Iran's Foreign Minister Dr Mohammad Javad Zarif has dismissed the European Parliament's conditions about its delegation's visit to the Islamic Republic. Dr Zarif said Tehran would not allow such insulting demands and would not allow any such delegation to visit.
Crimeans do not know what they got themselves into when they voted last month to join Russia. McDonald's has decided to close its restaurants in Crimea depriving people of satiating their cravings for a Big Mac! They are in big trouble.
American Boeing Corporation has been granted license to sell spare parts to Iran after blocking such sales for more than 30 years. Some observers have suggested that the US is planning to position itself for future sales to Iran once there is an agreement on Iran's nuclear deal.
Iran and Russia are moving closer to each other over Western hostility toward both. The latest sign of this came in the announcement that Iran and Russia are working on a $20 billion oil-for-commodities deal. Of course, Washington has expressed anger but neither Tehran nor Moscow seem to be worried.
The Pakistan-Taliban talks continue their uneven course with both sides playing coy. The recent release of some prisoners has led to contradictory statements. Were they Taliban members, innocent tribals or petty criminals? The answer depends on who is making the statement.
The Egyptian military wants total control of the state but it seems people are not prepared to accept this without a fight. There has been an escalation in protests as well as bombings since General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the now-retired army chief and defence minister, announced on March 26 he wants to be president.
An open letter from AlAnood Al-Fayez, ex-wife of Saudi King Abdullah to US President Barack Obama who failed to raise the issue of Abdullah's four daughters held hostage by the king. The Washington Post and New York Times declined to publish this important article so as not to offend the Saudi Monarchy.
Islamic Iran's leader, Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei has warned the zionist regime and its irresponsible rulers that if they were to make the mistake of attacking the Islamic Republic, the zionist entity would pay a heavy price. Tel Aviv and Haifa would be razed to the ground. If the zionist rulers had any sense, they would take this warning seriously and stop issuing their childish threats.
President Barack Obama's two-hour meeting with Saudi king Abdullah touched on US policies on Iran and Syria but not about the Saudis' atrocious human rights record and abuse of women. Obama was also subjected to subtle form of racism, something widespread in the primitive desert kingdom.
Something is not well in the desert kingdom. King Abdullah made a sudden announcement about appointing his half-brother Prince Muqrin as deputy crown prince. No wonder he is grinning from ear to ear. The announcement from the royal court said in case the position of king and crown prince became "vacant." Very interesting indeed.
Will Saudi Arabia become the next target for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS)? It cannot be ruled out based on statements posted on the Internet. There is much support for the group inside the kingdom where people are donating generously to it, not to mention sending volunteers to join it. The Saudi regime may have created a monster that will now come to bite it.
In what was a foregone conclusion, General (or Field Marshal) Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced today on television that he is hanging his military uniform and wants to be president of Egypt. The notorious coup-maker whose hands are drenched in the blood of innocent people claims he wants to serve them.
Syrian refugees are pawns in the hands of foreign-backed terrorists and their political allies. The more misery they can inflict and project about the refugees, the greater degree of sympathy they hope to garner by blaming the Syrian government for their plight. Yet, in Geneva, it has been proved that it is the terrorists that refusing any help to the refugees or allow them to leave besieged towns.
A Russian writer offers some interesting analysis on the missing Malaysia Airlines plane.
The military-installed regime in Egypt is determined to crush all forms of dissent. Its recent victims are students, even those at Al-Azhar University. Riot police have stormed the premises and attacked and injured scores of students. The protests continue and show no sign of dying down despite the brutal crackdown.
People of the Caribbean are demanding reparations from European colonial powers for the slave trade that ruined the lives of millions of people from Africa. Will they get anything from the Europeans? While monetary compensation may not be forthcoming, the issue has put spotlight on one of the most egregious crimes perpetrated in human history.
What is the purpose of Bahraini ruler's six-day visit to Pakistan and why did he meet Pakistan's top military officials? Speculation is rife that he wants the Pakistan military to protect his tottering regime, the same as the Saudis. There was also a large protest against his visit and condemnation of the killings of Bahraini civilians by its security forces, many of them recruited from Pakistan.
New round of talks over Iran's nuclear program are about to begin in the Austrian capital Vienna in a few hours. How much progress will this round make depends on whether the West is serious about resolving this artificial crisis or is it merely using it to exert pressure on Iran in an attempt to force it to change its independent policy.
Crimeans have defied Western calls to boycott the referendum and have voted overwhelmingly to join Russia. Early results from more than 50 percent count showed that 95.7 percent of the vote was in favor of joining Russia. Western rulers are livid with the result and have vowed not to accept it but what can they do?
Saudis are finding that even their petro-dollars can no longer buy the loyalty of some Muslims. Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama of Lucknow in India has shown rare courage by openly condemning the Saudis for declaring the Ikhwan al-Muslimoon in Egypt and Hamas in Palestine as “terrorist” organizations. Nadwa's principled stand was immediately endorsed by a number of other organizations and Muslim political parties in India.
