"The spy dolphin was also equipped with small arrows and bullets to enable it to target humans, including Hamas special forces." (Fars News)

They call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning:

The divers of the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement have seized a Israeli-made robot dolphin equipped with espionage equipment, including video-recording cameras, media reports said.

The Palestinian resistance movement said the dolphin was taken offshore Gaza by the naval unit of Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, the Arabic-language Al-Qods newspaper quoted informed sources as saying on Wednesday.

Hamas said that the dolphin was also equipped with remote-controlled equipment.

The spy dolphin was also equipped with small arrows and bullets to enable it to target humans, including Hamas special forces.

In 2012, an eagle with an Israeli tag was captured in Sudan and touted as a Mossad spy.

Two years earlier, an Egyptian official said Israel-controlled sharks could be involved in a number of attacks on tourists in the Red Sea.

Fars News: "Basij Commander: Enemies Trying to Capture Iran's Market after Vienna Deal"

Nicely conspiratorial title. Anyone who wants to have an opinion on Iran should follow their state-controlled press:

Commander of Iran's Basij (volunteer) Force Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi called for boycotting the goods produced by those western countries that have imposed sanctions against Iran during the last 36 years, and warned that they are trying to capture the Iranian market.

"Iran's enemies and those who imposed sanctions against the country are seeking to capture our market right after the final agreement (between Iran and the world powers); we should not let this happen," Brigadier General Naqdi said, addressing a conference in Tehran on Wednesday.

"People should boycott the commodities of these criminals," he added.

The Basij commander, meantime, said that the goods which can be produced in Iran should not be imported at all.

Naqdi had also warned on Tuesday of Washington's continued animosity towards the Islamic Republic, and said the contents of the last Tuesday nuclear agreement between Tehran and the world powers in Vienna boosts Iranians' hatred for the US.

"Any Iranian who reads the Vienna documents will hate the US 100 times more (than the past)," Naqdi said.

He also referred to the UN Security Council's Resolution 2231 approved on Monday, and said, "All paragraphs of the resolution that the US proposed to the UNSC are full of enmity towards Iran and show the US deep grudge against the Iranian nation."

"The US needs the agreement merely to legalize the sanctions and continue pressures against Iran," Naqdi said, adding that Washington sees the agreement as a tool to provide the ground for military aggression against Iran. [...]

Let's hope so.

"DPRK Is Only Power of Youth in World: Rodong Sinmun"

North Korea is making a great leap forward in the field of strange totalitarian gibberish:

Marshal Kim Jong Un, inspecting the construction site of the Paektusan Songun Youth Power Station in April last, highly praised the young builders there for their heroic feats, saying the DPRK is the power of youth.

The birth of a new historical term the power of youth is a historic event that brought about a radical turn in humankind's view on power, says Rodong Sinmun Thursday in an article.

It continues:

By setting forth the idea on the power of youth for the first time in history, the Workers' Party of Korea clarified the important goal of struggle and principled issues in building a power and consolidating its status.

The building of the power of youth means, in essence, a drive for training reliable builders of a prosperous country and pillars of the country's future. A military power and an economic power can be successfully built and their dignity and might can be glorified for all ages only when their building is simultaneously pushed forward along with the building of the power of youth. This is a Juche-based viewpoint on the building of a power. This was clearly proved by the lesson drawn from the countries, which had once been famous as world-class powers, lost their status, having their glorious days recorded only in history books.

It is only the DPRK which has set an epoch-making example in settling the issue of youth, the first of its kind in history, and built a power of youth both in name and reality. The building of the Juche-based power of youth, along with the invincible political and ideological power and military power, is the most precious success made by the party and the people of the DPRK in the drive for building a thriving nation.

The DPRK is, indeed, the greatest power in history.

The successful building of the power of youth provided a sure guarantee for further consolidating the country's status as a political and ideological power and military power and dynamically stepping up the overall construction of a highly civilized socialist economic power in reliance on the powerful drive force.

The article calls on the young people to straightly and dynamically advance toward a final victory, holding aloft the torch of the revolution as befitting the masters of the power of youth under the guidance of Kim Jong Un.

Have a Songun Shabbos!

Iranian "Deputy Top Commander": demands for inspections are "cruel", "irrational" and "illegal" and will be met with "lead"

Poor Obama. He can't just issue an executive order lifting all the sanctions on Iran and get away with it:

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Massoud Jazzayeri underlined that no foreign national would ever be ever allowed to visit or inspect Iran's military centers.

"Visiting or Inspection of Iran's centers under any title, including managed access … will not be acceptable," Jazzayeri said on Friday.

He reiterated that opinion polls also indicate that a majority of the Iranian people are opposed to the inspection of the country's military sites.

On Thursday Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and senior negotiator Seyed Abbas Araqchi told the state TV upon arrival at the Vienna airport that "I have explained this many times that there is no difference between inspection and visiting the military and non-military centers, that are, in fact, non-nuclear; we don’t accept such a thing."

"What has been raised within the framework of the Additional Protocol pertains to managed access to these centers," Araqchi underlined.

In relevant remarks in late April, General Jazzayeri underlined that inspection of the country's military sites would be impossible.

"Everyone should know that in our view, visiting the military centers is completely impossible since it is among our redlines and we will not allow anyone to opine on such issues," Jazzayeri said in an interview with Rah-e Dana news website.

He also advised the Iranian negotiators participating in nuclear talks with the world powers to keep vigilant and remain suspicious of the opposite party's intentions.

Also on April 9, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei underlined that Iran doesn’t allow any inspection of its defensive and military centers.

"They (the foreigners) shouldn’t be allowed at all to penetrate into the country's security and defensive boundaries under the pretext of supervision, and the country's military officials are not permitted at all to allow the foreigners to cross these boundaries or stop the country's defensive development under the pretext of supervision and inspection," Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing a large number of Iranian people in Tehran.

In late May, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh underlined that the West's request to inspect Iran's sensitive military sites is like asking for permission to spy on the country, and Tehran would never accept such irrational demands.

"We will not allow inspection of Iran's military and defense centers and control over them under any pretext, and we see the West's request as officially asking for spying on Iran," Brigadier General Hajizadeh said in a meeting in Tehran with foreign military attaches and high-raking Iranian military officials and commanders.

Underlining that such demands are "cruel", "irrational" and "illegal", Brigadier General Hajizadeh stressed that as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has said "Iran will not allow them to do managed or unmanaged inspection of its military and defense sites from any distance and in any form, and will give such demands a response that spying actions deserve, a response with lead".

"Kim Il Sung Park to Be Built in Syria"

Great news:

In profound reverence for President Kim Il Sung who provided a firm foundation for friendship between the two countries with Hafez Al-Assad, former president of Syria, and extended material aid and moral support to the just cause of the Syrian people, the Damascus Provincial Office decided to name the park to be built in Kim Il Sung Street, Kafar Sussa District, Damascus after Kim Il Sung. The decision was adopted at the 25th meeting of the Executive Council of the Provincial Office with unanimous approval on May 18.

Just in time for Ba'athist regime to be snuffed out?

Fars News: "Supreme Leader Calls on US Officials to Stop 'Silly' Demands from Iran"

Some people want to fill the word with silly demands...

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei called on the US officials to stop making paradoxical statements about Iran, saying Washington's remarks disclose that their threats against Tehran are no more than silly bluffing.

"After some time that the opposite side kept silent, one of their (the US) officials has recently spoken of 'over-the-table-options' again; on one hand, they bluff like this, and on the other hand, they say that the Islamic Republic of Iran should stop its defensive progress, which is a silly statement," Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing Army officials and personnel on the occasion of the Army Day in Tehran on Sunday.

Stressing that the Islamic Republic will never accept such silly remarks, he said, "The Iranian nation has proved that if it comes under aggression, it defends itself fully powerfully and will stand against the irrational invaders in an integrated form and like an iron fist."

Ayatollah Khamenei, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces, told them to promote their military and defensive preparedness and boost their morale even to higher degrees, stressing that his words should be seen as a military order.

Ayatollah Khamenei, meantime, stressed that despite its improved defensive and military power, the Islamic Republic of Iran will never be a threat to the regional and neighboring states.

He blasted the US and Europeans and their puppet regimes' media hype and allegations that Iran had sought to acquire nuclear weapons, and said, "Today, the most vital threat posed to the world and the region is the US and the Zionist regime which meddle (with other nations' affairs) and kill people anywhere they deem to be necessary without any control or commitment to conscience or religious principles."

In relevant remarks in November, Ayatollah Khamenei called on the Iranian Armed Forces to reinvigorate their power and increase preparedness to defend the country against any possible enemy attack.

"Our Armed Forces should always increase their preparedness without considering political calculations and make strategic plans by identifying their weak points as well as assessment of enemy's possibilities and weak points," Ayatollah Khamenei said in a meeting with Iran's Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari and other Navy commanders and officials in Tehran in November.

He lauded the Iranian Navy's power and capabilities, and said, "The Navy should continue its great and important role in safeguarding national security, overall defense and the country's strong fence by updating and increasing preparedness and military capabilities and strengthening their belief, motivations and spirit of devotion."

Also earlier this month and after western speculations that Iran would allow an inspection of its military sites as a result of a final nuclear deal with the world powers, Ayatollah Khamenei underlined that Iran would never allow any inspection of its defensive and military centers.

"They (the foreigners) shouldn’t be allowed at all to penetrate into the country's security and defensive boundaries under the pretext of supervision, and the country's military officials are not permitted at all to allow the foreigners to cross these boundaries or stop the country's defensive development under the pretext of supervision and inspection," Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing a large number of Iranian people in Tehran.

Of course he has to say this to his own people. Nuclear negotiations are really making splendid progress...

"KCNA Commentary Censures 'Human Scum Who Defected from North'"

A few paragraphs of choice revolutionary invective:

The "defectors from the north" are human scum who betrayed the country and its people and abandoned even elementary conscience and moral obligation as human being. They are taking the lead in the anti-DPRK smear campaign.

It is a sin for anyone to flee the motherland that brought up and took care of him. It is the thrice-cursed crime to speak ill of the motherland by cooking up sheer lies for a petty amount of money. [...]

Talmudic Rituals on the Roof

Fars News has one of those innumerable news stories in which any Jew visiting the Temple Mount is called a "settler" and any act of visiting is called "storming." This one takes an interesting turn in which we learn that "A group of 10 settlers mounted on the roof of the Dome of the Rock Mosque and tried to perform Talmudic rituals":

Dozens of Jewish settlers on Sunday stormed the East Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under the protection of Israeli police, a Palestinian official said.

"A total of 132 Jewish settlers under the protection of Israeli police forced their way into Al-Aqsa complex through Al-Magharbeh and Hotta gates," General Director of Muslim Endowments and Al-Aqsa Affairs Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib said, World Bulletin reported.

"A group of 10 settlers mounted on the roof of the Dome of the Rock Mosque and tried to perform Talmudic rituals but Palestinian guards managed to prevent them," he added.

Others toured the holy compound passing by Al-Qibali and Al-Marwani mosques before leaving the complex through Al-Silsileh gate, he added. [...]

While you're storming you might as well tour . . .

MondoKim: "DPRK FM Spokesman Accuses Israeli PM of Hurting DPRK's Dignity and Social System"

First Fox News gets on Netanyahu's case and now Korean News:

The spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA Friday assailing the Israeli prime minister for his provocative remarks hurting the DPRK's dignity and social system:

According to a report, on Jan. 19 the Israeli prime minister at a joint press conference with the Japanese prime minister who visited Israel accused the DPRK of enforcing merciless and radical dictatorship. He talked rubbish that the DPRK is taking a violent and threatening stand toward its neighboring countries, it is mulling tipping ballistic missiles with nukes under a military nuclear program for aggression and the international community should not repeat the error made at the negotiations with north Korea.

This is an unpardonable insult and provocation to the dignity and social system in the DPRK and the choice made by its people.

In order to conceal its true colors as a harasser of Mideast peace the successive rulers of Israel have been apt to talk about the "missile deal and nuclear cooperation" between the DPRK and Mideast countries. Not content with this, Israel recently went the lengths of hurting the DPRK's dignified social system.

The people-centred Korean-style socialist system is the most advantageous system under which the people became masters of everything and it serves them and the DPRK's nuclear weapons are powerful deterrence to protect its social system.

What the Israeli prime minister uttered is a revelation of his ignorance of the social system in the DPRK and nothing but his base behavior to please the forces hostile to the DPRK.

Israel not only represents dictatorial forces for aggression that trample down the legitimate right of the Palestinian people and indiscriminately kill them but also is a rogue group that poses a nuclear threat and makes terrorist attack on its neighboring countries with lots of nuclear weapons under the U.S. patronage in disregard of international law.

Everybody knows about the shamelessness of Israel telling lies and making fabrications and pointing accusing fingers to others to justify its criminal acts and evade the censure and condemnation by the international community.

The DPRK warns Israel against refusing to abandon its inveterate bad habit of taking issue with the former quite often in its interests.

Israel had better roll back, to begin with, its inhuman and bellicose policy as an arch criminal killing innocent Palestinians and disturber of peace in Mideast before pulling up others.

I'd say that Kim can expect an especially nice floral basket from Mahmoud Abbas next time.

"[Korean People's Army] Taking Lead in Building Thriving Nation"

Great news!

The might of army-people unity has been fully displayed with the leading role of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in the era of Marshal Kim Jong Un.

Under the slogan calling for helping the people, the KPA has played a key role in building a thriving nation over the past three years.

After receiving the order of Kim Jong Un to build a service complex at a machine factory before the birth centenary of President Kim Il Sung (April 15, 2012), KPA servicepersons devoted their all to carrying out his order.

Kim Jong Un highly praised the soldier builders for completing the complex in time on the highest level during his visit to the factory on May Day Juche 101 (2012).

When the Kaechon and Komdok areas were hit hard by flood in 2012, servicepersons together with the people eradicated the aftermath of flood damage in those areas in a short span of time, demonstrating the might of the revolutionary soldier spirit and army-people unity.

Thanks to the concerted efforts of the army and people, the October 8 Factory took its shape only in 10 months as a model one in the age of knowledge-based economy.

During a visit to a newly-built foodstuff factory in November this year, Kim Jong Un highly praised it as an edifice of patriotic devotion built by the dint of the army-people unity and called upon all the units to fan up the flame of modernization by underscoring the need to follow the work attitude of KPA servicepersons.

The DPRK will surely win the final victory in building a powerful nation as long as there is the KPA which always remain loyal to the idea and leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea.

"Final victory" would be actual prosperity?

"Iran closes down 17 satellite channel offices" (PressTV-Iran)

The machinations of the Global Arrogance are thwarted again!

The Islamic Republic has closed down the offices of 17 foreign-based satellite channels for their attempts to “create division” in the country, a senior Iranian intelligence official says.

“Enemies have established 17 satellite channels in the name of Shia (Islam),” said Iran’s Deputy Intelligence Minister Mohammad Pour-Fallah, adding that the Islamic Republic has shut down their offices inside the country, Fars news agency cited him as saying on Sunday.

The official did not give further information about the names of the satellite channels or the location of their offices.

In a similar report last August, the Iranian Intelligence Ministry said its forces shut down offices of a number of foreign-based satellite channels across the country over their “clandestine and illegal” activities.

The August report also said that the channels had illegally set up production offices in the provinces of Qom, Isfahan, Tehran and Khorasan Razavi. The ministry added that a number of people were arrested based on warrants issued by the Judiciary.

The channels were producing programs aimed at creating sectarian rifts and “intensifying division in the Muslim World to damage the image of Shiism,” it noted.

The ministry added the channels were serving the interests of certain foreign intelligence services and global arrogance

This a constant theme at Iranian news agencies: Shia-Sunni tensions are the result of Western plots.