Free Republic

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Appearing before the cameras coughing and sweating profusely, the man leading Iran's response to the new coronavirus outbreak promised it was of no danger to his country. "Quarantines belong to the Stone Age," Iraj Harirchi insisted. A day later, he himself would be in quarantine from the virus. Harirchi's story is a microcosm of what has happened in Iran amid the coronavirus pandemic. Roughly nine out of 10 cases in the Middle East come from the Islamic Republic, which has reported over 16,000 people infected and at least 988 deaths amid fears that cases...

I know that Barack Obama fancies himself a grand strategist the likes of which the world has never seen. (Okay, that may be true, but not in the way he thinks.) In an important essay last month at Mosaic, Michael Doran drew a revealing portrait of “Obama’s secret Iran agenda” that cast light on dark corners. If you want to understand Obama’s strategery, Doran’s essay is the place to go. Today Steve Hayes adds a timely update in his Weekly Standard editorial “Obama’s Iran agenda.” Whatever the sophisticated thinking behind it, Obama’s strategy looks like appeasement. It certainly has a...

TEHRAN - On the eve of the first International Day of Noruz, the United Nations secretary general expressed hope that “people around the world will draw on this festival’s history and customs to promote harmony with the natural world and foster global peace and goodwill.” Noruz begins on March 21, the first day of spring. Following is the full text of Ban Ki-moon’s message, a copy of which was sent to the Mehr News Agency and the Tehran Times by the UN Information Center (UNIC) of Tehran: “The General Assembly’s decision this year to recognize the International Day of Noruz...

Only this President of the United States would sent such a dhimmi message to Iran. This man would would put his own country in danger by closing Gitmo, and stopping practices such water boarding for "human rights" reasons, just made a speech to the people of Iran without recognizing their suffering. Like much of what the President has done in the two months since he took office, his message was one on weakness. So there's no reiteration of the demand that Iran stop its program for developing nuclear weapons in return of normal ties. Ahmadinejad saw right through Obama's message...

Reza Pahlavi’s Message On the Occasion of Persian New Year 2006 (Nowrooz 1385) March 20th, 2006 All nations’ festive occasions are a reminder of past glories and happy times. For us, the people of Iran, Nowrooz is that and more: It is a reminder of our national and historical identity; it connects our ancient heritage to today and the future, having endured through foreign attacks and domination of anti-Iranian orders; it is thus the mark of the continuity of our national history. This year, Nowrooz comes under conditions where the anti-Iranian policies of the Islamic regime have brought our homeland...