Khamenei Urges Iranian Officials to Unite, Cooperate

Iran's Supreme Leader with a group of Iranian officials and representatives of Islamic diplomatic missions in Tehran (Khamenei's website)
Iran's Supreme Leader with a group of Iranian officials and representatives of Islamic diplomatic missions in Tehran (Khamenei's website)
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Khamenei Urges Iranian Officials to Unite, Cooperate

Iran's Supreme Leader with a group of Iranian officials and representatives of Islamic diplomatic missions in Tehran (Khamenei's website)
Iran's Supreme Leader with a group of Iranian officials and representatives of Islamic diplomatic missions in Tehran (Khamenei's website)

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei urged senior Iranian officials in the three authorities to unite, cooperate, collaborate, and distance themselves from marginal issues to devote themselves to solving the country's major problems.

During Eid el-Fitr prayer sermon, Khamenei asserted that cooperation and solidarity are the essential and basic strategies for solving problems and advancing the country.

He said if the government, parliament, and the judiciary cooperate fully, the country's issues won't be complicated, asserting that cooperation is the overall strategy.

Last Wednesday, Khamenei criticized economic sessions held by the presidencies of the Judiciary, Executive, and Legislative authorities, saying they were temporary and did not reach their intended purpose.

He asserted that the solution is to hold such sessions until the work is done and completed.

During the Eid sermon, Khamenei called for focusing on resolving issues and refraining from "marginal issues," warning that the enemies want to divide the nation.

Khamenei accused the enemies of aiming for conflict between Iranians because of different beliefs and sects, asserting the need to maintain unity to overcome challenges.

"The enemy is against the unity of the Iranian people," he said, adding that the different sects and beliefs can coexist and work together in the country.

Khamenei implicitly ruled out repeating the war tactics against Afghanistan and Iraq, noting that the US saw that military action could not yield results, prompting it to change its strategy.

He noted that the US tactics are now based on deception, distortion, lies, and concealing other nations' capabilities, recalling: "We must update our knowledge of the enemy's movements, tactics, and methods."

Last Sunday, Khamenei stressed during a meeting with senior armed forces commanders that Iran was the "ultimate goal" of the US invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Khamenei added: "Therefore, the enemy can be defeated despite its seemingly solid calculations and military power."

The Supreme Leader announced his opposition to calls for a referendum on state policy after he rejected calls to change the Iranian constitution last month.

Referring to the comments of one of the students, he said: "The various issues of the country cannot be put to a referendum because each referendum preoccupies the entire country for six months. Besides, where in the world do they hold referendums for all issues?"

Earlier, former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called for a referendum on the country's issues, including differences over the headscarf. Rouhani's call came about two months after former President Mohammad Khatami called for a return to the current constitution to carry out reforms in the country.

Reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi, who is under house arrest, called for a new draft constitution, which would be submitted for referendum.

Reform activist Ahmed Zeidabadi called to remove Friday imams representing Khamenei in Iranian cities.

In an implicit reference to Khamenei's speech, Zeidabadi tweeted that the work of many Friday imams went beyond raising marginal issues, creating crises, and fueling psychological warfare against people.

He indicated that warning them is not the solution, instead dismissing them. Otherwise, the situation will remain unchanged because of their presence and people like them in military ranks.



Air Tankers Fight Los Angeles Fires from Frantic Skies

Water is dropped by helicopter on the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Water is dropped by helicopter on the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
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Air Tankers Fight Los Angeles Fires from Frantic Skies

Water is dropped by helicopter on the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Water is dropped by helicopter on the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

In the skies above Los Angeles, air tankers and helicopters silhouetted by the setting California sun dart in and out of giant wildfire plumes, dropping much-needed flame retardant and precious water onto the angry fires below.
Looking in almost any direction from a chopper above the city, AFP reporters witnessed half a dozen blazes -- eruptions of smoldering smoke emerging from the mountainous landscape like newly active volcanoes, and filling up the horizon.
Within minutes, a previously quiet airspace above the nascent Kenneth Fire had become a hotbed of frenzied activity, as firefighting officials quickly refocused their significant air resources on this latest blaze.
Around half a dozen helicopters buzzed at low altitude, tipping water onto the edge of the inferno.
Higher up, small aircraft periodically guided giant tankers that dumped bright-red retardant onto the flames.
"There's never been so many at the same time, just ripping" through the skies, said helicopter pilot Albert Azouz.
Flying for a private aviation company since 2016, he has seen plenty of fires including the deadly Malibu blazes of six years ago.
"That was insane," he recalled.
But this, he repeatedly says while hovering his helicopter above the chaos, is "crazy town."
The new Kenneth Fire burst into life late Thursday afternoon near Calabasas, a swanky enclave outside Los Angeles made famous by its celebrity residents such as reality television's Kardashian clan.
Aircraft including Boeing Chinook helitankers fitted with 3,000-gallon tanks have been brought in from as far afield as Canada.
Unable to fly during the first few hours of the Los Angeles fires on Tuesday due to gusts of up to 100 miles (160 kilometers) per hour, these have become an invaluable tool in the battle to contain blazes and reduce any further devastation.
Helicopters performed several hundred drops on Thursday, while conditions permitted.
Those helicopters equipped to operate at night continued to buzz around the smoke-filled region, working frantically to tackle the flames, before stronger gusts are forecast to sweep back in to the Los Angeles basin overnight.