Khaled Meshaal

Hamas politburo chief, Khaled Meshaal, said on Monday the cessation of Israeli aggression against Gaza, ending the siege of Gaza and reopening of roadblocks are preconditions for a ceasefire with Israel.
Asked whether it is a sign of weakness that Israel did not react to the acceptance of ceasefire by Hamas about two months ago, he said, “The idea of ceasefire came to the fore when Israel was defeated in its attack on northern Gaza, as America encouraged ceasefire negotiations.“
He noted that Egypt was the first country that mediated, Fars News Agency reported.
“We cooperated with Egypt and voiced our preparedness to hold ceasefire negotiations, provided our above-mentioned terms and conditions are fulfilled,“ he said.
Meshaal went on to emphasize that the agreement was conditional from the outset.
“Up to now, Israel has not responded. The Zionist regime sent its representatives to Cairo for holding talks with Omar Suleiman, head of Egypt’s intelligence service, following its defeat in Gaza,“ he said.
He pointed out that a few days ago Hamas informed Egypt that Israel has not responded to its conditions for ceasefire.
“However, we still insist on our terms and conditions,“ he said.
Asked about alternatives to Israel’s refusal, Meshaal said, “We have two basic wars. One being resistance to occupation and upholding the rights of Palestinian people against invasion and the other is our efforts for breaking the siege of Gaza. We have lobbied for both cases among Arab countries.“
He underscored that if Israel does not agree to break the siege, Hamas will break the siege, stressing that he does not want to talk anymore about alternatives.
The senior official noted that reconciliation with Palestinian Authority is another issue and cannot replace the issue of negotiations for breaking the Gaza siege.
“The two issues are not linked to each other. This is an internal matter and we will adhere to such a compromise. But the problem is that the PA chief does not cooperate with us in this regard due to the pressures exerted by the US and Israel,“ he said.
Meshaal stressed that “our brothers in Iran and other parts of the world should know that we do not trust anybody“.
“We, above all, trust God and then trust ourselves. We hold talks with all kinds of groups worldwide, as this approach is part of our political policies, but this does not mean that we trust the party negotiating with us,“ he said.

The leader’s senior advisor for international affairs on Monday urged the top Iraqi cleric, Ayatollah Ali Sistani, and other clerics as well as Iraqi officials to stop the conclusion of the colonial security deal between the US and Iraq.
According to Fars News Agency, Ali Akbar Velayati said, “Americans have proposed an agreement to the Iraqi government which, if finalized, will create an unfavorable atmosphere in Iraq and the rest of the region, as Iraq will directly become a trusteeship of the US. This agreement is essentially similar to the 1919 agreement of Vosouqudoleh (former Iranian prime minister) with the British, which would have made Iran a trusteeship of the UK. Of course, this disgraceful agreement faced the serious objection of the people and the Majlis did not ratify it either. Even the Qajar monarch of the time, Ahmad Shah, did not verify the agreement due to extensive public opposition.“

Ali Akbar Velayati

Velayati, a former foreign minister, noted that Iraq is an important country in the Islamic world and should not become subject to the hegemony of the enemies of Islam.
“This is a very serious and dangerous situation. Even if a portion of the agreement is verified, America and Zionists will rule over Iraq,“ he said.
The security agreement contains 12 article, including stipulations that America can remain in Iraq without any restrictions, carry out military operations in Iraq without any limitations, members of the coalition, including the UK, can arrest any suspect inside Iraqi territories, Iraq’s ministries of intelligence, interior and defense should function under the direct supervision of the US up to 10 years. Moreover, Iraqis will not have the right to put on trial American nationals in Iraq and the US will have the right to use Iraqi territories to attack other countries.
Velayati emphasized that just as distinguished Iraqi personalities acted firmly regarding the Iraqi Constitution and elections, they should react similarly toward the security deal.

The Eighth Majlis commences its activities on Tuesday with the message of the leader.
According to IRNA, in addition to the elected public representatives, the president, judiciary chief, head of Experts Assembly and State Expediency Council, and head of the Leader’s Office will also be present in this session.
At the beginning of the inaugural ceremony, Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani will read the leader’s message followed by the Interior Ministry caretaker’s report on the Eighth Majlis election. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will then address the gathering.
A presiding board based on seniority will then convene with Isfahan MP Mohammad Taqi Rahbar as its head. The duty of this board is to determine the procedure for evaluating the credentials of lawmakers. After the first session of the Eighth Majlis ends, the MPs will visit Imam Khomeini’s Shrine to renew their allegiance to the late founder of the Islamic Republic.
Majlis will also hold a session on Wednesday to select members of the interim presiding board, which is duty-bound to examine credentials of legislators on two working days.
Of the 287 lawmakers of the Eighth Majlis, 107 deputies were also present in the Seventh Majlis and the rest are new. Twenty-four of the new deputies were MPs in previous parliaments.

An Iranian military commander has warned of world powers’ plans in the Middle East, saying they were seeking to weaken regional countries and undermine their self-confidence.
Speaking to Alalam, Brig. Gen. Morteza Qorbani said the world powers, the US and Britain in particular, seek to create a Greater Middle East comprising of weak dictatorships, Alalam reported.
Qorbani accused the US government of sponsoring dictatorial states to suppress Islamic movements.
“The Iranian nation managed to overcome these plots under the leadership of the late founder of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, and gained a historical achievement by staging its revolution of 1979,“ the official said.
Referring to the anniversary of the liberation of Khorramshahr in 1982 after almost 20 months of occupation by the Iraqi Army under Saddam Hussein, he said, “The liberation of Khorramshahr was a prelude to further victories of the Iranian forces during the 8-year imposed war.“ Qorbani also called on the US and British governments to accept the Islamic Republic as a big power in the region.
The US and Britain should take resistance in the region seriously since the regional countries are equipped with “the weapon of faith, trust in God and self-confidence“, he said.
Qorbani also said Iran’s message to the region and world is peace, security, stability and friendship.

Israel has 150 nuclear weapons in its arsenal, former President Jimmy Carter has said, while calling on the US to directly talk to Iran.
His remark is startling because the Zionist regime has never admitted having nuclear weapons although the world assumes their existence, Alalam reported.
Carter was highly critical of Israeli settlers on the West Bank, and of the occupying regime’s refusal to talk to elected officials of the Hamas government.
Carter, whose presidency was dominated by Iranian students’ capture of the US embassy in Tehran, also said “my advice to the US would be to start talking to Iran now“ over its nuclear work.
The former president also called for his country to resume trade relations with Iran, which he described as a ’rational’ nation.
Carter suggested that the US should provide nuclear power technology and fuel to Iran as a show of goodwill.
“The United States must let Iran know that we want to give them fuel and everything they need for a non-military nuclear program. Twenty-five years ago we cut off trading with Iran. We’ve got to resume trading to show Iran we are friends,“ he said.

Mohammad Ali Hosseini

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said the Canadian government is responsible for the gross violations of human rights.
Speaking during his weekly press briefing on Monday, Hosseini added that the Canadian government has been violating the human rights of natives for ages, IRNA reported.
He made the remarks in response to a question on recent allegations made by the Canadian foreign minister on the violation of human rights in the Islamic Republic.
Citing UN documents on violation of human rights in Canada, the spokesman stressed that the rights situation of Canadian natives is worrisome.
He regretted that Ottawa has remained silent over the daily massacre of innocent people in the occupied Palestinian territories and violation of Palestinian rights.
Hosseini noted that Canada has rejected all resolutions issued by the international community to condemn Israel for its atrocities in the occupied lands.
“We believe that the Canadian government, instead of blaming and accusing other countries and spending a great deal of money for passing resolutions against those countries, must reduce the pains of its own people,“ he said.
Referring to Iran’s nuclear issues, the spokesman said Tehran has answered all questions raised by the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding the national nuclear program.
He added that Tehran has “very constructive“ cooperation with the UN nuclear agency.
Asked about the Italian foreign minister’s call for European states to impose sanctions on Iran, Hosseini said Tehran is surprised by such a negative and illogical reaction of certain European states.
Commenting on Iran’s package of proposals, he said the presentation of such a package to the world is an indication of the determination of Iranian leaders to remove any misunderstanding regarding the country’s peaceful nuclear program.
“Tehran expects the European states, particularly friendly countries such as Italy, to show a logical reaction to Iran’s positive measures and help resolve Iran’s problem and return the issue from the UN Security Council to the IAEA,“ he said.
Touching upon regional issues, Hosseini said Israel is trying to damage friendly relations between the regional and Muslim states, including Iran-Saudi ties.
He hoped that remarks reportedly made by the Saudi foreign minister are not correct.
“We base our judgment on the official stand announced by the Saudi officials,“ he said.
Hosseini underscored the need for making use of potentials in both Iran and Saudi Arabia for defending the rights of Muslims, including the Palestinians. “Any third country should not be allowed to mar relations between the Muslim countries,“ he said.
On Iran-US talks on Iraq, Hosseini said Tehran has postponed talks due to the US military operations in Iraq, a reference to air raids continuing on residential areas in Sadr City, the southern suburb of Baghdad, which has killed scores of children and women.
“The talks will be fruitless as long as no change is witnessed in Washington’s policy regarding the Iraqi people,“ he said.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki (l) greets Lebanese opposition leader and MP General Michel Aoun in Rabiyeh, northeast of Beirut, on May 26.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani in Beirut, Lebanon, on Monday.
Mottaki and a number of his counterparts as well as other senior political dignitaries from other countries are in Lebanon to attend the inauguration ceremony of the country’s new president, Michel Suleiman, on Sunday.
Speaking to IRNA after his meeting with the Qatari emir, the Iranian minister appreciated the efforts of Qatari leadership to help the Lebanese political leaders come to terms.
Mottaki stressed that all regional states should help Lebanon progress and stability in its reconstruction era.
The Qatari emir said, for his part, that all efforts should focus on materializing the Doha agreement.
The foreign minister on Sunday conferred with Suleiman as well as deputy president of Lebanon’s High Islamic Shia Council Sheikh Abdul Amir Qabalan.
Suleiman was elected president following the agreement among all political parties of Lebanon in Doha, Qatar, on May 21, to put an end to the protracted political crisis in that country.
In his meeting with Qabalan, the Iranian minister said the withdrawal of occupying forces from Iraq would help restore peace and stability to that war-torn country.
Also on Sunday, Mottaki and his Saudi counterpart, Saud Al-Faisal, discussed bilateral and regional developments in Beirut, Lebanon.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of Suleiman.
Mottaki’s visit to Lebanon took place at the invitation of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. The two ministers welcomed the Doha agreement, expressing hope that Lebanon would soon experience reconstruction and development under the presidency of General Suleiman. The Saudi minister invited Mottaki to take part in an upcoming meeting of religious leaders of different faiths, which will be held in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
Welcoming the invitation, Mottaki said such meetings would help strengthen unity among followers of different faiths.
“It would also help defuse the conspiracies of Islam’s enemies,“ he said.

Some 592 foreign nationals who entered Iran illegally were arrested in Khuzestan province.
The head of the provincial police said on Monday the plan to round up foreign nationals without valid papers will continue for five days and they will be transferred to Mollasani Camp in Ahvaz.
“Four Pakistanis, two Iraqis and 586 Afghans have been arrested,“ Colonel Behrouz Sadeqi added.
Since 2006, over 7,255 illegal immigrants from Afghanistan have been arrested in Khuzestan province.
“Over 539 illegal immigrants from Pakistan have also been detained since 2005,“ Colonel Sadeqi said.