Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in the Iranian capital Tehran on Monday in an address to a group of people from Qom on the anniversary of the popular uprising in the holy city against the former US-backed Pahlavi regime in 1978.

The Leader said the rioters did not actually take to the streets to protest against the economic hardships that the Iranian nation is going through as a result of Western sanctions.

“There is no doubt that we are beset with economic and livelihood problems now. But, can these problems be solved by setting trash cans on fire, taking to the streets, and instigating riots? They did not want to remedy the shortcomings, but rather, sought to obliterate the Iranian nation’s strengths,” the Leader noted.

Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized that foreign enemies were overtly involved in the nationwide riots in the country while the United States and European countries openly fueled the unrest in one way or another.

The Leader added that the media hype against the Islamic Republic was aimed at creating the impression that rioters were discontent with economic problems and shortcomings in economic and other sectors of the country.

“They, however, did not want weaknesses to go away. The objective was rather to wipe out the country’s strengths,” he said.

The Leader pointed to attempts aimed at undermining Iran’s national security, stopping the country’s scientific progress through closure of educational and scientific centers, impeding the growth of domestic production, and harming booming sectors such as tourism as clear examples that back up his argument.

Ayatollah Khamenei noted that the enemies pushed their involvement in recent riots through cyber-based propaganda and via Western and certain regional media outlets.

The Leader underlined that what the rioters did amounted to treason, calling on relevant institutions and state officials to seriously deal with any act of betrayal.

He also said that the January 1978 Qom uprising was the beginning of a big Jihad that took out the “dear Iran” from the West’s stomach.

The Supreme Leader made the remarks in a meeting held in Tehran on Monday morning with the people of Qom to mark the province uprising that took place on the 19th of Dey, 1356 (January 9, 1978), to protest an article against Imam Khomeini published on 7 January 1978 in Ettela’at newspaper.

The Qom uprising could revive the historical identity of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei noted.

He went on to say that the 1978 uprising could pull out Iran from the wrong culture of the West and let the country become independent.

Qom uprising is the historical identity of Iran, Islam, and Islamic Iran, the Supreme Leader underlined.

The demonstration in Qom started on January 8 and lasted for three days, with its peak on the second day.

The post Leader Says Enemies Sought to Destroy Iran’s Progress Through Recent Riots appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Sanandaj Water Supply Project, Raisi said that the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran had been disappointed by the People of Kurdistan.

He further said that these enemies had committed scandalous miscalculation to the extent that they thought they could deal Iran a blow by provoking unrests and riots.

“But they realized that such deep rooted tree could not be shaken by such fragile moves.” he emphasized.

The President further said that every inch of Kurdistan province’s soil witnesses the resistance of the people of Kurdistan.

He stated that the ongoing projects for the development of Kurdistan should be completed faster and noted that one of the demands of the people of this province is the operationalization of the Tehran-Hamadan-Sanandaj railway project, which is being followed seriously.

Raisi, in a meeting with different sections of the people in the Sanandaj Freedom Hall on Thursday, stated that success had been achieved. Today I will be friendly, warm-hearted, and diligent. Resistant people of Kurdistan province and Sanandaj said: The opening of the Hamedan-Sanandaj railway project will facilitate commuting, and we are trying to make it happen faster.

Referring to his visit to Saqqez airport a few months ago, he said: The backlog of this airport is being done, while I have emphasized that no new project should be defined or planned until these {unfinished} projects are completed.

The President also pointed to the inauguration of the water supply project in Sanandaj and said: “With the inauguration studious Minister of Energy, the Governor General of Kurdistan, the representative of the Leader in Kurdistan, the follow-up of parliament members, contractors, and the has ended, and we are happy that the dear people of Sanandaj can benefit from clean and fresh water.”

Operating the Azad Dam water transfer system to the Sanandaj treatment plant, meeting with the people, and meeting with the clerics and elites of the province are the most important plans of the President’s one-day trip to Kurdistan province.

Raisi, inaugurated the ‘Azad Dam water transfer project in his provincial tour to Kurdistan. Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian also attended the ceremony.

The project to transfer water from Azad Dam to the Sanandaj plant is one of the government’s major urban water supply projects, completed in 20 months.

The project’s first phase kicked off in 2020 and was implemented in November of this year.

With the inauguration studious Minister of Energy, the Governor General of Kurdistan, the representative of the Leader in Kurdistan, the follow-up of parliament members, contractors, and has ended, and we are happy that the dear people of Sanandaj can benefit from clean and fresh water.

Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian called water the key to the development of Kurdistan Province.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Sanandaj Water Supply Project, Ali Akbar Mehrabian said that in Iran’s Kurdistan Province, there are many exclusive capacities and potentials, including Agriculture, mining, gardening, natural resources, and different industries.

Despite the mountainous conditions, difficulties in transferring water from the Azad Dam to the plant, and the complex process of passing the steel pipeline through Heart of the Rocks, the transfer project ended with a favorable result.

The route of the water supply project from the water resources of Kurdistan province to the city of Sanandaj is about 60 km, among which 27 km of this route is branched with steel pipes with diameters of 1400 and 1200 mm.

The operationalization of this water supply network, for which 850 billion Tomans have been spent, will provide the possibility of transferring 57 million cubic meters of water to the Sanandaj water treatment plant for the population of 700,000 people in the year 1425(2046).

Azad Dam is located 60 km west of Sanandaj, and its reservoir volume is 300 million cubic meters.

Qeshlaq Dam, 12 km north of Sanandaj, has suffered from nutrition for several years, and this city’s drinking water has an unpleasant taste and smell.

The post Enemies Committed Scandalous Miscalculations by Recent Riots appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Addressing the funeral procession in Shiraz, Major General Hossein Salami said the U.S., Israel, and Saudi Arabia are desperate about their back-to-back defeats in West Asia, including in Yemen.

The senior commander stated that those behind Iran’s riots cannot tolerate the Islamic Republic’s political and spiritual influence across the region, and have therefore resorted to provoking unrest inside Iran, but to no avail.

He said Washington has a long history of making attempts to weaken Iran, stressing that the Islamic Republic has successfully overcome hurdles caused by inhumane U.S. sanctions.

“The Iranian nation has well proven that the US cannot do a damn thing,” Major General Salami said, emphasizing that Pentagon officials did not dare to respond when the IRGC targeted the U.S.-run Ain al-Asad in Iraq’s western province of Anbar on January 8, 2020, after launching a wave of attacks to retaliate against the assassination of top Iranian anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani.

The IRGC chief stressed that the Iranian nation is inspired by Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam and the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon Him), and his companions in the fight against tyranny.

He added, “The U.S. wants the Iranian nation to be dependent in order to plunder its natural wealth. It wants the Iranian universities to be shuttered and its public assets torched.”

“The Islamic establishment is deeply-rooted in the hearts and minds of the Iranian nation,” Major General Salami said, calling on young Iranian rioters not to sell their honor to American statesmen.

“My advice to rioting students is: ‘Return to the nation, don’t play into the hands of enemies,” he said.

“Those flouting hijab and harassing veiled women are following the path of enemies. This ominous plot of riots in Iran has been constructed in U.S. command rooms.

We (Iranians) will bury U.S. pipedreams in this land. We also warn Saudi rulers to think about the repercussions of their actions,” the high-ranking Iranian military commander also noted.

Tens of thousands of people from different walks of life have taken part in a funeral procession for the victims of a terrorist attack on the holy shrine of Shah Cheragh in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz.

The massive ceremony started on Saturday morning with a number of high-ranking state and military officials in attendance.

The participants held up pictures of the victims and chanted slogans against the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Britain for their support of the Daesh terrorist group.

They also demanded that those behind the vicious act of terror must be held accountable as soon as possible.

Following the funeral procession, the coffins are going to be flown to the northeastern city of Mashhad, which houses the mausoleum of the eighth Shia Imam, Ali ibn Musa al-Reza, where mourners will bid farewell to the victims.

After Friday prayers, Iranians from all walks of life took to the streets across the country, including the capital Tehran, to condemn the terrorist attack on Shah Cheragh holy site.

They waved signs and chanted slogans asking for the prosecution of the perpetrators.

The post U.S., Israel Main Architects of Recent Riots Across Iran appeared first on Iran News Daily.

In recent days while there have been some riots in Iran and hostile media outlets and networks have tried to fan the flame of unrests, the West has blamed Iranian media for not reporting truth or supporting violence and threatened them with punishment and sanctions while at the same time the hostile media are encouraged to continue their anti-Iran reports and coverage.

On Friday Tehran slammed Canada’s fresh sanctions on Iranian media news outlets, saying the move is in violation of people’s basic rights and exposes the West’s empty rhetoric regarding free access to information and freedom of expression.

“The U.S. government’s sanctions lunacy has turned into a virus that is rapidly spreading to its friends,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a post on his Instagram account.

Canada on Wednesday imposed new sanctions on six Iranian individuals and four entities over alleged human rights violations in the country and continued actions to destabilize regional peace and security.

The newly sanctioned individuals and entities include Iranian military figures, the Constitutional Council, and the Assembly of Experts.

Kanaani said the list also includes Keyhan newspaper, Tasnim news agency, Nour News and Fars news agency, as well as the current and former heads of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting along with an IRIB reporter. All these four media outlets are famous for exposing the West’s plots against the Islamic Revolution.

He added that it is not the first time Canada has sanctioned prominent Iranian media outlets and journalists, pointing to its recent sanctions on Press TV.

The Iranian spokesperson said Canada and its anti-Iranian Western allies have targeted Iranian people with economic sanctions while depriving them of the right to express their opinions, “unless they speak like them and in their cultural language, such as ‘Iran International’, ‘Manoto,’ and other [channels].”

“Resorting to force and sanctions to prevent the voice of others from being heard by a country whose human rights claims have deafened the world is not so surprising,” Kanaani added.

He said Canada tends to show its apartheid behaviors occasionally, a proof of which, he said, is the discovery of mass graves of indigenous children in that country.

But Ottawa has now launched a “media apartheid,” he said.

“When [empty] slogans are unmasked and logic becomes weak, there is no option but to resort to force and sanction. Sanction has become the international language of the U.S. and its allies,” the spokesperson said.

Of course everybody is well aware of Canada’s intention over sanctions on Iranian media outlets and they know that Canada is hapless in taking action against the Islamic Republic and it tries to impose sanctions on media, individuals or entities to silence some hostile voices against Iran.

Canada has proved in the past that it is not a real supporter of freedom of expression or free flow of information because in the past it has taken action against independent media outlets.

For the West, free flow of information means any report and news against anti-Islamic Revolution or against Islam and Muslims, and anybody who writes or talks against the West will come under fire and will face sanctions and penalties.

Canada is recommended to first resolve its own domestic problems and human rights issues and to stop giving shelter to the corrupts and terrorist group members as Ottawa is also recommended not to follow blindly the U.S. policy of sanctions because Washington’s policy of sanctions especially against Iran has been so far in vain because the Islamic Republic of Iran has proved that it has been growing and getting stronger under sanctions and sanctions on its media cannot discourage them from assuming their responsibility of exposing the West; because this is the main policy of Iranian media to enlighten the world public opinion and expose the crimes of the world arrogance  and what Canada has done against these Iranian is just for laughing and fooling the public in Canada and the world.

So, for countries like Canada there is No Entry sign only for the independent media and this is the mere and apparent sign of double standard approach regarding the free flow of information.

The post “No Entry” for Independent Media appeared first on Iran News Daily.

In a meeting with members of the Expediency Council on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei cautioned the country’s authorities not to let such “small incidents” distract them from their major duties.

“The Iranian nation made great moves in a short period of time, which were 180 degrees opposite to the global arrogance’s policies, and they were forced to react,” he said, referring to the United States and other Western powers.

“In this context, by planning and spending money, they brought people including some politicians in America, Europe and some other places to the field,” the Leader added.

Protests erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini, who fainted at a police station and was pronounced dead days later at a Tehran hospital on September 16, first in her native province of Kordestan and later in several cities, including the capital Tehran.

Ayatollah Khamenei said enmities toward Iran will continue in various forms as long as the people of Iran take up the flag of Islam and accompany the Islamic Republic. “The only solution is to stand firm,” he asserted.

Addressing the Iranian authorities, the Leader said they need to be careful not to be distracted by these “minor incidents” from carrying out their main duties in domestic and international arenas.

“The constructions, great executive works, effective legislation, big judicial works, and important issues in foreign policy should not be sidelined by these minor incidents,” he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader reiterated his earlier call on authorities to differentiate between minor acts of vandalism and big roles in the riots.

“Some of these people are either the elements of the enemy or are aligned with the enemy, while some others have been [only] provoked,” he said.

He added that cultural programs should be implemented with regard to the second group but the first group should be dealt with by judicial and security authorities.

The post Riots Enemy Plot Devised in Clumsy Reaction to Nation’s Progress appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Ayatollah Khamenei, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, made the remarks on Monday as he addressed the joint graduation ceremony for the cadets studying in the academies of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Armed Forces.

“I state it clearly that these developments were planned by America, the Zionist regime and their acolytes. Their main problem is with a strong and independent Iran and the country’s progress. The Iranian nation proved to be fairly strong during recent events and will bravely come onto the scene wherever necessary in the future,” the Leader said.

“During the latest developments, injustice was done to the country’s law enforcement forces, the Basij and the Iranian nation. Of course, the Iranian nation emerged completely strong as it did before and will do so in the future,” he added.

Ayatollah Khamenei also said that although Amini’s death was heart-breaking, the ensuing riots were not natural as groups of people caused social disturbances on the streets, burnt copies of the Holy Qur’an, harassed veiled women, and set mosques, religious congregational halls and private cars on fire.

“If it were not for the young girl, they would have invented another excuse to create insecurity and trigger riots in the country on the first day of [the Persian calendar month of] Mehr this year,” he maintained.

“Many riots broke out across the world, including in Europe. There are riots every now and then in France and Paris in particular. But the question is: Has it ever been the case for the US president and the House of Representatives to support the rioters and make statements? Is there another case where they have sent messages and stated that they are with them? Is there another case where mass media affiliated with American capitalism and their mercenaries in the region, including the Saudis, have supported rioters in other countries? And is there a case where Americans have announced that we will provide certain internet hardware or software to rioters so that they can communicate easily with each other?” the Leader added.

Ayatollah Khamenei went on to say that such support has, on the contrary, happened several times in Iran, and clearly points to the fact that foreign powers are behind recent events in the country.

He underlined that Americans’ expression of regret for Amini’s death is artificial. “They are happy because of finding an excuse to foment insecurity,” he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the country’s progress in all sectors, efforts aimed at facilitating domestic production, activation of knowledge-based companies, and the country’s ability to neutralize Western sanctions.

“They (enemies) do not want such progress to happen in the country, and have plotted to close universities, create insecurity on the streets, and engage state officials with new issues in the northwestern and southeastern flanks of the country in order to stop the growth,” the Leader said.

He emphasized that enemies are gravely mistaken in their calculations, and their plots will not yield anything at all.

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that the U.S. is not only against the Islamic Republic but also against a strong and independent Iran, adding, “They are looking for Iran of the Pahlavi era, which obeyed their orders and was a milking cow to them.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also pointed to the stances of some Iranian sports figures and artists regarding the latest riots in Iran, noting, “In my opinion, these positions are of no importance and one should not be sensitive about them.”

The post Violent Riots Planned by U.S. and Zionist Regime appeared first on Iran News Daily.

Dozens of terrorists affiliated with the Zionist regime and anti-revolution groups have been detained during the recent days of unrest, the ministry said in a Friday statement.

The ministry underscored the behind-the-scene circumstances surrounding the foreign-backed riots that followed the death of a 22-year-old woman from Kurdistan, named Mahsa Amini, who collapsed in a police station and died in hospital despite intensive medical care and resuscitation efforts.

Violent protests erupted across the country. Security officers were attacked. Public property as well as police vehicles and ambulances were vandalized.

The Iranian Intelligence Ministry said in the statement that the major elements behind the riots were largely foreign citizens, members of the anti-Iran terrorist Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) in Albania, and individuals working with other anti-revolution terror outfits.

“In the past days, the forces maintaining the country’s order and security have faced a diversity of cult-like groups, agents of foreign spy agencies as well as direct involvement of the American and British governments and their Saudi followers; and fooled agents of rioters on the streets,” the statement said.

The Iranian Intelligence Ministry underlined that 49 MKO terrorists had been arrested for actively propagating fake news, inciting the rioters to organize acts of terror and destruction, directing slogans and being present on the streets to damage public property.

The ministry said 77 members of anti-Iran terrorist groups had also been arrested in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

The statement pointed to the detention of five members of Takfiri terrorist outfits with 36 kilograms of explosives that were to be used to carry out bombings in gatherings.

The ministry further said 92 people affiliated with the former US-backed Pahlavi regime had been identified and arrested in the riots. It added that nine nationals from Germany, Poland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden, among others, were arrested during the riots.

The Iranian Intelligence Ministry said a significant number of pistols, various types of machine guns and cartridges as well as shotguns and ammunition were seized.

The post U.S., UK Accused of Direct Involvement in Recent Riots in Iran appeared first on Iran News Daily.

The post US House Passes Resolution in Support of Recent Riots in Iran appeared first on Iran News Daily.

The post Cabinet ministers, police chief brief MPs on recent riots in Iran appeared first on Iran News Daily.