Iran Media Urges Holocaust Denier Ahmadinejad To Take Stance On Gaza

In a Monday press conference, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Naser Kanaani said, "The Palestinian resistance movement has informed us they are prepared to take necessary actions for the liberation of prisoners and non-military detainees they hold." Kanaani also emphasized the need for “specific prerequisites” to be met for this to become a reality.

There has been no announcement on this through official Hamas channels as yet, while countries including Qatar, Egypt and the US work to release the hostages, dozens of whom are from countries from Europe to north and south America.

While Israel prepares for a ground operation in Gaza, Kanaani used the press conference as a chance to legitimize the escalation of the conflict which began on October 7, when Hamas invaded Israel by land, sea and air, and massacred at least 1,400 people, including roughly 300 soldiers, with numbers rising.

Holding up posters related to the recent bombings in Gaza, Kanaani threatened that the continued path of conflict could "escalate the situation out of control, leading to a range of possibilities," insinuating its biggest proxy, Hezbollah, will get involved from Israel's northern front.

When questioned about whether Iran might directly intervene in the conflict, Kanaani did not provide a clear response. Instead, he referred to the capabilities of Hamas in self-defense and stated, "Hamas is capable in this domain, which is why the Zionist regime has avoided direct confrontation with resistance groups and has drawn the conflicts into non-military areas."

Hamas receives around $100m from Iran each year in addition to military support and training.

Top echelons of the regime continue to push for action against Israel. Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on international affairs, met with a representative of Hamas in Tehran on Monday. He stated, "You should move forward with all your might."

In the video message, he criticizes the release of millions of dollars to the regime and points to dire living conditions within the country. All this, while tens of billions of dollars annually are invested in the country's proxies around the region.

The Iranian, who keeps his identity hidden, showcases his daily meal, a simple mixture of tomatoes and cucumbers, to underscore the stark realities of poverty in his homeland. He highlights the pervasiveness of poverty and corruption in Iran, drawing parallels between the situation in his region and the struggles faced by the people of Gaza.

"Mr. Biden, you released the money, but the money does not reach the poor people, and it goes to a place where every minute someone is killed, and a child is orphaned," he remarks, referencing the ongoing conflict between Iran-backed Hamas, and Israel.

He goes on to implore President Biden to extend assistance to the impoverished residents of Baluchestan, who, according to him, must undertake arduous journeys covering hundreds of kilometers to access even basic healthcare, incurring significant expenses in the process.

The release of $6 billion in Iranian oil revenues by the Biden administration last month as part of a deal to secure the freedom of five American hostages has been met with increasing controversy. The deal faced early objections in Washington, but the situation took a different turn following the Hamas-Israel conflict, resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives.

In the aftermath of the attack, Republican lawmakers intensified their efforts to hold the administration accountable for the move urging Biden to refreeze the money.

Currently the official annual inflation rate is around 50 percent, the highest for more than 30 years with basics such as rent and food, now unaffordable to millions of Iranians thrust below the poverty line.

And as tensions rise on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, Iran-backed Hezbollah was more active on Sunday than on any day since the war broke out on October 7, Biden told 60 Minutes: “Hezbollah is a powerful Islamist militia to Israel's north which is armed and trained by Iran. Iran also supports Hamas.”

The unequivocal link to Iran of the recent invasion and atrocities which have left at least 1,400, mostly civilians, butchered after a shock invasion of Hamas special forces, reinforces the fears of the regime’s continued destabilization of the situation.

After multiple attacks from Hezbollah on Sunday, Israel's Ministry of Defense and Israeli Defence Forces announced that residents who live within two kilometers of the border with Lebanon are now being evacuated and offered state-funded accommodation. The move will effect 28 Israeli towns and villages.

Asked for his message to Iran amidst the rising concerns about Tehran possibly getting involved in the war, Biden said simply, “Don't. Don't, don't, don’t,” in a message of deterrence. He reiterated the previous statements from the government that there is “no clear evidence” of Iran’s direct involvement in the Hamas operation, which broke out on October 7, the deadliest single day for Jews since the Holocaust.

Speaking on the hour-long documentary, he said: “Now, Iran constantly supports Hamas and Hezbollah …. [but] did they have foreknowledge, did they help plan the attack, there’s no evidence of that at this point.”

However, the fears of escalation have already seen the US send a powerful naval battle group into the Mediterranean and a pledge to do whatever it takes to support Israel in its battle against Hamas.

Monday morning saw the possible reopening of the Rafah Crossing from Gaza to Egypt to allow the passage of aid and the exit of foreign passport holders, though Israel’s Prime Minister’s office asserted in a press statement there was “no ceasefire”.

On his regional tour, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other international diplomats have been working to secure the opening in a bid to retain calm.

Overnight, six top leaders of Hamas’ military and political arms were assassinated, including those directly responsible for the implementation of Operation Al Aqsa Flood, the name given to the invasion on October 7, later declared a war by the terror group, Hamas.

Authorities in Gaza said at least 2,750 people had so far been killed by the Israeli strikes, a quarter of them children, and nearly 10,000 wounded. Another 1,000 people were missing and believed to be under rubble.

The US has told its citizens in Gaza to get close to the crossing so they can move out, estimating the number of dual-citizen Palestinian-Americans in Gaza at 500 to 600 among the enclave's population of 2.3 million.

Several world leaders are intervening to bring calm, and eyes continue to look to Iran as the backer of its proxies surrounding Israel, including in Syria and the West Bank. French President Emmanuel Macron warned President Ebrahim Raisi against any escalation of the conflict in phone call on Sunday.

”The president of the republic warned President Raisi against any escalation or extension of the conflict, especially to Lebanon," Macron's office said in a statement. "Given its relations with Hezbollah and Hamas, Iran has a responsibility in this respect. Iran must do everything possible to avoid a regional flare-up," it added.

In the US, Senators are also calling for action to weaken the chances of escalation. Senato Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warned Iran that should there be escalation on Israel’s northern border, the regime would face consequences.

Speaking in an interview on NBC’s Meet The Press, he vowed to introduce a resolution in the Senate to allow “military action by the United States in conjunction with Israel to knock Iran out of the oil business,” he said.

In a harsh warning, he said: “Iran, if you escalate this war, we’re coming for you.” While official lines from the US government have avoided blaming Iran for the war, he said it was “laughable” to say the regime was not responsible for the October 7 invasion given the historic backing given to the proxy group.

Over the weekend, at least 511 individuals sought medical attention for respiratory, cardiac, and eye-related complications, according to Majid Mahboubi, the Director-General of the Crisis Management Office of Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

The sandstorm and the dispersion of dust particles have affected five major cities in the province, namely Zahedan, Zabol, Iranshahr, Chabahar, and Nikshahr. Of the 511 victims hospitalized, 484 have been discharged after receiving medical treatment. However, at least 27 people remain hospitalized.

While the government has not released transparent statistics, in the 35 days between August 21 to September 24 alone, fragmented data from the Crisis Management Office suggests that over 3,800 people were hospitalized due to sandstorms.

For over two decades, the 120-day winds of Sistan and Baluchestan have exacerbated the dust phenomena, especially after the drying of the Hamoun wetlands and the formation of new dust centers.

Several factors have contributed to the crisis, including the failure of the government to receive a water share of the Hirmand border river from Afghanistan and the intensification of sandstorms and influx of dust particles. The factors have also led to a water shortage crisis in the region.

Mahshid Gohari Kakhaki, a distinguished literature PhD holder and lecturer at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, known for her published works, and Mersedeh Eslami, a dedicated literature graduate and lecturer, were the latest victims of the recent wave of suspensions and expulsions just weeks into the new academic year.

It is the second time they have been expelled, the literature department overturning the decision once before, but this time, it was unable to fight the university's final decision.

In a joint statement published on Monday, the two professors expressed their shock, stating, "We hadn't even set foot in our classrooms, let alone the chance to ignite the flames of awareness and knowledge, when we received the disheartening news of our collaboration being terminated once again."

The dismissals occurred without prior notification, raising concerns and further unsettling the academic community. The alarming move comes in the wake of widespread national demonstrations, ignited by the tragic death of Mahsa Amini during her detention by morality police in September 2022.

The protests have led to the removal of dozens of academics, with student councils denouncing it as part of a broader initiative to "purify universities across the nation." The move has the blessing of hardliners in the government and parliament, who call the dismissal of educators and state employees "purification".