Forwarded from Middle East Spectator — MES
— Imam Ali about the messenger, Jesus Christ, in sermon 160 of Nahjul Balagha:
'If you desire, I will tell you about Jesus, Son of Mary.
He used a stone for his pillow, put on coarse clothes and ate rough food.
His condiment was hunger. His lamp at night was the moon.
His shade during the winter was nothing but the expanse of the earth eastward and westward.
His fruits and flowers were only what grows from the earth for the cattle.
He had no wife to allure him, nor any son to give grief, nor wealth to deviate his attention, nor greed to disgrace him.
His two feet were his conveyance and his two hands his servant.'
@Middle_East_Spectator
'If you desire, I will tell you about Jesus, Son of Mary.
He used a stone for his pillow, put on coarse clothes and ate rough food.
His condiment was hunger. His lamp at night was the moon.
His shade during the winter was nothing but the expanse of the earth eastward and westward.
His fruits and flowers were only what grows from the earth for the cattle.
He had no wife to allure him, nor any son to give grief, nor wealth to deviate his attention, nor greed to disgrace him.
His two feet were his conveyance and his two hands his servant.'
@Middle_East_Spectator
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— 🇮🇷/🇷🇺 Interesting transcript from a newly declassified NSA document:
In the early 2000s, Putin tells Bush that 'there is no doubt' Iran wants to obtain a nuclear weapon.
He also says he told 'his people' (i.e. the Russians) not to tell Iran about 'such things' (nuclear know-how).
Remember, Iran-Russia ties in the early 2000s were much less close than they are now. But this again confirms that Iran's nuclear program is almost entirely domestic (since the beginning), and that Russian support is often exaggerated in the media.
In fact, North Korea helped Iran more with nuclear technology than any other country ever did, including Russia.
@Middle_East_Spectator
In the early 2000s, Putin tells Bush that 'there is no doubt' Iran wants to obtain a nuclear weapon.
He also says he told 'his people' (i.e. the Russians) not to tell Iran about 'such things' (nuclear know-how).
Remember, Iran-Russia ties in the early 2000s were much less close than they are now. But this again confirms that Iran's nuclear program is almost entirely domestic (since the beginning), and that Russian support is often exaggerated in the media.
In fact, North Korea helped Iran more with nuclear technology than any other country ever did, including Russia.
@Middle_East_Spectator
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— 🇷🇺/🇮🇷 Vladimir Putin on Iran, early 2000s: 'They're quite nuts. They may be crazy in their ideology, but they're intellectuals. They are educated in university, come from an academic environment — including Ahmadinejad, his entourage, the Speaker of Parliament. They are not primitive people, it was quite a surprise to me.'
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@Middle_East_Spectator
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Middle East Memes — MEM
—❗️🇮🇷 🇮🇷 BREAKING: Contrary to initial reports, an unidentified enemy aircraft, identifying itself as 'Santa Claus' sleigh', WAS shot down moments ago by Iranian air defenses above the city of Khorammabad @Middle_East_Memes
Ah we used 2,000 missiles to take down Santa. Makes sense, my apologies.
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— 🇮🇱 NEW: Israel is ranked in last place in Ipsos' Nation Brands Index (NBI) for a second year in a row
The 2025 Nation Brands Index showed Israel falling 6.1%, the steepest single-year drop in the index’s history.
In the category measuring human sentiment, including 'trust, empathy, and goodwill' toward citizens, Israel ranked last. Among the majority of Gen-Z respondents, Israel was seen as an illegitimate state.
@Middle_East_Spectator
The 2025 Nation Brands Index showed Israel falling 6.1%, the steepest single-year drop in the index’s history.
In the category measuring human sentiment, including 'trust, empathy, and goodwill' toward citizens, Israel ranked last. Among the majority of Gen-Z respondents, Israel was seen as an illegitimate state.
@Middle_East_Spectator
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— 🇺🇸/🇬🇧/🇩🇪/🇫🇷/🇨🇦 NEW: According to a Politico poll, citizens in United States-allied countries, including Canada, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, view the U.S. as a 'negative force' globally.
@Middle_East_Spectator
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—❗️🇮🇱/🇮🇷/🇱🇧 NEW: The IDF claims it eliminated a member of the IRGC Quds Force in Ansariyeh, southern Lebanon today
According to the official IDF statement, they eliminated 'Hussein Mahmoud Marshad Al-Jawhari', a member of IRGC-QF Unit 840.
However, his name is Arabic, not Iranian; the person killed was likely a Lebanese member of Hezbollah who was tasked with being a liaison officer in contact with the Quds Force.
@Middle_East_Spectator
According to the official IDF statement, they eliminated 'Hussein Mahmoud Marshad Al-Jawhari', a member of IRGC-QF Unit 840.
However, his name is Arabic, not Iranian; the person killed was likely a Lebanese member of Hezbollah who was tasked with being a liaison officer in contact with the Quds Force.
@Middle_East_Spectator
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— 🇮🇱/🇮🇷 NEW: Hebrew media reports that charges have been filed against 40-year-old Israeli settler Vadim Kupriyanov for filming the home of former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on behalf of Iranian agents
He was a maintenance worker at the Kirya, the Israeli Ministry of Defense Headquarters in Tel Aviv.
@Middle_East_Spectator
He was a maintenance worker at the Kirya, the Israeli Ministry of Defense Headquarters in Tel Aviv.
@Middle_East_Spectator
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— 🇷🇺/🇮🇷 NEW: Russian IL-76TD cargo plane landed in Isfahan, Iran, and then returned to Chelyabinsk
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@Middle_East_Spectator
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— 🇮🇷/🎄NEW: Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Chief of the Army's Joint Staff, visited the home of a disabled Armenian-Christian veteran on the day of Christmas
@Middle_East_Spectator
@Middle_East_Spectator
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— 🇮🇱 NEW: Israel shot down two unidentified drones entering its airspace from the West
The IDF called it a 'smuggling attempt'.
@Middle_East_Spectator
The IDF called it a 'smuggling attempt'.
@Middle_East_Spectator
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— 🇮🇱/🇵🇸 NEW: Israeli settlers attack a Palestinian toddler with stones
In another case of settler violence against Palestinians, a settler with an ATV deliberately ran over a man praying on the side of the road.
@Middle_East_Spectator
In another case of settler violence against Palestinians, a settler with an ATV deliberately ran over a man praying on the side of the road.
@Middle_East_Spectator
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—❗️🇹🇷/🇮🇷/🇸🇾/🇮🇱 NEW: During Erdoğan's upcoming visit to Tehran, he will try to convince Iran's Supreme Leader to establish ties with the new Syrian government
In exchange, Turkey would deploy radars inside Syrian territory that would allow Iran to detect Israeli attacks early. Such radars already existed, but were destroyed by Israel following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad.
Israel recently signed strategic cooperation agreements with Cyprus and Greece, two of Turkey's major enemies; Turkey increasingly sees this bloc as a future threat.
Iranian leadership is split on the Syria issue. Some prefer pragmatism and support restoring relations for strategic reasons, others say diplomatic ties with the Jolani regime cannot be justified due to its past.
Another major issue is Turkey's support for Azerbaijan, which has been complicit in Israeli attacks on Iranian territory during the 12-Day War. Some Iranian politicians say Turkey should tell its smaller brother to 'behave'.
@Middle_East_Spectator
In exchange, Turkey would deploy radars inside Syrian territory that would allow Iran to detect Israeli attacks early. Such radars already existed, but were destroyed by Israel following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad.
Israel recently signed strategic cooperation agreements with Cyprus and Greece, two of Turkey's major enemies; Turkey increasingly sees this bloc as a future threat.
Iranian leadership is split on the Syria issue. Some prefer pragmatism and support restoring relations for strategic reasons, others say diplomatic ties with the Jolani regime cannot be justified due to its past.
Another major issue is Turkey's support for Azerbaijan, which has been complicit in Israeli attacks on Iranian territory during the 12-Day War. Some Iranian politicians say Turkey should tell its smaller brother to 'behave'.
@Middle_East_Spectator
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— 🇮🇷/🇻🇦NEW: President Pezeshkian called Pope Leo XIV, offering him a Merry Christmas on behalf of Iran
@Middle_East_Spectator
@Middle_East_Spectator
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Middle East Spectator — MES
— 🇮🇷/🇻🇦NEW: President Pezeshkian called Pope Leo XIV, offering him a Merry Christmas on behalf of Iran @Middle_East_Spectator
— 🇮🇷/🎄NEW: In a yearly tradition, Iran's President Pezeshkian also visited a Christian family for Christmas, alongside his daughter
@Middle_East_Spectator
@Middle_East_Spectator
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— 🇮🇱/🇵🇸 The Gaza Strip, as seen from Israel: Levels of destruction not seen since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
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@Middle_East_Spectator
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