Raisi Threatens to Destroy Haifa, Tel Aviv in Response to ‘Slightest’ Israeli Action

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi watches combat drones alongside high-ranking officials and commanders during a military parade marking the country’s annual Army Day, Tehran, Iran, April 18, 2023. (AFP)
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi watches combat drones alongside high-ranking officials and commanders during a military parade marking the country’s annual Army Day, Tehran, Iran, April 18, 2023. (AFP)
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Raisi Threatens to Destroy Haifa, Tel Aviv in Response to ‘Slightest’ Israeli Action

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi watches combat drones alongside high-ranking officials and commanders during a military parade marking the country’s annual Army Day, Tehran, Iran, April 18, 2023. (AFP)
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi watches combat drones alongside high-ranking officials and commanders during a military parade marking the country’s annual Army Day, Tehran, Iran, April 18, 2023. (AFP)

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi threatened to wipe out Haifa and Tel Aviv if Israel took “the slightest” move against his country. He also called on foreign forces, especially US troops, to leave the region “urgently.”

His statements came during a ceremony broadcast live on state television to mark Iran’s annual Army Day.

Raisi stressed that his message on Army Day was that of “peace and friendship to the countries of the region, which will be strengthened by those who want to maintain security in the region.”

But he added: “The message of our army and armed forces to foreign powers, especially US troops, is to leave the region as soon as possible… because Iran’s presence… guarantees security while foreign forces threaten it.”

The president was speaking from a main podium overlooking a military parade that included drones and ballistic missiles.

He pledged to increase government support to equip the military, saying: “The government considers itself obligated to ease the concerns of the armed forces.”

He noted that the army has been provided with “advanced” equipment, referring to the recent supply of drones and short-range ballistic missiles after years of superiority for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which possesses modern equipment.

Moreover, Raisi said: “The enemies, especially the Zionist regime, have understood that the smallest action against (Iran) will prompt a harsh response from the armed forces that will lead to the destruction of Haifa and Tel Aviv.”

His warning coincided statements to the media by IRGC leaders and Iranian military officials about their country’s growing power, armament, and regional role.

The General Coordinator of the Iranian Army, Habibollah Sayyari, said his forces had “new news about the drones,” adding: “We will not use our capabilities against friendly countries and regional states.”

Raisi’s threats to Israel came as the G7 foreign ministers urged Iran on Tuesday to stop nuclear escalation and to fulfill its legal obligations regarding the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

“We reiterate our clear determination that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon, and urge Iran to cease nuclear escalations. We call on Iran to fulfill its legal obligations and political commitments regarding nuclear non-proliferation without further delay,” a statement by the G7 read.

It added: “We remain deeply concerned about Iran’s unabated escalation of its nuclear program, which has no credible civilian justification and brings it dangerously close to actual weapon-related activities. We recall recent sampling by the IAEA which found particles of uranium highly enriched to 83.7 percent. A diplomatic solution remains our preferred way to resolve international concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear program.”

The G7 foreign ministers also expressed concern about Iran’s “continued destabilizing activities, including the transfer of missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related technologies to state and non-state actors and proxy groups in breach of UNSCRs including 2231 and 2216.”



Palestinian Activist Expecting US Citizenship Interview Is Arrested Instead by ICE in Vermont 

Mohsen Mahdawi, center, looks on during a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, in New York. (AP)
Mohsen Mahdawi, center, looks on during a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, in New York. (AP)
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Palestinian Activist Expecting US Citizenship Interview Is Arrested Instead by ICE in Vermont 

Mohsen Mahdawi, center, looks on during a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, in New York. (AP)
Mohsen Mahdawi, center, looks on during a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, in New York. (AP)

A Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University was arrested Monday at a Vermont immigration office where he expected to be interviewed about finalizing his US citizenship, his attorneys said.

Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident who has held a green card since 2015, was detained at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Colchester by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, his lawyers said.

The attorneys said they do not know where he is. They filed a petition in federal court seeking an order barring the government from removing him from the state or country.

"The Trump administration detained Mohsen Mahdawi in direct retaliation for his advocacy on behalf of Palestinians and because of his identity as a Palestinian. His detention is an attempt to silence those who speak out against the atrocities in Gaza. It is also unconstitutional," attorney Luna Droubi said in an email.

According to the court filing, Mahdawi was born in a refugee camp in the West Bank and moved to the United States in 2014. He recently completed coursework at Columbia and was expected to graduate in May before beginning a master's degree program there in the fall.

The petition describes him as a committed Buddhist who believes in "non-violence and empathy as a central tenet of his religion."

As a student, Mahdawi was an outspoken critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and organized campus protests until March 2024. He co-founded the Palestinian Student Union at Columbia with Mahmoud Khalil, another Palestinian permanent resident of the US and graduate student who recently was detained by ICE.

Khalil was the first person arrested under President Donald Trump’s promised crackdown on students who joined campus protests against the war in Gaza. On Friday, an immigration judge in Louisiana ruled that Khalil can be deported as a national security risk.

Christopher Helali, a friend of Mahdawi who lives near him in Vermont, was present outside the immigration office when Mahdawi was detained and recorded a video of Mahdawi being led away by authorities. In the video, which Helali released on social media Monday, Mahdawi is shown giving a peace sign with his hands and being led away to a car.

Helali described Mahdawi as a peaceful demonstrator who has worked to foster dialogue about the struggle of Palestinians in his homeland. Helali said he and Mahdawi were aware that Mahdawi could be detained today and that his friend went forward with the appointment anyway.

"And rightfully so, he was nervous for what was going on around him. But he was very much resolute in coming to this interview and coming today because he didn’t do anything wrong and was a law-abiding citizen, or soon-to-be citizen," Helali said.

Vermont's congressional delegation issued a statement condemning Mahdawi's arrest, saying that instead of taking one of the final steps in his citizenship process, he was handcuffed by armed officers with their faces covered.

"This is immoral, inhumane, and illegal. Mr. Mahdawi, a legal resident of the United States, must be afforded due process under the law and immediately released from detention," said the statement from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Peter Welch and Rep. Becca Balint.