Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Supreme Leader's Message on the Occasion of Pakistan Flood

Supreme Leader's Message on the Occasion of Pakistan Flood
31/08/2010


In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Great Islamic Ummah,

The flood disaster in Pakistan which has caused great suffering for our Muslim brothers and sisters in that country is reaching greater proportions every day. This disaster has struck a widespread area, from north of Pakistan to the south, and it has displaced millions of people. The large scale of this destructive tragedy has made it extremely difficult to provide aid.

The Muslim Pakistani nation is facing this great tragedy at a time when occupying and invading American forces are constantly using baseless pretexts to attack this Muslim country.

Honorable Muslim nations,

The extent of losses is so great that millions of our Muslim brothers and sisters are in urgent need of food, clothes and shelter. A large part of Pakistan's infrastructures has been destroyed. Unfortunately, international organizations have not properly fulfilled their duty to render services to the grief-stricken people of Pakistan. And this is a matter which is worthy of scrutiny in its own right.

Muslim brothers and sisters,

Whatever the amount of our aid, it is only a small drop compared to the large ocean of the needs of the flood-stricken people of Pakistan. However, in this critical situation, we should rush to the aid of our grief-stricken brothers and sisters on the basis of Islamic brotherhood. An important point which Islamic governments and international organizations should consider is that they should help the Pakistani government develop and carry out plans to deal with this tragedy, provide aid to the people, and to help cope with the immediate and long-term consequences of this tragedy. This is the case in as much as providing such large-scale relief operations is problematic for any country facing such an emergency situation.

Sayyid Ali Khamenei
Shahrivar 9, 1389
Ramdan 20, 1431

http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1341

Leader urges quick int'l aid for Pakistan

Leader urges quick int'l aid for Pakistan
2010/08/31 - 15:42


The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei said criticized international organizations for failing to administer aid to flooded Pakistan, urging quicker assistance to help recover the country.

"Unfortunately, international organizations have not carried out their duty well to render services to disaster-stricken people, which itself needs to be analyzed and scrutinized," Ayatollah Khamenei said in a statement on Tuesday.

Islamic Revolution Leader called on all Muslims across the world to join hands in helping flood-hit Pakistanis.

"We are obliged to fulfill our duty and rush to help our devastated brothers and sisters," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

More than 1,600 Pakistanis have lost their lives in the floods that have hit nearly one fifth of the country. The UN says more than 17 million Pakistanis have been affected, as five million people have been made homeless as a result of the unprecedented floods.

The situation caused by the floods is worsening as hunger, lack of hygiene and drinking water, and the threat of an epidemic have put lives of many Pakistanis at risk.

The flooding is considered the worst in the country's history.

http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=contentShow&id=7177

Leader urges more attention to article 44

Leader urges more attention to article 44
2010/08/30 - 21:42


The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei said Monday secret of success of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government is feeling proud of and abiding by revolution’s ideals, like justice seeking, religiosity, and anti-Imperialist stands.

The Information website of Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei reported that the Islamic Revolution Leader made the comment in a meeting with the president and his cabinet members Monday evening, adding that the same points were the reason for their popularity among the nation, and encouraging them to try to "Keep paving the same path resolutely and seriously."

"Leading simple life styles, distancing yourselves of luxurious aspects of life, trying to serve the nation restlessly and ceaselessly, and being against oppression are necessities, emphasizing, "Pay greater attention to provide for more ease of life for the people and pay closer attention abiding by to the country's (20-Year) Perspective Document."

In the meeting that was held to mark the Government Week, coinciding with the martyrdom anniversary of the late president Mohammad-Ali Raja and the late prime minister Mohammad-Javad Bahonar in early years after the victory of the revolution, the Islamic Revolution Leader considered those two martyrs as "The symbols of pious endeavors and unlimited abiding by the revolution's fundamentals and values."

Referring to the plotted sedition of 2009, Ayatollah Khamenei added, "That plot inflicted a severe blow against the process of work and progress in the country and promoted the spirit of the enemy, but the government and the people, pursued their works with self confidence, piety and resistance, and by grace of God the government gained noticeable victories, which were reminder of Martyr Raja'ie and Martyr Bahonar's approach.

Ayatollah Khamenei said that the parliament's refraining from accepting drastic changes in five year plan was a right move encouraging the government not to consider the plan it has devised free from the need to be criticized or altered.

The Islamic Revolution Leader confirmed the president's references to his economic evolution plans at the beginning of the meeting, arguing that in addition to goal-orientation of the subsidies, the other parts of that plan, including banking and monetary reforms, too, should be seriously heeded and pursued.

Ayatollah Khamenei asked the government to heed the employment issue continually and to improve the productivity index in country's economic growth as important points to heed by the government.

Regarding the work done in implementing the Constitutional Article 44, the Islamic Revolution Leader said that the spirit of that article, that is the people's entrance, making investments, and managing national economy should be kept in mind, while the government's supreme management should maintain.

The Islamic Revolution Leader encouraged the cabinet ministers to yield to logical criticisms to a grater extent, adding, "Of course, in many cases the government is right."

Ayatollah Khamenei the diplomatic dynamism of the government, reiterating all the same, "More important than political dynamism and diplomatic meetings here and there, the general spirit and direction of diplomacy should be paid attention to."

President Ahmadinejad presented a comprehensive report on his two government's conduct before the Islamic Revolution Leader's address.

He said that his 73 provincial visits were aimed at expanding the dimensions of social justice, adding, "We have distributed the justice shares among the nation, facilitated taking advantage of banking services and state assents for the oppressed social classes.

http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=contentShow&id=7171

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Imam Musa Sadr

Imam Musa Sadr


Today is the 32nd anniversary of the abduction of Imam Musa Sadr.

Imam Musa Sadr (born in 1929) was an Iranian-Lebanese philosopher and prominent Shii Alim who disappeared in August 1978.

He was born in Qom, Iran in 1929 to the prominent Lebanese Sadr family of theologians. His father was Ayatollah ᚢadr al-Din Sadr, originally from Sour, Lebanon. Grand Ayatollah MuHammad Baqir Sadr is a distant cousin.

Musa Sadr attended his primary school in his hometown and then moved to the Iranian capital Tehran where he got in 1956 a degree in Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) and Political Sciences from Tehran University.

He then moved back to Qom to study Theology and Islamic philosophy under ‘Allamah Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai. He then edited a magazine called Maktab-e Eslam in Qom. Eventually he left Qom for Najaf to study theology under Ayatollah Muhsin al-Hakim and Abu l-Qasim Khui.

The Sadr family was originally from Lebanon, and in 1960 Imam Musa accepted an invitation to become the leading Shii figure in the city of Sour. Sadr, who became known as Imam Musa, quickly became one of the most prominent advocates for the Shii population of Lebanon, a group that was both economically and politically disadvantaged. He worked tirelessly to improve the lot of his community - to give them a voice, to protect them from the ravages of war and intercommunal strife.

Imam Sadr was widely seen as a moderate, demanding that the Maronite Christians relinquish some of their power but pursuing ecumenism and peaceful relations between the groups. He was a vocal opponent of the Zionist regime.

In 1974 he founded the Movement of the Disinherited to press for better economic and social conditions for the Shia. He established a number of schools and medical clinics throughout southern Lebanon, many of which are still in operation today.

In August 1978, al-Sadr and two companions Sheikh Muhammad Yaacoub and journalist Abbas Badreddine departed for Libya to meet with government officials and garner support for regional movement against Israel. The three were never heard from again.

Libya has consistently denied responsibility, claiming that Imam Sadr and his companions left Libya for Italy. Some others have reported that he remains secretly in jail in Libya.

The late Founder of Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini once described him as his dear son and asked God for his return.

http://english.iribnews.ir/IranVision_body.aspx?ID=282

Saturday, August 28, 2010

'Iranian, Muslims should honor World Quds Day'

'Iranian, Muslims should honor World Quds Day'
8/27/2010 3:36:39 PM


Friday prayers leader of Tehran Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani called on Iranian and all Muslim nations to pay special attention to the World Quds Day.

"Iranian and Muslim nations should pay special attention to the World Quds Day. Any significance given to the day will help strengthen Palestinian nation and their stances, not allowing enemies to swallow the nation," said Ayatollah Kashani in his second Friday prayers sermon.

Ayatollah Kashani said today’s world, in which religion, justice, security, service and treason are interpreted and defined from the angle of nuclear warheads, swallows the weak.

Ayatollah Kashani voiced deep regret over a killer flood in Pakistan, saying that the 'unprecedented' catastrophe ruined 75 percent of residential units, schools, universities and inter-city roads, putting the flood-stricken people in the worst conditions.

He urged Iranian people to rush aid to the Pakistani flood-torn citizens.

http://english.iribnews.ir/NewsBody.aspx?ID=9851

'Defense of Palestine, cornerstone of IRI ideology'

'Defense of Palestine, cornerstone of IRI ideology'
8/27/2010 6:12:29 PM


Defense of the world oppressed nations, Palestinian nation in particular, is the cornerstone of Iranian nation's ideology, said Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hosseini on Friday.

Hosseini, addressing this week's Friday prayers congregation as pre-sermon lecturer, said while the West, European Union, Zionism and the US have resorted to diversified threats, sanctions and resolutions against Iran and do not even negate the military option, Iranian nation will not only defend its national interests but also help Muslims in other states.

He said at a time when Iran is threatened to face economic sanctions, Iranian nation spares no efforts to help the flood-torn Pakistanis.

http://english.iribnews.ir/NewsBody.aspx?ID=9856

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Physician day

Physician day


August 23 has been designated as Physician Day in Iran to mark the birth anniversary of the great Iranian scientist Abu Ali Sina (Avicenna).

This designation is part of the efforts to celebrate and recognize the importance and skills of the career.

Abu Ali Sina (980-1037) was a Iranian polymath and the foremost physician and philosopher of his time.

He was born around 980 in Afshana, near Bukhara, which was his mother's hometown, in Greater Khorasan.

His father, Abdullah, was at the time of his son's birth the governor in one of the Samanid Nuh ibn Mansur's estates.

He had his son very carefully educated at Bukhara. His independent thought was served by an extraordinary intelligence and memory, which allowed him to overtake his teachers at the age of fourteen. As he said in his autobiography, there was nothing that he had not learned when he reached eighteen.

He was also an astronomer, chemist, geologist, Islamic theologian, logician, mathematician, physicist, poet and scientist.

He studied medicine under a physician named Koushyar. He wrote almost 450 treatises on a wide range of subjects, of which around 240 have survived.

His most famous works are ‘Shafa’ (healing), a vast philosophical and scientific encyclopedia, and ‘Qanoon’ (the canon of medicine) which was a standard medical text at many medieval universities.

‘Qanoon’ was used as a textbook in the universities of Montpellier and Louvain as late as 1650.

http://english.iribnews.ir/IranVision_body.aspx?ID=281

Monday, August 23, 2010

Leader urges expat elite to return

Leader urges expat elite to return
2010/08/22 - 23:38


The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei said the brain drain usually takes place because of the promises made by overseas.

"Some of these promises are tainted with anti-Iran motives," Ayatollah Khamenei told thousands of university students in Tehran on Sunday.

Ayatollah Khamenei underlined religious and divine motives can make expatriate elite return as some of them have actually returned to serve their country.

Islamic Revolution Leader further laid emphasis on unity and spiritual purity in the society, and added," the society won't be purified by pressure and radical moves."

Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the importance of 'cultural products', adding the necessary infrastructure should be established to that end.

Islamic Revolution Leader continued by highlighting that the presence of university students in popular and student circles abroad can play a key role in 'exporting pure thoughts and messages of the Revolution.'

Ayatollah Khamenei further said universities are the target of enemy plots, so due regard should be paid to the issue of 'discipline' in universities. Nevertheless, Ayatollah Khamenei underlined that 'going to extremes' is not the right way to deal with any issue, including disciplinary matters.

Islamic Revolution Leader then stressed the need for 'freedom of thought' in universities, and said debates should be held there over various issues.

Ayatollah Khamenei urged students to distance themselves from political wrangling in the country, adding differences of opinion should not lead to divisions and friction.

Islamic Revolution Leader then urged students to 'analyze and adopt a stance on' key issues facing the country, including the Tehran Declaration, the UN Security Council resolution on Iran sanctions and Washington's unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=contentShow&id=7147

Friday, August 20, 2010

IRI does not favor dictated talks - Sediqi

IRI does not favor dictated talks - Sediqi
8/20/2010 3:42:37 PM


Interim Friday prayers leader of Tehran Hojjatoleslam Kazem Sediqi on Friday called on Iranian officials and policy makers to close their ranks and get united.

Delivering his second Friday prayers sermon at Tehran University campus, Hojjatoleslam Sediqi said lack of solidarity among special social strata is a problem which should be removed.

On the Iran-US talks, Hojjatoleslam Seddiqi said Iran welcomes the kind of talks in which the other party would not dictate its one-sided wishes on it.

As for Pakistan flood, he called on the world people, including Iranians, to rush aid to the victims.

http://english.iribnews.ir/NewsBody.aspx?ID=9693

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Meeting with the Islamic system officials

Meeting with the Islamic system officials
2010/08/19 - 10:29


The Americans' resorting to military attack is a remote possibility, but if so, Iranians counter-attack will not be merely regional, but covering a vaster scene," the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khameneie said.

Ayatollah Khameneie stressed in his Wednesday evening meeting with the Islamic system officials that solidarity and harmony among them is a dire necessity, adding, "Insistence in disturbing unity is violating religious duties."

Ayatollah Khameneie encouraged everyone who might have gone astray in "choosing the path, mentality, or deeds" to get back to the right path and to take advantage of the sacred moments of the fasting month of Ramadhan to do so.

Islamic Revolution Leader urged the entire system officials to heed their words, their deeds and their thoughts, and to beware that their mistakes would lead to greater problems than those of the ordinary people.

Ayatollah Khameneie emphasized that efforts aimed at expanding the dimensions of observing comprehensive justice are among the highest manifestations of piety, adding, "Judiciary, executive, and social justice in distribution of possibilities and opportunities and justice in selection of individuals are among real facades of justice in real sense of the word."

Ayatollah Khameneie said that observing self-control, and in other words, swallowing one’s wrath, is another aspect of piety, warning, "Certain people are busy sowing the seeds of political discord among various factions and individuals and countering such movements is among the clear manifestations of piety."

Emphasizing that attracting maximally and detracting minimally is among the major and fundamental policies of the system, the Islamic Revolution Leader added, "Of course the scale and meter stick for doing so is the fundamentals and the values, but care should be taken that the different individuals’ levels of pieties differ and those that had been parts of the system, but have due to making mistakes, or negligence become idle should be advised and properly guided back to the Right Path."

After focusing over the blessings of fasting at the service of overcoming the shortcomings both in country’s internal affairs and in the Islamic world’s problems, Ayatollah Khameneie called on the officials to heed the prevailing realities in the camp of the Iranian nation and the camp of the global oppression in order to analyze the internal and international affairs and developments correctly, adding, "Contemplation over realities of these camps during the past 32 years shows that the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic have kept on paving the very path of the late Imam Khomeini and the Revolution, but the opposite camp has been subject to changes."

Islamic Revolution Leader said that the declining trend of the Iranian nation’s enemies’ might and the ascending process of the Islamic Republic as the second reality worth heeding, adding, "Although the opposite front of the Islamic Republic considers itself as the global community, which is a big lie, but the main axes of that front are merely the US and the Zionists."

He noted that opposing can either be at surface level, but the opposition of the Zionist regime and America against the Islamic Republic is quite fundamental."

Further focusing on the same issue, Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated, "Fundamental opposition is in fact opposing the entire existence of a phenomenon, and as we consider the Zionist regime as a forged, fake and definitely collapsing entity, that regime, too, is opposed to the existence of the Islamic system."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution focusing on existing fundamental opposition in Iran-US relations added, "The Americans’ approach towards us, despite the entire words the US officials have uttered regarding the need for the Islamic Republic’s behavior change is an approach based on negating the existence of the Islamic system and we, too, are opposed to the oppressor and super power aspects of the United States and disapprove of them."

Elaborating on the reasons and the manifestations of the declining trend of might of the Iranian nation’s enemies, Ayatollah Khameneie referred to lack of popularity of both the Zionist regime and the United Sates throughout the world, adding, "World nation’s wrath against these two regimes, their being humiliated in recent years’ military events in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine, their being entangled with severe economic depressions, their defeats in their policies regarding Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, the lowered self confidence of the US and Israeli officials and the incompetence of the US officials in making decisions regarding keeping on occupying, or evacuating their forces from Iraq and Afghanistan are manifestations of the Iranian nation’s enemies’ declining and shaky power."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution meanwhile listed the reasons for the ascending process of the Islamic Republic’s progress in various scientific and technological fields, adding, "In addition to the brilliant onward movement in various fields, in social and spiritual aspects, too, the Iranian nation is highly spirited, and the mere fact that 40 million people attended the last year election polls is proof for the social and political dynamism in the country."

Ayatollah Khameneie also referred to the unique popular support for Iran among the Muslim nations, remembering the enthusiastic receiving of the Iranian officials throughout the past decades, adding, "The Iranian nation with its successful political experiences in the Middle East and the other parts of the world and full of hope for the future, keeps of paving its way towards the future and this fact confirms the ascending process of the Islamic Republic."

Stressing the need for thinking, contemplating and planning in the course of the confrontation with the enemy’s front the Islamic Revolution Leader emphasized, "They have proper planning and rely on precise programming in confrontation with us, and we, too, need to have planning, safeguard our unity and wisely and bravely move towards the future."

Elaborating the aliens’ programs for Iran, Ayatollah Khameneie referred to the economic pressure, the military threats, the psychological war and fomenting political chaos and sabotaging inside the country, adding, “Side by side with all these programs the Americans prepare the book of sanctions, threats and psychological war, announcing also that they are ready also ready for talks."

Pointing to the Americans’ resorting to all these plots throughout that past 30 years, Ayatollah Khamenei said, "The 30-year sanctions against Iran, continuous threats during the tenures of various US presidents, poisonous propagation about Imam Khomeini and the Iranian nation prove that today, too, they are resorting to the same old methods in confrontation with Iran."

The Islamic Revolution Leader considered the Americans’ declaring of their readiness for holding talks, too, a repeated scenario, denounced negotiations under the shadow of force, adding, "Of course we negotiated with the Americans over two issues, namely over Iraq and over another topic that they regarded as important security matter, but those experiences, too, prove that whenever they reach the limits of their guts at the negotiation table when they get faced with pure logic they resort to force and unilaterally end the talks."

"We have ruled out negotiations with America clearly stating our reasons why we have done so, because we do not consider talking under the shadow of threats and pressure as meaningful dialogue, and as the esteemed state officials have announced, we always favor negotiations, but not with the Americans who favor talks under the shadow of threats, sanctions and oppression," Ayatollah Khameneie added.

The Islamic Revolution Leader reiterated, "Naturally, if they would descend from the rotten latter of being a superpower and abandon threats and sanctions and stop pre-determining final objectives and ends for the negotiations, we have already announced, we are ready for holding talks, but it is in fact they that are not the type to negotiate, and are after imposing their will."

"The Americans had better realize they cannot resort to pressure against Iran similar to the others, because the Islamic Republic of Iran would not yield to any type of pressure and would respond to any pressure respectively," he added.

Focusing over the nuclear issue, Ayatollah Khamenei once again considered having access to the full cycle of the nuclear fuel technology as the natural right of the Iranian nation, stressing, "The Iranian nation and officials will not compromise over this right and God willing, constructing nuclear power plants and manufacturing their fuel inside Iran, they would pursue and materialize that right."

The Islamic Revolution Leader considered some arguments of the Americans regarding the provision of the nuclear fuel that Iran needs as nonsense and out of context, referring to the untrustworthiness of the aliens in case of the 20% enriched fuel for Tehran Research Reactor (TRR), adding, "In accordance with the international norms of such deals we had bought the fuel that Iran needs two decades ago, but as soon as they sensed we needed that 20% fuel again they started a nasty game, that was of course a big mistake of the United States and the west, in which they became the losers."

He said that encouraging Iran to produce the 20% enriched fuel and proving the untrustworthiness of America and the other producers of the fuel were the obvious results of the west’s game over the 20% enriched fuel, emphasizing, "The incidence proved the fact to entire nations that that are truly not trustworthy."

The Islamic Revolution Leader considered the Americans’ negative propagations regarding the human rights in Iran as ridiculous, adding, "As they have proved in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine, they attach no value to human lives, but they arrogantly talk about the violation of human rights in Iran."

Referring to the very resolute and good policies adopted by the officials to counter the enemies’ plots, including the economic sanctions, the leader said, "God willing, resorting to these policies and under the umbrella of unity and sympathy, the sanctions would be turned into opportunities."

The leader of the Islamic Revolution considered the qualitative and quantitative increase of national production of great importance in this regard, adding, " We need proper management over the imports, and if revisions over laws are needed, the Parliament should do that."

Referring to the enemies’ efforts aimed at aggrandizing the small problems, Ayatollah Khamenei said, "The differences of opinion between the government and the parliament is not a catastrophe, but turning it to an unsolvable gap and an incurable would is a grave mistake."

"We have commissioned the Guardian Council to interfere in the dispute between the parliament and the government, clarifying the barriers of each one’s responsibilities and powers and materializing the Constitutional rule of separation among the system’s three branches of power," the Leader of the Islamic Revolution added.

He advised all to stick to the rules and not to play at the field of the enemy, reiterating, "The enemy is after depriving the officials of the people’s trust and no one should speak in way to make the people lose trust in the government, the parliament, and the judiciary force."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution meanwhile criticized putting under question the presented statistics by the concerned organizations, reiterating, "Such moves that lead to weakening the trust of the people in the system should be avoided."

President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad in this meeting presented a comprehensive report on the government’s efforts in various cultural, scientific and technological, construction and development, mines and industries, administrative reforms, foreign policy, and interior management fields.

He singled out the nation’s advancement in aerospace technology announcing that Iran’s second research and communications satellite would be launched into space in near future.

The President referred to the positive economic growth, decreased inflation and the blossoming stock exchange markets of the country, as well as goal orienting of the subsidies project, and boosting the country’s non-oil exports as the peaks of his government’s success.

Regarding the imposed sanctions which he said are the result of the enemy’s bad temperedness he said, "By grace of God and relying on the support of the Iranian nation we would turn the sanctions into opportunities at the service of major developments, economic reforms, and qualitative and quantitative improvement of our national production."

He said that the initiators of the resolutions would be urged to feel sorry for their behavior.

The Iranian President also said that the Iranian nation favors holding talks in the framework of justice, adding, "While favoring just negotiations, the Iranians would not compromise the slightest bit over their rights.

http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=contentShow&id=7125

Qara Kelisa

Qara Kelisa


The St. Thaddeus Church best known as Qara Kelisa which literally means Black church is an ancient monument perched on a mountain ridge in the northern Iranian province of West Azarbaijan.

As one of the oldest and most notable surviving Christian monuments of Iran, Qara Kelisa carries great significance for the country's Armenian Orthodox community.

Armenians hold that Qara Kelisa is the world's first church and was constructed in 68 CE by one of the apostles of Jesus, Saint Thaddeus, who traveled to Armenia, then part of the Persian Empire, to preach the teachings of Christ.

Located south of the city of Maku, the massive church can be seen against the natural background of rolling hills; its cuspidate tambours catches the eye of beauty-seekers.

An ancient chapel two kilometers northwest of Qara Kelisa is said to have been the place where the first Christian woman, Sandokh, was martyred. The chapel is believed to be as old as the Black Church.

Throughout the course of history Qara Kelisa sustained damage and was repaired a number of times.

A large part of the monument was destroyed during the Mongol invasion in the 13th century. The Persian scientist Khajeh Nasir ad-Din Tousi oversaw its reconstruction during the reign of the Mongol ruler, Hulagu Khan.

Much of the existing structure dates back to the 19th century when the Qajar prince Abbas Mirza renovated the monument using carved sandstone.

Apart from the Armenian architectural elements visible in the structure of Qara Kelisa, another remarkable feature of the historical church is its spatial layout, which resembles that of the Echmiazin Cathedral in Armenia.

Every year scores of Armenians, Assyrians and Catholics from Iran and other countries visit the church to commemorate the martyrdom of Saint Thaddeus and his faithful followers.

The cruciform building is surmounted by two pyramidal shaped cupolas, the shorter of which has light and dark colored horizontal bands on the drum.

The church is composed of two parts: a black structure, the original building of the church and a white structure, the main church, which was added to the original building's western wing in 1810 CE.

The original church is a domed sanctuary built largely of dark-colored stone, probably dating to the tenth or eleventh century, from which its name Qara Kelisa is derived.

The main church, built in 1811-1820 is a massive structure, built of light sandstone and adorned with blind arches and decorative and geometric shapes.

Its twelve-sided tambour has been built in alternating light- and dark-colored stones and has an equal number of windows.

The church has two large courtyards, the first of which seems to have been used for agricultural purposes, while the second encircles the white structure, the portico, and a number of rooms.

The first courtyard includes oil-extracting rooms, a miniature windmill, an oven, and a fountain. It is decorated with ornamental motifs and two intricately designed stone crucifixes.

A small door opens to the second courtyard where the refectory and the kitchen along with rooms for resident monks and abbots are located.

The portico, which has been left unfinished, dates back to the mid 19th century.

The building's exterior is adorned with five rows of alternating dark and light stones as well as numerous round and blind arches, decorated with rosettes, coats-of-arms, flowers and animal figures.

Statues of angels adorn the front facade of the church and its northern and southern facades are decorated with dark-colored stone crucifixes.

Sculptured bas-reliefs bearing passages from the Old and New Testaments, mythical animals and effigies of saints have added to the beauty of the monument.

In the eastern part of the complex, there is a chapel and a sacristy hall. An Armenian inscription, carved on stone, gives an account of the construction of the buildings.

Another stone inscription can be seen on the front of the old portal, bearing the date when the monument was reconstructed by Abbas Mirza Qajar.

Qara Kelisa has been registered as the ninth Iranian historical-cultural heritage site on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) World Heritage List.

http://english.iribnews.ir/IranVision_body.aspx?ID=277

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Leader commends enthusiasm for Quran

Leader commends enthusiasm for Quran
2010/08/12 - 22:00


The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei praised the increasing enthusiasm for Islam's holy Book of Quran amongst the youth.

"The increasing inclination in the society, especially amongst the youth, [to the Holy Quran] is a gift perhaps comparable to no other," the Islamic Revolution Leader said, addressing a gathering of Quran reciters in the Iranian capital Tehran on August 12 during a ceremony on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan in Iran.

Ayatollah Khamenei also recommended that people an attempt to understand the concepts in the Quran and abide by them in addition to reciting the holy book.

Islamic Revolution Leader further pointed out that mastery of Quran translation would lead to a better understanding and interpretation of the teachings of Islam's holy book.

http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=contentShow&id=7109

Friday, August 13, 2010

Jannati: US’ green light for talks a trickery

Jannati: US’ green light for talks a trickery
8/13/2010 5:13:32 PM


Tehran Friday Prayers Leader, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, said on Friday that the US’ green light for holding talks with Iran is a trickery and cheating.

Addressing the Friday prayers congregation worshippers in his second sermon, he referred to the Mordad 28 coup d’etat and criticized those inside the country advocating talks with the US.

Describing one of the problems of the conspirators as demanding to enter into talks with the US and set aside enmities and asked, "Have you forgotten what they have done? Do you think they have changed? Do you think that Americans have come to their senses? They have not changed and are the same," Jannati said, noting that if they show green light for talks, that’s out of "imposture."

The interim Friday prayers leader of Tehran also referred to the sanctions imposed by the US on Iran and said that they think the Iranians will get tired and surrender themselves to them. "But they do not know the nation," he said.

Jannati added that Iranians know that wherever the US insists on doing something it is harmful for them and wherever it wants something not to be done it is in their interest.

"The nation and the officials should be vigilant in a bid to make the sanctions ineffective," he said.

He also underlined the significance of unity of word and shunning disputes at this juncture.

Congratulating the Lebanese nation and government on the victory anniversary of Hezbollah in the 33-day war against the Zionist regime, Jannati also said that the US and Israel pose great dangers to humanity.

Hezbollah’s victory against the army which considers itself the fourth military power in the world is the outcome of their sacrifice and resistance, Jannati concluded.

http://english.iribnews.ir/NewsBody.aspx?ID=9556