with the Spanish ambassador.
The Israeli foreign ministry had earlier posted a video message addressed to Ireland on X warning that “recognising a Palestinian state risks turning you into a pawn in the hands of Iran and Hamas”, adding the move would “only fuel extremism and instability”.
Israel has said plans for Palestinian recognition constitute a “prize for terrorism” that would reduce the chances of a negotiated resolution to the war in Gaza, which began on October 7 when Hamas fighters stormed into southern Israel.
Hussein al-Sheikh, the secretary-general of the executive committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), posted on X: “Historical moments in which the free world triumphs for truth and justice after long decades of Palestinian national struggle, suffering, pain, occupation, racism, murder, oppression, abuse and destruction to which the people of Palestine were subjected.”
Hamas called the decision by the three countries an “important step”.
Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti said it was a “powerful political and symbolically significant step” that moved the achievement of “freedom and justice” closer for the Palestinian people.
“This is also a blow to Netanyahu and his extreme government, and to the fascists in his government … It means the acts of fascism and extremism in the Israeli government has no future,” he said .
Source; Aljazeera news and social media
Massive crowds of Iranians thronged the streets of the capital, Tehran, for the funeral procession of President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage, who died in a helicopter crash.
More foreign dignitaries are flying into Tehran ahead of the commemoration ceremony.
One of the latest officials to head there is Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali al-Yahya, who will attend the funeral on behalf of Kuwait’s emir.
While tens of thousands of Iranians have gathered in Tehran to mourn their late president, reactions among Iranian expatriates, many critical of him and the government, vary.
Many Iranian diaspora members, including those who fled after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, view Raisi as an ultraconservative figure responsible for enforcing repressive laws and a crackdown on protests and dissidents.
They also point to Raisi’s alleged role in mass executions of political prisoners at the end of Iran’s long war with Iraq in the 1980s, for which he received US sanctions.
Seeing Raisi’s death as a blow to the government they revile, some groups of Iranian dissidents have even publicly celebrated in European cities, according to Nazenin Ansari, editor of the Kayhan London website.
“Each member of this regime that goes is a victory for us,” said Guilda Torabi, spokesperson for the Homa association, an Iranian support group in France.
Iran’s Mehr news agency is reporting that Pakistan’s PM Sharif has arrived in Tehran.
Among other foreign dignities, Belarus’s Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik also arrived in Iran’s capital this afternoon.
Massive crowds of Iranians thronged the streets of the capital, Tehran, for the funeral procession of President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage, who died in a helicopter crash.
More foreign dignitaries are flying into Tehran ahead of the commemoration ceremony.
One of the latest officials to head there is Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali al-Yahya, who will attend the funeral on behalf of Kuwait’s emir.
While tens of thousands of Iranians have gathered in Tehran to mourn their late president, reactions among Iranian expatriates, many critical of him and the government, vary.
Many Iranian diaspora members, including those who fled after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, view Raisi as an ultraconservative figure responsible for enforcing repressive laws and a crackdown on protests and dissidents.
They also point to Raisi’s alleged role in mass executions of political prisoners at the end of Iran’s long war with Iraq in the 1980s, for which he received US sanctions.
Seeing Raisi’s death as a blow to the government they revile, some groups of Iranian dissidents have even publicly celebrated in European cities, according to Nazenin Ansari, editor of the Kayhan London website.
“Each member of this regime that goes is a victory for us,” said Guilda Torabi, spokesperson for the Homa association, an Iranian support group in France.
Iran’s Mehr news agency is reporting that Pakistan’s PM Sharif has arrived in Tehran.
Among other foreign dignities, Belarus’s Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik also arrived in Iran’s capital this afternoon.
Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) April 26, 2024
The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle East’s only democracy and the world’s only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it.
Israel…
I will not rest until every hostage, like Abigail, ripped from their families and held by Hamas is back in the arms of their loved ones.
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 27, 2024
They have my word.
Their families have my word. pic.twitter.com/hRDSjsYDc9
Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) April 26, 2024
The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle East’s only democracy and the world’s only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it.
Israel…
I will not rest until every hostage, like Abigail, ripped from their families and held by Hamas is back in the arms of their loved ones.
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 27, 2024
They have my word.
Their families have my word. pic.twitter.com/hRDSjsYDc9
HAPPENING NOW: Mass chaos breaks out at college campuses across the United States as pro-Palestine protests intensify.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 24, 2024
Columbia, Harvard, USC, University of Texas at Austin and others are getting swarmed by protesters.
Police at USC are taking out their batons as the… pic.twitter.com/D35wVTCiZ8
.jpeg)
Some 108 arrests were made at Emerson College, Boston police told the BBC's US partner CBS News.
Earlier, 93 people at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles were taken into custody on trespassing charges.
Universities across the US have seen a growing number of students walk out of class or try to set up encampments to protest against Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
The latest arrests follow others at Columbia, Yale and New York University.
The arrests at USC were made as students gathered in Alumni Park - where the university's main-stage graduation ceremony is scheduled to take place next month.
Police officers in riot gear cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at the centre of the campus, preventing demonstrators from gathering.
Students received a 10-minute warning from police helicopters to disperse. Those who refused, were arrested on trespassing charges.
The protest was reported to have been largely peaceful at first, but then turned tense with the continued police presence.
As police tried to detain one woman, protesters threw water bottles at them and chanted, "Let her go!"
Protesters gathered around the officers, drowning out their warnings with "free Palestine" chants. Students, some wearing kaffiyehs were holding "liberated zone" signs, banging drums.
Elsewhere in the country, Boston police told CBS that three officers had been injured in the action in that city - one of them seriously, though their condition was not life-threatening. No protesters were hurt, police added.
Students are said to have been camping out since Sunday, allegedly ignoring warnings to leave.
Emerson College has not yet commented on the arrests. In a previous statement, it said it supported the right to peaceful protests - while urging activists to comply with the law.
Earlier, there were chaotic scenes on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin as hundreds of local and state police on horseback, holding batons, dispersed protesters.
Today, the United States is aiding and abetting the destruction of the Palestinian people. pic.twitter.com/NuS53C4XIX
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) April 24, 2024
HAPPENING NOW: Mass chaos breaks out at college campuses across the United States as pro-Palestine protests intensify.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 24, 2024
Columbia, Harvard, USC, University of Texas at Austin and others are getting swarmed by protesters.
Police at USC are taking out their batons as the… pic.twitter.com/D35wVTCiZ8
Some 108 arrests were made at Emerson College, Boston police told the BBC's US partner CBS News.
Earlier, 93 people at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles were taken into custody on trespassing charges.
Universities across the US have seen a growing number of students walk out of class or try to set up encampments to protest against Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
The latest arrests follow others at Columbia, Yale and New York University.
The arrests at USC were made as students gathered in Alumni Park - where the university's main-stage graduation ceremony is scheduled to take place next month.
Police officers in riot gear cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at the centre of the campus, preventing demonstrators from gathering.
Students received a 10-minute warning from police helicopters to disperse. Those who refused, were arrested on trespassing charges.
The protest was reported to have been largely peaceful at first, but then turned tense with the continued police presence.
As police tried to detain one woman, protesters threw water bottles at them and chanted, "Let her go!"
Protesters gathered around the officers, drowning out their warnings with "free Palestine" chants. Students, some wearing kaffiyehs were holding "liberated zone" signs, banging drums.
Elsewhere in the country, Boston police told CBS that three officers had been injured in the action in that city - one of them seriously, though their condition was not life-threatening. No protesters were hurt, police added.
Students are said to have been camping out since Sunday, allegedly ignoring warnings to leave.
Emerson College has not yet commented on the arrests. In a previous statement, it said it supported the right to peaceful protests - while urging activists to comply with the law.
Earlier, there were chaotic scenes on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin as hundreds of local and state police on horseback, holding batons, dispersed protesters.
Today, the United States is aiding and abetting the destruction of the Palestinian people. pic.twitter.com/NuS53C4XIX
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) April 24, 2024
Russia: NO GOING BACK ON SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATIONS
 |
| Photo by AP |
Today, members of both parties in the House of Representatives voted to advance our national security interests by passing urgently needed legislation delivering critical support to Israel and Ukraine, and aid for those impacted by conflict and disasters around the world.
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 20, 2024
I urge…
BREAKING: U.S. House has approved a $61 billion Ukraine aid package as lawmakers race to deliver a fresh round of U.S. support to war-torn ally. https://t.co/x2Dpj0YyJa
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 20, 2024
Today, we received the awaited decision on the US aid package that we long fought for. And a very significant one. Our warriors on the front lines, as well as our cities and villages suffering from Russian terror, will feel it.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2024
The U.S. House of Representatives voted on it… pic.twitter.com/G6z3PxsOMg
Now more than ever America needs to project strength and that we are still the leader of the free world. Congress passing this lethal aid to our allies in Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan sends that message of strength to enemies of freedom. I applaud the work of @SpeakerJohnson to…
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) April 20, 2024
Congratulations to @SpeakerJohnson and everyone involved in passing the crucial aid package for Ukraine and Israel. American leadership is needed now more than ever.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 20, 2024
US House support for $60bn funding for Ukraine is a vital step forward.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) April 20, 2024
If Putin ever doubted the West's resolve to back Ukraine, this shows our collective will is undimmed.
With support, Ukraine can and will win. #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/vugDBtxV94
🇷🇺 FM #Lavrov:
— Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) April 20, 2024
☝️ We are fully convinced that we have to go ahead with the special military operation.
☝️ President Putin put it clearly how to make our territory safe. He said that we should move back the line from which they can target our territory. pic.twitter.com/aAgvYhGlOm
JUST IN: 🇷🇺 Russia says the $61 billion US funding package for Ukraine will k*ll even more Ukrainians. pic.twitter.com/7sgmERp2ju
— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) April 20, 2024
Russia: NO GOING BACK ON SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATIONS
|
| Photo by AP |
Today, members of both parties in the House of Representatives voted to advance our national security interests by passing urgently needed legislation delivering critical support to Israel and Ukraine, and aid for those impacted by conflict and disasters around the world.
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 20, 2024
I urge…
BREAKING: U.S. House has approved a $61 billion Ukraine aid package as lawmakers race to deliver a fresh round of U.S. support to war-torn ally. https://t.co/x2Dpj0YyJa
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 20, 2024
Today, we received the awaited decision on the US aid package that we long fought for. And a very significant one. Our warriors on the front lines, as well as our cities and villages suffering from Russian terror, will feel it.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2024
The U.S. House of Representatives voted on it… pic.twitter.com/G6z3PxsOMg
Now more than ever America needs to project strength and that we are still the leader of the free world. Congress passing this lethal aid to our allies in Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan sends that message of strength to enemies of freedom. I applaud the work of @SpeakerJohnson to…
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) April 20, 2024
Congratulations to @SpeakerJohnson and everyone involved in passing the crucial aid package for Ukraine and Israel. American leadership is needed now more than ever.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 20, 2024
US House support for $60bn funding for Ukraine is a vital step forward.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) April 20, 2024
If Putin ever doubted the West's resolve to back Ukraine, this shows our collective will is undimmed.
With support, Ukraine can and will win. #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/vugDBtxV94
🇷🇺 FM #Lavrov:
— Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) April 20, 2024
☝️ We are fully convinced that we have to go ahead with the special military operation.
☝️ President Putin put it clearly how to make our territory safe. He said that we should move back the line from which they can target our territory. pic.twitter.com/aAgvYhGlOm
JUST IN: 🇷🇺 Russia says the $61 billion US funding package for Ukraine will k*ll even more Ukrainians. pic.twitter.com/7sgmERp2ju
— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) April 20, 2024
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#Gaza: "I call on Israel, as the occupying Power, to protect the Palestinian population of the occupied West Bank against attacks, violence and intimidation" - UN chief @antonioguterres pic.twitter.com/MTwRnC71Po
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) April 18, 2024
On Iran , Israel confrontation:
It is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) April 19, 2024
I condemn any act of retaliation & appeal to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region & beyond.
#Gaza: "I call on Israel, as the occupying Power, to protect the Palestinian population of the occupied West Bank against attacks, violence and intimidation" - UN chief @antonioguterres pic.twitter.com/MTwRnC71Po
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) April 18, 2024
On Iran , Israel confrontation:
It is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) April 19, 2024
I condemn any act of retaliation & appeal to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region & beyond.
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| Iranian President |
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said any “tiniest attack” by Israel would bring a “massive and harsh” response,
He affirmed strong response as concern over the threat of full-scale war in the Middle East persists.
Raisi’s warning came on Wednesday as he spoke at Iran’s annual army parade.
The world is braced for potential retaliation to Iran’s attack on Israel which took place over the weekend. Israel has pledged to respond, despite calls for it to hold back persisting on all sides, and the UK’s foreign minister suggested on Wednesday as he visited Israel that it has decided to “act”.
Israel's political and military leaders pledged to respond, despite persistence calls for Tel Aviv to hold back and restraint on all sides including the UK’s foreign Minister's suggestion on Wednesday as he visited Israel that it has decided to “act”.
Speaking at the ceremony, Raisi hailed Iran’s direct attack on Israel, dubbed “True Promise”, and reiterated recent threats of a “strong and fierce response”.
Since Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, an attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas in October, set off the war in Gaza, Iranian allies in Lebanon and Yemen have been engaged in low-level hostilities with Israel.
However, a suspected Israeli strike on Iran’s consulate in Syria on April 1 prompted Iran’s first-ever direct attack against Israel.
“The people of the world saw that after the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, ‘True Promise’ collapsed the Zionist regime’s false hegemony,” Raisi asserted.
Calling that attack “limited” he claimed that if Iran had wanted to carry out a bigger attack, “nothing would remain from the Zionist regime”.
Iranian officials have declared that any retaliation by Israel would be met with a swift response.
“That is the time when the supporters of the Zionist regime will find out that their hidden power will not be able to do anything,” the president said, according to a statement published on his official website.
Decision to act’
Raisi also hit out at Israel’s allies. “Those countries that sought to normalise relations with this cruel and criminal regime, are ashamed before their nations today,” he said.
Fears that Israel’s war on Gaza risks an escalation into all-out war have peaked as Israel’s response to Iran’s attack is awaited.
Israel’s allies in the United States and Europe, Japan and Australia, have called for restraint, just as Russia and China have urged caution from Iran. However, Israeli officials have pledged that a response will come.
It's a right to show solidarity with Israel. It’s right to have made our views clear about what should happen next but it’s clear the Israelis are making a decision to act,” the UK’s foreign minister, David Cameron, told reporters during his visit to Tel Aviv.
“We hope they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible, and in a way that … is smart as well as tough,” he added.
As part of Tehran’s preparations for an Israeli response, Iran’s naval commander said on Wednesday that warships will be deployed in the Red Sea to escort Iranian commercial shipping.
“The Navy is carrying out a mission to escort Iranian commercial ships to the Red Sea and our Jamaran frigate is present in the Gulf of Aden in this view,” Naval Commander Shahram Irani said, according to the semiofficial Tasnim news agency.
Tehran is ready to escort vessels of other countries, he added.
The Red Sea has seen significant disruption to Israel-bound shipping due to attacks from Yemen’s Houthi group.
The Iran-backed group has been attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians and against Israel’s continuing war on Gaza.
Source: Aljazeera news
|
| Iranian President |
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said any “tiniest attack” by Israel would bring a “massive and harsh” response,
He affirmed strong response as concern over the threat of full-scale war in the Middle East persists.
Raisi’s warning came on Wednesday as he spoke at Iran’s annual army parade.
The world is braced for potential retaliation to Iran’s attack on Israel which took place over the weekend. Israel has pledged to respond, despite calls for it to hold back persisting on all sides, and the UK’s foreign minister suggested on Wednesday as he visited Israel that it has decided to “act”.
Israel's political and military leaders pledged to respond, despite persistence calls for Tel Aviv to hold back and restraint on all sides including the UK’s foreign Minister's suggestion on Wednesday as he visited Israel that it has decided to “act”.
Speaking at the ceremony, Raisi hailed Iran’s direct attack on Israel, dubbed “True Promise”, and reiterated recent threats of a “strong and fierce response”.
Since Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, an attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas in October, set off the war in Gaza, Iranian allies in Lebanon and Yemen have been engaged in low-level hostilities with Israel.
However, a suspected Israeli strike on Iran’s consulate in Syria on April 1 prompted Iran’s first-ever direct attack against Israel.
“The people of the world saw that after the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, ‘True Promise’ collapsed the Zionist regime’s false hegemony,” Raisi asserted.
Calling that attack “limited” he claimed that if Iran had wanted to carry out a bigger attack, “nothing would remain from the Zionist regime”.
Iranian officials have declared that any retaliation by Israel would be met with a swift response.
“That is the time when the supporters of the Zionist regime will find out that their hidden power will not be able to do anything,” the president said, according to a statement published on his official website.
Decision to act’
Raisi also hit out at Israel’s allies. “Those countries that sought to normalise relations with this cruel and criminal regime, are ashamed before their nations today,” he said.
Fears that Israel’s war on Gaza risks an escalation into all-out war have peaked as Israel’s response to Iran’s attack is awaited.
Israel’s allies in the United States and Europe, Japan and Australia, have called for restraint, just as Russia and China have urged caution from Iran. However, Israeli officials have pledged that a response will come.
It's a right to show solidarity with Israel. It’s right to have made our views clear about what should happen next but it’s clear the Israelis are making a decision to act,” the UK’s foreign minister, David Cameron, told reporters during his visit to Tel Aviv.
“We hope they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible, and in a way that … is smart as well as tough,” he added.
As part of Tehran’s preparations for an Israeli response, Iran’s naval commander said on Wednesday that warships will be deployed in the Red Sea to escort Iranian commercial shipping.
“The Navy is carrying out a mission to escort Iranian commercial ships to the Red Sea and our Jamaran frigate is present in the Gulf of Aden in this view,” Naval Commander Shahram Irani said, according to the semiofficial Tasnim news agency.
Tehran is ready to escort vessels of other countries, he added.
The Red Sea has seen significant disruption to Israel-bound shipping due to attacks from Yemen’s Houthi group.
The Iran-backed group has been attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians and against Israel’s continuing war on Gaza.
Source: Aljazeera news
⚡️BREAKING
— Iran Observer (@IranObserver0) April 16, 2024
The US contacted Iran, asking it to allow Israel a symbolic strike to save face, an Iranian official told the Cradle pic.twitter.com/VxLyOm5XlH
⚡️BREAKING
— Iran Observer (@IranObserver0) April 16, 2024
The US contacted Iran, asking it to allow Israel a symbolic strike to save face, an Iranian official told the Cradle pic.twitter.com/VxLyOm5XlH
“I spoke to my fellow G7 leaders; we are united in our condemnation of this attack.”
He added that the coordination of any measures, including sanctions, among allies would ensure they have maximum impact on Iran and those sanctioned.
Earlier, Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the G7, said it was also open to new sanctions against individuals taking hostile action against Israel.
The G7 is comprised of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
However, Iran has endures various economic sanctions and economic terrorism for the past 44 years.
Source: Aljazeera news
“I spoke to my fellow G7 leaders; we are united in our condemnation of this attack.”
He added that the coordination of any measures, including sanctions, among allies would ensure they have maximum impact on Iran and those sanctioned.
Earlier, Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the G7, said it was also open to new sanctions against individuals taking hostile action against Israel.
The G7 is comprised of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
However, Iran has endures various economic sanctions and economic terrorism for the past 44 years.
Source: Aljazeera news
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US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin
Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder says US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, three times over the weekend.
During their most recent call, they reviewed “the successful combined operation by the United States, Israel and their partners to defend Israel from these unprecedented attacks by Iran and its proxies,” he said.
Ryder also said “that while the United States does not seek escalation, we will continue to take all necessary action to defend Israel and US personnel”.
He later added that US aircraft were involved in intercepting more than 80 of Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) fired at Israel.
“We’re going to continue to stay in close consultation with our Israeli partners, as we have done throughout the weekend,” Ryder said, adding, “We don’t seek wider regional conflict.”
Source: Aljazeera news
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin
Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder says US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, three times over the weekend.
During their most recent call, they reviewed “the successful combined operation by the United States, Israel and their partners to defend Israel from these unprecedented attacks by Iran and its proxies,” he said.
Ryder also said “that while the United States does not seek escalation, we will continue to take all necessary action to defend Israel and US personnel”.
He later added that US aircraft were involved in intercepting more than 80 of Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) fired at Israel.
“We’re going to continue to stay in close consultation with our Israeli partners, as we have done throughout the weekend,” Ryder said, adding, “We don’t seek wider regional conflict.”
Source: Aljazeera news
.jpeg)
“We don’t seek escalation, but we’ll continue to support the defence of Israel and to protect our personnel in the region,” Blinken said at the start of a meeting with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed Ali Tamim.
“What this weekend demonstrated is that Israel did not have to and does not have to defend itself alone when it is the victim of an aggression, the victim of an attack,” he added, calling Iran’s actions “unprecedented”.
Blinken also said he was involved in a series of talks over the past 36 hours, seeking to coordinate a diplomatic response that would prevent a regional crisis.
G7 nations have also reinstated their commitment to back and support Israel.
“We don’t seek escalation, but we’ll continue to support the defence of Israel and to protect our personnel in the region,” Blinken said at the start of a meeting with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed Ali Tamim.
“What this weekend demonstrated is that Israel did not have to and does not have to defend itself alone when it is the victim of an aggression, the victim of an attack,” he added, calling Iran’s actions “unprecedented”.
Blinken also said he was involved in a series of talks over the past 36 hours, seeking to coordinate a diplomatic response that would prevent a regional crisis.
G7 nations have also reinstated their commitment to back and support Israel.
“This must be avoided,” the statement added.
“We will continue to work to stabilise the situation and avoid further escalation. In this spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies cease their attacks, and we stand ready to take further measures now and in response to further destabilising initiatives.”
Today, we, the G7 Leaders, condemned Iran's unprecedented attack against Israel in the strongest terms.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 14, 2024
We express our solidarity and support to the people of Israel.
And reaffirm our commitment towards its security.
We'll continue to work to stabilize the situation. pic.twitter.com/yCD1PHH2JN
White House comment after the end of G7 meeting:
President Biden spoke by secure video with the leaders of the G7 today. The leaders condemned Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel and reaffirmed the G7's commitment to Israel's security. pic.twitter.com/ZvdSJyNbFY
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 14, 2024
“This must be avoided,” the statement added.
“We will continue to work to stabilise the situation and avoid further escalation. In this spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies cease their attacks, and we stand ready to take further measures now and in response to further destabilising initiatives.”
Today, we, the G7 Leaders, condemned Iran's unprecedented attack against Israel in the strongest terms.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 14, 2024
We express our solidarity and support to the people of Israel.
And reaffirm our commitment towards its security.
We'll continue to work to stabilize the situation. pic.twitter.com/yCD1PHH2JN
White House comment after the end of G7 meeting:
President Biden spoke by secure video with the leaders of the G7 today. The leaders condemned Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel and reaffirmed the G7's commitment to Israel's security. pic.twitter.com/ZvdSJyNbFY
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 14, 2024
.jpeg)
Moscow, according to a post on Telegram by Russian news agency TASS said: “We are deeply concerned about another dangerous escalation in the Middle East and call on the parties to exercise restraint,”
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said, “We expect that the problems in the Middle East will be solved by countries through political and diplomatic means."
In a related development, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also issued a statement expressing the Gulf state’s “deep concern” about the regional developments and called on all parties to halt escalation, promote calm and exercise maximum restraint.
"We urged the international community to take immediate action to defuse tension and de-escalate the situation in the region"
Statement : Qatar Expresses Deep Concern about Regional Developments, Calls for De-Escalation, Restraint#MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/64QS07pUoU
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) April 14, 2024
Moscow, according to a post on Telegram by Russian news agency TASS said: “We are deeply concerned about another dangerous escalation in the Middle East and call on the parties to exercise restraint,”
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said, “We expect that the problems in the Middle East will be solved by countries through political and diplomatic means."
In a related development, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also issued a statement expressing the Gulf state’s “deep concern” about the regional developments and called on all parties to halt escalation, promote calm and exercise maximum restraint.
"We urged the international community to take immediate action to defuse tension and de-escalate the situation in the region"
Statement : Qatar Expresses Deep Concern about Regional Developments, Calls for De-Escalation, Restraint#MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/64QS07pUoU
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) April 14, 2024
.jpeg)
The Russian ship, Marshal Shaposhnikov, will continue performing the tasks assigned to its expedition plan, it said in a statement. It provided no details.
Earlier last week, authorities in Moscow had called for all countries in the Middle East to show restraint and prevent the region slipping into complete chaos after tensions were raised by Israel’s deadly air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1.
“Right now it is very important for everyone to maintain restraint in order not to lead to a complete destabilisation of the situation in the region, which does not exactly shine with stability and predictability,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The Russian ship, Marshal Shaposhnikov, will continue performing the tasks assigned to its expedition plan, it said in a statement. It provided no details.
Earlier last week, authorities in Moscow had called for all countries in the Middle East to show restraint and prevent the region slipping into complete chaos after tensions were raised by Israel’s deadly air strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1.
“Right now it is very important for everyone to maintain restraint in order not to lead to a complete destabilisation of the situation in the region, which does not exactly shine with stability and predictability,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
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There are also reports that Israel has been offering assurances to the US that any next steps it takes will be done in consultation, giving warning to the US prior to any military action being taken. We’re seeing leaders in Washington now looking forward to what this next step by Israel might be.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the US does not seek further conflict with Iran. Those words were echoed by Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state. But he added the US is willing to defend Israel and its own personnel in the region.
There are also reports that Israel has been offering assurances to the US that any next steps it takes will be done in consultation, giving warning to the US prior to any military action being taken. We’re seeing leaders in Washington now looking forward to what this next step by Israel might be.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the US does not seek further conflict with Iran. Those words were echoed by Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state. But he added the US is willing to defend Israel and its own personnel in the region.
.jpeg)
According to Mohammad Bagheri who is the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, an Israeli response to the Iranian military operation would be “much bigger”, Tasnim reports.
The Iranian news agency quoted him as saying that the reason for last night’s attack was that Israel had crossed Iran’s red lines.
Bagheri added that Iran has conveyed a message to the US through the Swiss embassy that if it participated “in further aggressive Zionist moves through its bases or military assets across the region, and this is proven to us, its bases and assets and personnel in the region will have no security”.
He added: “We will see it as aggressor as well and react accordingly.”
According to Mohammad Bagheri who is the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, an Israeli response to the Iranian military operation would be “much bigger”, Tasnim reports.
The Iranian news agency quoted him as saying that the reason for last night’s attack was that Israel had crossed Iran’s red lines.
Bagheri added that Iran has conveyed a message to the US through the Swiss embassy that if it participated “in further aggressive Zionist moves through its bases or military assets across the region, and this is proven to us, its bases and assets and personnel in the region will have no security”.
He added: “We will see it as aggressor as well and react accordingly.”