CODIANLOADED : World news

Several dead in suicide attacks on Iranian parliament and shrine in Tehran

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<main style="color: #323232; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, "”Times New Roman”", Times; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0.16rem;"><h1 class="title" style="color: #212121; font-family: Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.24rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0.18rem 0px;">
Several dead in suicide attacks on Iranian parliament and shrine in Tehran</h1>
<div class="gray" style="color: #9e9e9e; font-size: 0.12rem; height: 0.12rem; line-height: 0.12rem; margin: 0px 0px 0.18rem; padding: 0px;">
<br /><div class="right" style="float: right; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Jun 7, 2017 10:40 AM</div>
</div>
<div data-entryid="34bc7933" data-newsid="" id="op_container_text" style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Multiple deaths reported in twin attacks on parliament and shrine to late revolutionary leader in Iranian capital</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Multiple deaths reported in twin attacks on parliament and shrine to late revolutionary leader in Iranian capital</div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 330.24px;">
<img data-image-height="455" data-image-width="759" src="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/e89294880819338372b2b249ad1c5f39809569fa/0_49_759_455/master/759.jpg?w=620&q=20&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&dpr=2&s=89e2b0a6cc92318c1da638ce480d7ff5" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.234375px;" /></div>
<figcaption style="font-size: 0.12rem; font-weight: lighter; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.18rem; padding: 0px 0.08rem;">Footage on Iran’s state broadcaster Irib shows emergency services outside the parliament building in Tehran. Photograph: Irib News / Twitter</figcaption></figure></div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Gunmen and suicide bombers have carried out apparently coordinated attacks claimed by Islamic State on Iran’s parliament and the tomb of revolutionary founder Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran, killing a number of people.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Four gunmen burst into Tehran’s parliament complex with rifles and a pistol, and one of the attackers blew himself up on the fourth floor, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported, putting the death toll at three.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Tasnim news agency said unconfirmed sources on the ground were reporting that seven people including a guard had been killed. There were further, unconfirmed reports that some MPs had been taken hostage.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
It is unclear how the attackers entered the parliament building, which has multiple security checkpoints. Police helicopters were circling over the building, entrance and exit gates were closed, and mobile phone lines from inside were disconnected.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Reporters inside the chamber, where a session had been in progress, were ordered to remain there.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Witnesses said the attackers were shooting from the fourth floor of the parliament building down at people in the streets below.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Ebrahim Ghanimi, who was passing by the building when it was attacked, told the Associated Press: “I thought that children were playing with fireworks, but I realised people were hiding and lying down on the streets.”</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
About half an hour after the initial attack at parliament, three to four people entered the western entrance of Khomeini’s tomb complex and opened fire, before one of the attackers detonated a suicide belt.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
A security guard and a gardner were reportedly killed, and at least four people injured.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
The ILNA agency said security forces were dismantling a bomb at the mausoleum, which is in southern Tehran, about 12 miles from the parliament building.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Iran’s intelligence ministry said it has foiled a third plot and asked people to avoid public transport. State broadcaster Irib quoted the ministry as saying: “Members of a third group were arrested before being able to carry out any attack.”</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks on its Amaq news agency.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Shia Iran has been singled out as a target by Sunni jihadis, including Isis, but has largely escaped attacks within its urban centres. <a href="https://viewer.gutools.co.uk/world/iran" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Iran</a>provides ground forces to fight Isis and other rebel groups in Syria and Iraq.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Isis published a rare video in Persian in March, warning that it “will conquer <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/iran" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Iran</a> and restore it to the Sunni Muslim nation as it was before”. The group and other extremists consider Shias to be apostates, and the video accuses Iranians of persecuting Sunnis over the centuries.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Militant groups are also known to operate in Iran’s south-eastern Sistan-Baluchistan province, which borders Pakistan and has a large Sunni community.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Jaish-ul Adl (Army of Justice), which Tehran accuses of links with Al-Qaida, has carried out several armed attacks inside Iranian territory in recent years.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Khomeini launched the Islamic revolution in 1979 and was Iran’s leader for 10 years.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Agence France-Presse contributed to this report</em></div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">By Nadia Khomami</em></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</main><footer style="color: #323232; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, "”Times New Roman”", Times; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.38rem; padding: 0px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></footer></div>

Several dead in suicide attacks on Iranian parliament and shrine in Tehran

Several dead in suicide attacks on Iranian parliament and shrine in Tehran Jun 7, 2017 10:40 AM Multiple deaths reported in twi...

To celebrate Chelsea FC win, SEE what church did during service (photos)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<main style="color: #323232; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, "”Times New Roman”", Times; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0.16rem;"><h1 class="title" style="color: #212121; font-family: Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.24rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0.18rem 0px;">
To celebrate Chelsea FC win, SEE what church did during service (photos)</h1>
<div class="gray" style="color: #9e9e9e; font-size: 0.12rem; height: 0.12rem; line-height: 0.12rem; margin: 0px 0px 0.18rem; padding: 0px;">
<span id="transcode_src" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">uncova.com</span><div class="right" style="float: right; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Jun 6, 2017 10:42 AM</div>
</div>
<div data-entryid="4de2a3a5" data-newsid="" id="op_container_text" style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">To celebrate Chelsea Football Club's recent win at the premier league, a church in Accra, Ghana has held a special thanksgiving service.</strong></div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
The overseer of the church who is an ardent supporter of the football club Pastor Azigiza told his members to come deck in jerseys showing the football team they support.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Speaking to BBC, Pastor Azigiza said he wanted to use the power of football to talk about God.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Azigiza also led the congregation in a verse of the Chelsea anthem 'blue is the colour'.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 330.24px;">
<img alt="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" data-image-height="405" data-image-width="600" src="https://i.onthe.io/vllkyt6sn9qqnn053.d384ea2a.png" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.234375px;" title="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" /></div>
<figcaption style="font-size: 0.12rem; font-weight: lighter; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.18rem; padding: 0px 0.08rem;">Church members clad in their different favorite football club jerseys</figcaption></figure><div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
The pastor, who at one time was a radio DJ, was also teasing his immediate boss at the Living Streams International Church Pastor Ebenezer Markwei who is an Arsenal fan.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Pastor Markwie’s sermon was about “The good, the bad and the ugly of rivalry” suggesting that football fans should engage in friendly rivalry.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
He said there was a fellowship in rejoicing in others’ successes.The one blemish in Chelsea’s domestic season was that they lost the FA Cup Final 2-1 to Arsenal.</div>
<figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 330.24px;">
<img alt="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" data-image-height="450" data-image-width="800" src="https://i.onthe.io/vllkyt6fjgb2pu2ug.05d7a2d9.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.234375px;" title="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" /></div>
<figcaption style="font-size: 0.12rem; font-weight: lighter; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.18rem; padding: 0px 0.08rem;">Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service</figcaption></figure><div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
But during the service, he thanked God for Arsenal’s victory <i style="color: #333333; font-weight: lighter; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“because it means that [Arsenal manager] Arsene Wenger will stay”</i>and they cannot win the league with him, he said.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Fans of all teams were welcome to the service and Azigiza told the BBC that he wanted to defuse rivalry between supporters of different clubs.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
Although he added, they were reminded that Chelsea had just been crowned Premier League champions.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; padding: 0px;">
See more photos below:</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 330.24px;">
<img alt="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" data-image-height="450" data-image-width="800" src="https://i.onthe.io/vllkyt5lge3c0ijfi.7d40ae92.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.234375px;" title="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" /></div>
</figure></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 330.24px;">
<img alt="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" data-image-height="450" data-image-width="800" src="https://i.onthe.io/vllkyt2t5gp08c2nog.b2185197.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.234375px;" title="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" /></div>
</figure></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 330.24px;">
<img alt="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" data-image-height="450" data-image-width="800" src="https://i.onthe.io/vllkyt7i79r8vdtt2.87aaf261.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.234375px;" title="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" /></div>
</figure></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 330.24px;">
<img alt="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" data-image-height="450" data-image-width="800" src="https://i.onthe.io/vllkyt3bjteoiia8qg.db049c14.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.234375px;" title="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" /></div>
</figure></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 330.24px;">
<img alt="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" data-image-height="420" data-image-width="610" src="https://i.onthe.io/vllkyt1hcokbij1gf8.f828b07d.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.234375px;" title="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" /></div>
</figure></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 330.24px;">
<img alt="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" data-image-height="450" data-image-width="600" src="https://i.onthe.io/vllkyt2s4c3jh6j7i.65b3e3f4.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.234375px;" title="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" /></div>
</figure></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 330.24px;">
<img alt="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" data-image-height="450" data-image-width="600" src="https://i.onthe.io/vllkyt6i0nc4h5dap.b516db04.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.234375px;" title="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" /></div>
</figure></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 330.24px;">
<img alt="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" data-image-height="450" data-image-width="600" src="https://i.onthe.io/vllkyt45srd0n4mfu.2c26ef55.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.234375px;" title="Ghana church holds Chelsea thanksgiving service (Photos)" /></div>
</figure></div>
<figure style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="height: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 185.765625px; position: relative;">
<iframe data-height="" data-width="" frameborder="none" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/taluBrL9D2Q" style="height: 185.765625px; margin: 0px 0px 0.22rem; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 330.25px;"></iframe></div>
</figure></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.16rem; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0.18rem; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://news.opera-api.com/static/html/feedback.html?id=55515521fb3272e5901fbf5a7b16d153&category=News_Sports&url=http%3a%2f%2funcova.com%2fto-celebrate-chelsea-fc-win-see-what-church-did-during-service-photos&country=ng&entryId=4de2a3a5&language=en" style="color: #4865ff; font-family: Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.12rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">Report a probl</a></div>
</main></div>

To celebrate Chelsea FC win, SEE what church did during service (photos)

To celebrate Chelsea FC win, SEE what church did during service (photos) uncova.com Jun 6, 2017 10:42 AM To celebrate Chelsea F...

Israeli government admits: UN has broken the law in Jerusalem

Israeli government admits: UN has broken the law in Jerusalem

israelnationalnews.com May 28, 2017 9:23 PM After repeated delays, the state finally responded Sunday to the request for an int...

Iran's election just proved Trump wrong

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h1 class="title" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: KievitOT, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.2rem; line-height: 0.22rem; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0.16rem 0px;">
<br /></h1>
<div class="gray" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06); color: #afafaf; font-family: SFUIText, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.12rem; font-weight: lighter; height: 0.12rem; line-height: 0.12rem; margin: 0px 0px 0.18rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px 0px 0.05rem;">
<span id="transcode_src" style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">businessinsider.com</span><div class="right" style="float: right; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
May 29, 2017 2:53 AM</div>
</div>
<div data-entryid="ffb57864" data-newsid="" id="op_container_text" style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, "”Times New Roman”", Times; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
The Netherlands, France … Iran?</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
Yes, Iran is now the third country in the first few months of 2017 to overwhelmingly embrace moderation and reject the false populism and extremist political philosophies represented by Donald Trump.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
As the landslide re-election of President Hassan Rouhani shows, European and Iranian voters have more in common than they do differences.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
While voters in both continents were less than thrilled by the choices offered them, fed up with empty campaign promises, and sick of a ruling class that cares little for the common man, neither population was willing to cut off its proverbial nose to spite its face. In the age of regret that has followed Brexit and the U.S. presidential election, lodging a protest vote or sitting out an election to express disgust with the political class, tempting as that may have been to some, was simply not an option.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
You would not know this, however, by listening to Donald Trump. In his remarks in Saudi Arabia last weekend, he accused Iran of essentially being the most malevolent force on the planet - the irony of speaking those words in the ideological birthplace of al Qaeda and the Islamic State was apparently lost on his speechwriters.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
So far, such rhetoric has not met with especially strong reactions in Tehran. Rouhani suggested at his first press conference after the election that Iran will wait to react until things "settle down" in the U.S. administration, which could mean that he hopes saner minds will prevail in formulating an Iran policy - or alternatively, and less likely, that Tehran is anticipating a badly damaged presidency that will hardly have the ability to confront it.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
Iran's presidential election also proved the adage that the only thing predictable about Iranian politics is its unpredictability. Which, to the consternation of the Washington foreign-policy class, puts Iran experts on the same professional level as astrologers or palm readers.</div>
<figure style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.56px;">
<img alt="FILE PHOTO: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani gestures as he registers to run for a second four-year term in the May election, in Tehran, Iran, April 14, 2017. President.ir/Handout/File Photo via REUTERS " data-image-height="358" data-image-width="538" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5915b5595124c92d4ab7dbbd-538/file-photo-irans-president-hassan-rouhani-gestures-as-he-registers-to-run-for-a-second-four-year-term-in-the-may-election-in-tehran-iran-april-14-2017-presidentirhandoutfile-photo-via-reuters.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.546875px;" /></div>
<figcaption style="font-size: 0.12rem; font-weight: lighter; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.18rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px 0.08rem;">FILE PHOTO: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani gestures as he registers to run for a second four-year term in the May election, in TehranThomson Reuters</figcaption></figure><div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
The election that extended Rouhani's presidency into a second four-year term was at first meant, according to pundits, to be a cakewalk for him, then a struggle with a dramatis personae that signaled the ascendancy of a supposed favorite cleric of the establishment, Ebrahim Raisi, and a suave mayor of Tehran, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
Both candidates challenged Rouhani in three televised debates on his one perceived weakness: improving ordinary folks' economic lives. And then finally, with Qalibaf dropping out of the race at the last minute and throwing his weight behind the Raisi campaign, unifying the conservatives and hard-liners, the race was deemed to be too close to call, despite some polls showing Rouhani as the favorite.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
There were a number of problems with various analyses that suggested Rouhani might be in trouble.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
First, the idea that Qalibaf's withdrawal favored Raisi was incorrect: If Qalibaf had stayed in the race, the danger for Rouhani of not gaining a majority in the first round and having to battle a runner-up in a second round one week later would have been real. A second round, as in 2005, would probably favor the challenger, as it would both provide more time to rally supporters and would reveal a weakness in the incumbent. And Iranians are not known to reward weakness.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
If Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei truly favored Raisi, as most believed, then a second round would have been the best way - short of rigging - to influence the election in his favor. After all, it would have been a rather simple matter for Ayatollah Khamenei to ask his onetime commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Qalibaf, to stay in the race.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
It was also a simple matter for Khamenei to ask him to step aside, if the preferred outcome was a second term for Rouhani - and if the <em style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">nezam</em>, or system, wanted to engineer that result, there was no better way to do so.</div>
<figure style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.56px;">
<img alt="A girl holds a poster of Iranian Presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi during a campaign rally in Tehran, Iran. TIMA via REUTERS" data-image-height="359" data-image-width="538" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/591dcae15124c9b041b014bc-538/a-girl-holds-a-poster-of-iranian-presidential-candidate-ebrahim-raisi-during-a-campaign-rally-in-tehran-iran-tima-via-reuters.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.546875px;" /></div>
<figcaption style="font-size: 0.12rem; font-weight: lighter; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.18rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px 0.08rem;">Girl holds a poster of Iranian Presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi during a campaign rally in TehranThomson Reuters</figcaption></figure><div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
The idea that Raisi was Khamenei's pick as his successor, promoted in both Persian- and English-language media for months, and his candidacy as a step toward that goal was also probably another misreading of the supreme leader.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
It's true that the presidency might pave the way for a little-known cleric to assume Iran's highest post, but it's equally true that an ignominious defeat in a presidential election - an outcome more likely than not for Raisi - has the potential of permanently spoiling such chances. One might wonder whether it was <em style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">precisely</em> for that reason that the supreme leader allowed the cleric's name to be put forward. Iranian leaders have been known, after all, to out-Machiavelli the term's namesake.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
Neither the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic nor many of his close aides are stupid. Since his ascension to the position, Ayatollah Khamenei has allegedly favored one candidate or another in most presidential elections, and, with the exception of 2005, his preferred candidates have lost the legitimate popular vote.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
Khamenei is not unaware that his conservative political views are out of fashion among the general population - particularly in the major cities and among the 60 percent of people under 30 years of age.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
One assumes that he is also acutely aware, while he rails against reliance on Western investments or outreach to the United States, that a return to the economic years of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency - both in terms of sanctions imposed on Iran and the incompetent mismanagement of the economy - would not serve his legacy well.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
But this raises the question of what comes next. What will Rouhani, with even the presumed quiet backing of the supreme leader, accomplish in the next four years?</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
Khamenei has shown himself willing to give the people some of the things they want some of the time - just not all the things they want all of the time. He is likely to continue that strategy: He will always be mindful of his right flank and give hard-liners latitude to continue to present obstacles to Rouhani's agenda, using them to also ensure that the president and the reformists who support him don't get too big for their boots.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
But he will also probably give his assent to some initiatives that will allow for an improvement in the economy while simultaneously giving some room to the youth to enjoy the social benefits that an improved economic situation should provide.</div>
<figure style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.56px;">
<img alt="Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei casts his vote during the presidential election in Tehran, Iran, May 19, 2017. Leader.ir/Handout via REUTERS  " data-image-height="385" data-image-width="538" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/592198b55124c9e861d2e431-538/irans-supreme-leader-ayatollah-ali-khamenei-casts-his-vote-during-the-presidential-election-in-tehran-iran-may-19-2017-leaderirhandout-via-reuters.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.546875px;" /></div>
<figcaption style="font-size: 0.12rem; font-weight: lighter; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.18rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px 0.08rem;">Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei casts his vote during the presidential election in Tehran.Thomson Reuters</figcaption></figure><div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
Human rights will not improve overnight, and prisoners in Evin's political wing and the detainees imprisoned in their homes will not suddenly be released. Rouhani's promise to improve the lot of the youth yearning for more political freedoms, for less social restrictions, and for freedom of speech has always come with the caveat that those reforms will have to arrive through consensus within the nezam - not as executive orders from the administration.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
He has publicly called for more freedoms, fewer arrests - especially for social crimes such as <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/05/iranians-dancing-to-happy-arrested-forced-to-publicly-apologize/371327/" style="color: #4865ff; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; word-wrap: break-word;">dancing in videos</a> - and has challenged the judiciary on those issues on more than one occasion. But in the now smoke-free rooms of the former palaces of the Shah, horse-trading and cajoling will be the order of the day.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
President Rouhani has a stronger mandate than he had in 2013. After beginning his political career as a conservative, morphing into a moderate who successfully resolved the nuclear crisis with diplomacy, and now transforming into what some would say was a rabid liberal reformist in the last two weeks of his campaign, he will be better equipped to address some of the inequities of the system rather than ignoring them, as he did in his first term, in order to secure a nuclear deal.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
He won't be operating in a vacuum, however, and apart from his hard-line critics, the outside party most able to affect his ability to pursue his agenda is, of course, the United States.</div>
<figure style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-color: #fefefe; height: auto; line-height: initial; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.56px;">
<img alt="rex tillerson donald trump" data-image-height="403" data-image-width="538" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/58ea5d9577bb70c3008b759b-538/rex-tillerson-donald-trump.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.14rem 0px 0.1rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; width: 330.546875px;" /></div>
<figcaption style="font-size: 0.12rem; font-weight: lighter; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px 0px 0.18rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px 0.08rem;">President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a bilateral meeting.AP Photo/Alex Brandon</figcaption></figure><div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
Four months into his presidency, it is unclear what exactly Trump wants to do with or about Iran. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has spoken about "reviewing" the nuclear deal to see if it is in the national interest of the United States, which the Iranians argue is in itself a violation of U.S. commitments.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
But despite whatever has been whispered into the ear of President Trump in Riyadh or Jerusalem, there are 41 million reasons why peace, and the eradication of terrorist groups in the Middle East, will not be possible without Iran's participation.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
A smarter U.S. policy would take into account the fact that these tens of millions of Iranians voted for neither confrontation nor belligerence; rather, they cast their ballots for compromise, peaceful coexistence, and openness.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
Whatever the U.S. foreign policy toward Iran and the larger Middle East, one thing is clear: Iranians care about their country, care about their voices in its politics, and will support their president extending an open hand to the world.</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
We should probably not - just to be different and for the sake of doing the opposite of whatever the Barack Obama administration did - show them our clenched fist.</div>
</div>
<div style="color: #262626; font-family: Charter, Helvetica, 华文细黑; font-size: 0.18rem; line-height: 0.24rem; margin-bottom: 0.22rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;">
Read the <a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/05/24/iran-just-proved-trump-wrong/" style="color: #4865ff; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; word-wrap: break-word;">original article</a> on <a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/" style="color: #4865ff; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Foreign Policy</a>. "Real World. Real Time." Follow Foreign Policy on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/foreign.policy.magazine" style="color: #4865ff; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Facebook</a>. Subscribe to Foreign Policy <a href="https://subscribe.foreignpolicy.com/FRP/?utm_source=web&utm_medium=upper%20right%20hand%20corner%20link&utm_term=new%20non-evernote%20page&utm_content=homepage&utm_campaign=premium&f=pro50-1&k=1053180" style="color: #4865ff; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; word-wrap: break-word;">here</a>. Copyright 2017. Follow Foreign Policy on <a href="http://twitter.com/ForeignPolicy" style="color: #4865ff; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Twitter</a>.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Iran's election just proved Trump wrong

businessinsider.com May 29, 2017 2:53 AM The Netherlands, France … Iran? Yes, Iran is now the third country in the first fe...

Tweet Goes Viral Claiming Trump Didn't Wear Translating Device for Speech, White House Pushes Back

Tweet Goes Viral Claiming Trump Didn't Wear Translating Device for Speech, White House Pushes Back

freebeacon.com May 28, 2017 1:54 PM U.S. President Donald Trump, center, takes his seat along with President of Niger Mahama...