Latest news with #Persian-speaking
Gulf Today
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
AUDIO: ‘Quit the regime in 12 hours or you and your family will be killed,' Mossad threatens 20 Iranian generals
Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad, reportedly issued direct assassination threats to senior Iranian military figures and their families, warning them to abandon their allegiance to Iran's ruling regime or face elimination. According to a report by The Washington Post, this covert campaign followed Israel's initial military strikes on Iranian targets on June 13, which focused on high-ranking military officials and nuclear scientists. In the hours after the attacks, Persian-speaking Mossad operatives allegedly contacted more than 20 top officials in Tehran via their personal mobile phones. During the calls, they were warned that unless they publicly denounced Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, they would be targeted. One unnamed Israeli agent reportedly told a senior Iranian general, "I advise you to escape with your wife and child within 12 hours. You're already on our list." The operative allegedly added, "We're closer to you than your own neck vein. Remember that. May God protect you." The general, whose identity remains undisclosed, was given an ultimatum to record and send a video condemning the regime. According to the report, he appeared cooperative, even asking: "How should I send it to you?" in order to track and capture the operative. However, it remains unknown whether he followed through. The Washington Post noted that he is believed to still be alive and inside Iran. Iranian media reported that the military generals refused to the Mossad's requests. Despite this psychological pressure campaign, Iran responded militarily on Monday night by firing missiles at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which hosts US forces. This came after US President Donald Trump authorized airstrikes against Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Trump confirmed that no American personnel were harmed and downplayed Iran's response, calling it 'very weak.' He added that Tehran had given advance notice of the strike and suggested the retaliation marked the end of the escalation: 'Most importantly, they've gotten it all out of their system, and there will, hopefully, be no further hate,' he wrote on Truth Social. Qatar condemned the missile attack but confirmed that it had intercepted several projectiles. Iran claimed the number of missiles fired matched the number of U.S. bombs dropped on its nuclear facilities, stressing that it deliberately targeted a military site located away from civilian areas—signaling an intent to avoid further escalation. Iranian state television aired the attack while playing martial music, describing the operation as a 'mighty and successful response to America's aggression.' U.S. officials interpreted this messaging as an attempt by Iran to de-escalate tensions, echoing comments from Trump, who said he hoped Iran could now 'proceed to peace and harmony' and encouraged Israel to follow suit. Meanwhile, Israel continued its military campaign, expanding its operations to strike sites symbolically tied to Iran's theocratic rule. A US military official clarified that no American bases in Iraq were hit. However, one Iranian missile aimed at Israel reportedly malfunctioned, triggering alerts in Iraq. Iraqi sources claimed U.S. officials informed them that a projectile had been launched toward Ain al-Asad Air Base, which hosts American forces in western Iraq. President Trump, offering slightly different figures, stated that 14 missiles had been launched, 13 intercepted, and one allowed to land as it posed no significant threat. The Al Udeid base is a major hub for US operations in the region. It hosts the Combined Air Operations Center and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing—one of the largest air force units globally. Before the Iranian retaliation, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on X (formerly Twitter): 'We did not start this war, nor do we seek it. But any attack on great Iran will not go unanswered.' The missile strike came a day after the US launched surprise attacks on three of Iran's nuclear sites, including the key uranium enrichment facility at Fordow, near Isfahan. Satellite imagery released afterward highlighted the accuracy of those strikes.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Voice of America Frantically Rehires Axed Farsi-Speaking Employees
The Trump administration has reversed course on yet another of its early decisions. Following Israel's attack on Iran, they're calling back several Farsi-speaking Voice of America employees. According to a new CNN report, several dozen employees who had been placed on paid administrative leave in March have been called back to work. The move, which CNN's chief media analyst Brian Stelter believes suggests that the Trump administration wants to bolster programming in Iran, comes after Israel launched multiple airstrikes against Iran. Prior to the Trump administration's cutbacks in March, Voice of America produced over four hours of Persian-language programming for audiences in Iran on a daily basis. According to the Voice of America website, this content 'confronts the disinformation and censorship efforts of the Iranian regime and enhances U.S. efforts to speak directly to the Iranian people and the global Persian-speaking diaspora.' While videos have been continuously uploaded to the VOA Farsi YouTube channel since March, they have increased in frequency since Israel's airstrikes, with the account uploading nine videos since Thursday. One of the videos features a Persian-speaking spokesperson from the Israel Defense Forces explaining the Israeli government's justification for the attacks, while others show footage of the immediate aftermath of some of Israel's airstrikes on Iran. Critics were quick to use the news to highlight the importance of VOA in American diplomacy. Brett Bruen, a top Obama-era diplomat, tweeted, 'Turns out not having a channel to communicate with the Iranian people was a pretty bad idea.' Bruen made sure to tag Kari Lake, a senior adviser for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, on his post. Retired Washington Post editor Robert McCartney also weighed in, posting on X, 'So Trump and Musk gleefully dismissed Farsi speakers at Voice of America's Iran service, and now in crisis realize they need them back. Obvious lesson here, but MAGA and GOP will doubtless ignore it.' Patsy Widakuswara, a journalist who is suing the Trump administration as part of the Save VOA campaign, shared a statement on X that read, 'VOA's role in providing independent, factual and authoritative news has been proven throughout countless times of crisis. But after months off the air, we've already lost a lot of audience and credibility. They should bring us all back so we can respond to breaking news in all parts of the world.'
