Iran issues ‘will not miss target this time’ threat to Trump amid rising tensions

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Tehran, Jan 15 (IANS) Iran has mocked and threatened President Donald Trump by airing a provocative image of the American leader from his attempted assassination at a 2024 campaign rally in Pennsylvania, accompanied by the warning, “This time it will not miss the target.”

Images of the ominous message, translated from Persian, quickly circulated online through multiple media reports and were also broadcast on Iranian state-run television, drawing sharp attention to the escalating war of words between Tehran and Washington.

The broadcast came against the backdrop of Trump’s repeated warnings that the United States could take military action against Iran if it continues what he has described as violent crackdowns on people protesting a deepening economic crisis and growing public dissatisfaction with the country’s leadership.

Earlier, Trump issued a strong warning in a post on Truth Social, accusing Iran of routinely killing peaceful demonstrators.

“If Iran kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” he wrote, underscoring a confrontational stance toward Tehran.

The image used by Iranian media referenced the assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, when a gunman, identified as Thomas Crooks, fired shots at the stage, grazing Trump’s ear.

The incident shocked the United States and briefly halted Trump’s campaign appearances during the presidential elections.

Meanwhile, the UK has temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran and withdrawn all diplomatic staff, citing a worsening security situation as tensions escalate following Iran’s violent crackdown on protests and mounting speculation over possible US military action.

The decision comes at a time of heightened regional instability, with reports indicating that Trump is considering potential military strikes against Iran.

The UK’s announcement followed a decision by the United States to evacuate some of its personnel from the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military installation in the Middle East.

–IANS

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NC invites allies to discuss strategy ahead of J&K Assembly session, RS election

Srinagar, Oct 22 (IANS) Even as the ruling National Conference (NC) decided to convene a meeting of its allies on Wednesday to discuss the strategy ahead of the Legislative Assembly session and the Rajya Sabha polls, the Congress legislature party leader, G.A. Mir, said the party would decide on participation later in the day.

Mir told IANS, “We have called our legislature party meeting at the Congress headquarters in Srinagar at 5 p.m. today. The issues will be discussed there, and if it is necessary to convey the discussion to the NC, then we will convey it.”

The NC has sent an invitation to Congress MLAs to attend the meeting despite the bitterness of relations between the two parties over seat-sharing in the Rajya Sabha polls.

After the NC failed to oblige the Congress party by giving it a ‘safe’ seat out of the four Rajya Sabha seats, Congress decided not to field its candidate for any constituency going to polls on October 24.

While the NC fielded Mohammad Ramzan Chowdhary, Sajad Kichloo and Shami Oberoi for the three safe seats, it finally fielded its 4th candidate also for the 4th seat.

The BJP, with 28 votes, has an edge over the NC and its allies in the 4th Rajya Sabha seat. On the fourth seat, it has 28 votes against the 24 of the NC and its allies.

BJP has fielded its J&K President Sat Sharma for the 4th Rajya Sabha seat.

CPI(M) MLA Muhammad Yusuf Tarigami and five Independent MLAs, who are supporting the government, have also been invited to the meeting.

In the 2024 Assembly elections, the NC won 42, BJP 29, Congress 6, PDP 3, CPI(M) 1, Awami Ittehad Party 1, Peoples Conference 1 and Aam Aadmi Party 1 seat, while 6 Independents won those elections.

Congress, CPI(M) and five Independents later decided to support the Omar Abdullah-led NC government.

–IANS

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More than 880,000 people displaced in Syria: UN

United Nations, Dec 17 (IANS) More than 880,000 people have been displaced since the latest escalation of hostilities in Syria, UN humanitarians said.

UN partners estimated that around 6 per cent of the displaced are living with at least one form of disability, Xinhua news agency reported.

“Return movements remain dynamic, with partners recording more than 220,000 returnees yesterday (Sunday),” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. “Additionally, over 40,000 displaced people are staying in around 250 collective centers across northeast Syria.”

The office said the United Nations and partners continue to support the response by supplying food, water, cash, tents, and blankets. The world body is also deploying medical teams and supplies.

The Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross, in collaboration with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), conducted a joint mission to the Tishreen Dam’s facility in Syria’s Aleppo governorate on Friday for urgent and critical repairs.

UNICEF also secured fuel to power the backup generator, enabling the safe drainage of the dam and safeguarding water supplies. Hostilities near the dam last week led to an extended electricity outage and disrupted water and other key services, affecting millions of people in the area.

On Monday, Tom Fletcher, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, met Syrian transitional authorities in Damascus to discuss the relief response. “At a time of such rapid changes and long-standing needs in the region, Fletcher’s trip will also include stopovers in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan,” OCHA said of his one-week Middle East visit.

Authorities also reported a complicated flow of displaced people across the Lebanon-Syria border.

OCHA said that since December 8, Lebanese authorities recorded less than 10,000 Syrian refugees returning from Lebanon to Syria.

Meanwhile, the UN Refugee Agency reported that Lebanese authorities estimated around 30,000 displaced people returned as of Friday from Syria to Lebanon, including mostly Syrians but also Lebanese nationals, since the November 27 cessation of hostilities announcement for Lebanon.

The International Organisation for Migration reported a fluid situation with fluctuating movements continuing daily through both formal and informal border crossings. Humanitarians reported earlier that Syrian border officials abandoned their posts following the Damascus takeover.

–IANS

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Andhra Pradesh approves projects worth over Rs 39,000 crore

Amaravati, July 17 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) on Thursday approved 22 new projects with an investment of Rs 39,473 crore.

The eighth meeting of SIPB, chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, approved the projects in various sectors, which are expected to provide 30,899 employment opportunities.

Eleven of these projects are in industries and commerce, seven in the energy sector, three in tourism, and one each in IT and food processing.

So far, under the coalition government, eight SIPB meetings have approved 109 projects. These include 46 in the industrial sector, 41 in energy, 11 in tourism, 7 in IT, and 4 in food processing.

These have brought in total investments of Rs. 5,74,238 crores and are expected to provide 5,05,968 employment opportunities, said an official statement.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister emphasised the need to develop a symbiotic ecosystem around upcoming industrial projects in Andhra Pradesh, ensuring mutual benefit for industries, local communities, and associated institutions.

Chief Minister Naidu said that such integrated development will not only accelerate industrial growth but also uplift the surrounding regions through job creation and institutional linkages.

The Chief Minister directed officials to ensure the development of robust infrastructure, including roads, ports, airports, and utilities around all upcoming industrial projects in the state.

He underscored that such development is essential to stimulate economic activity and win the confidence of local communities and farmers. “People will part with land only when they are convinced of tangible benefits,” the Chief Minister observed, stressing the need for companies to adhere to project timelines.

The Chief Minister laid special emphasis on integrated planning for tourism development. He instructed officials to design tourism projects with a broader ecosystem approach, expanding activities beyond core attractions to encourage service sector investments. For tourism initiatives under the PPP model, he ordered fast-tracked acquisition and preparation of government land.

Highlighting Srisailam’s potential, given its spiritual and water-based assets, the Chief Minister called for a comprehensive, integrated tourism plan to draw more visitors. He also directed officials to expedite the expansion of road connectivity to Srisailam to support increased tourist flow.

In the hospitality sector, the Chief Minister advised focusing beyond hotel accommodations to include recreational and service-linked projects that generate employment and attract private investment.

To ensure transparency and accountability in job creation, CM Chandrababu Naidu instructed the development of a dedicated employment portal that tracks and reports job opportunities generated across both public and private sectors.

The meeting was attended by Ministers Nara Lokesh, K. Atchannaidu, Payyavula Keshav, TG Bharat, Anagani Satyaprasad, Gottipati Ravikumar, Kandula Durgesh, and Vasamsetti Subhash. Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand and senior officials from various departments.

–IANS

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