Khamenei: Media Affects Enemy More than Missiles, Planes, Drones

 Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran (AFP)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran (AFP)
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Khamenei: Media Affects Enemy More than Missiles, Planes, Drones

 Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran (AFP)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran (AFP)

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei asserted Tuesday that using the media against enemies can be more effective than military strength.

“The media is more effective than missiles, planes and drones in forcing the enemy to retreat and to influence hearts and minds,” Khamenei said in a meeting with a group of poets.
“All war is a media war. Whichever actor has greater media influence will achieve their goals,” he said according to the state news agency (IRNA).

Khamenei also stressed the need to protect the Persian language and stressed the need for a stronger translation activity process to make Persian poetry accessible to the wider world.

After one of the attending poets read a poem about Palestine, the Supreme Leader said, “If this poem is translated in Gaza, it will spark enthusiasm. The people in Gaza and the resistance need this kind of synergy.”

Highlighting the message of Iran's steadfastness against global oppressors, particularly the US and Zionists, the Supreme Leader described it as one of the outstanding and transferable messages. He noted that Iran's resilience and unequivocal stance against arrogance are inspiring to people worldwide.

Khamenei also expressed his satisfaction with the continued progress and elevation of Persian poetry and referred to poetry as an important medium in the era of media warfare.

He emphasized the need to utilize the unique heritage of Persian poetry and literature as a powerful and influential medium.



Florida Man Shot Israeli Visitors Thinking They Were Palestinians, Police Say

 Relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza mark 500 days of their captivity by spreading a massive Israeli flag depicting an hourglass in the Mediterranean Sea, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. Hebrew of the flag reads "Without the abductees, Israel runs out". (AP)
Relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza mark 500 days of their captivity by spreading a massive Israeli flag depicting an hourglass in the Mediterranean Sea, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. Hebrew of the flag reads "Without the abductees, Israel runs out". (AP)
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Florida Man Shot Israeli Visitors Thinking They Were Palestinians, Police Say

 Relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza mark 500 days of their captivity by spreading a massive Israeli flag depicting an hourglass in the Mediterranean Sea, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. Hebrew of the flag reads "Without the abductees, Israel runs out". (AP)
Relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza mark 500 days of their captivity by spreading a massive Israeli flag depicting an hourglass in the Mediterranean Sea, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. Hebrew of the flag reads "Without the abductees, Israel runs out". (AP)

A Florida man was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder after shooting at a vehicle with two men who he thought were Palestinians but turned out to be Israeli visitors, local authorities and media reports said.

The website of Miami-Dade County Corrections says the suspect, 27-year-old Mordechai Brafman, was charged with two counts of attempted murder and booked on Sunday for the shooting on Saturday.

A police official confirmed earlier reports from local media that Brafman said in an interview with police that while he was driving his truck in Miami Beach, he saw two people he thought were Palestinian. He stopped, shot at and killed them.

However, the victims survived. One was shot in the shoulder and the other had a wounded forearm. They turned out to be Israeli visitors and not Palestinians, police said.

A representative or lawyer for Brafman could not be immediately identified by Reuters.

Human rights advocates say there has been a rise in anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian and antisemitic hate in the United States since the start of US ally Israel's war in Gaza following an Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian group Hamas.