An Iranian official described the upcoming funeral for assassinated leaders of the Lebanese Hezbollah movement as a "resurrection of resistance," as further details of the funeral have been officially announced.

"The funeral procession of the great mujahid, Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and Martyr Sayyed Hashim Safieddine in Beirut will transform into a resurrection of resistance," Vahid Jalalzadeh, Deputy for Consular, Parliamentary and Iranians Affairs’ Abroad at Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote in a social media post.

Beirut is set to host a massive funeral on Sunday with delegations from 78 countries expected to attend the event. 

"I am heading to Lebanon with a delegation from the Parliament and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate the presence of a high-level delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran at the ceremony, where the people will renew their pledge to the leaders of the resistance under the best possible conditions," he added.

Meanwhile, an official Iranian delegation visited the Camille Chamoun Sports Stadium in Beirut to oversee the final preparations for the funeral procession, the Iranian Embassy in Lebanon announced on Friday.

The event organizers briefed the delegation on the logistical and organizational measures taken to ensure the smooth conduct of the ceremony, amid intense preparations for the anticipated large public turnout. 

New details

The committee overseeing the procession announced on Friday that the official funeral program will begin at 1:00 PM local time on Sunday, and will consist of seven segments. 

"February 23 is a day that the free people of the world will never forget," added the committee.

The committee stated that it is prepared to welcome a massive gathering and to hold a grand funeral ceremony for the two Hezbollah leaders. 

Sheikh Ali Daher, head of the committee, said, "A large number of officials, including the President and the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, will attend the funeral." 

He also said that "high-ranking" Iranian officials will participate in the event, without giving further details.

Sheikh Naim Qassem, Secretary-General of Hezbollah, will deliver a speech during the ceremony.

Nasrallah was assassinated in Israel’s bombardment of southern Beirut on September 27, 2024. Using 85 tons of explosives, Israeli jets leveled six residential buildings in Dahiyeh, following a week-long bombing campaign that hit many areas from southern Lebanon to Beirut.

Safieddine was assassinated in an Israeli attack in October 2024.

Hezbollah postponed funeral ceremonies for both leaders due to fears of Israeli attacks on the ceremony.

Press TV’s website 

While the US and Israel's "Iranophobia" policy has been out of favor among the Arabs for several years now, both are now trying to drag Iran into a direct war in Gaza in every way possible. First of all, they threaten Iran with a direct attack with bragging, bullying, and shrugging, and even to the point of saying: "This time we will cut off the head of the snake" and destroy Iran so that, as they claim, "its tails such as Hezbollah, Hamas, Ansar Allah, etc. will automatically uproot themselves."

But is such a thing possible and conceivable? Can the United States and Israel forcefully remove Iran and its regional allies from the scene of the day, especially from the Middle East?

According to international observers, all of this bragging and shrugging is part of a propaganda war. Iran's definitive defeat in the Middle East and globally is not in the power of Israel or its powerful backer, the United States of America. Iran has the upper hand over its opponents for various reasons:

- Iran's first advantage is its large area (about a hundred times the area of ​​Israel), a population of one hundred million, and the ability to gather an army of several million Iranian religious devotees and patriots in a short time. Despite having a military army of about one million, Iran can easily increase its capacity and number of military personnel several times in a short time, which is impossible for Israel.

- Iran's second advantage is the positioning of its powerful proxy forces throughout the region, which have kept Iran hundreds of kilometers away from the enemy's direct fire. Israel must first be able to pass through the strong security walls of Iran's allies and then reach Iran.

- And the third advantage of Iran, which is actually the main deterrent for Israel and the US to attack Iran directly, will be the unanimity of all Arab and Muslim countries in the event of an attack on Iran, which has now expanded positively compared to previous years. It is widely believed that if Israel attacks Iran, no country in the region will keep up with the adventurism and incendiary actions of Israel and the US, and will not allow their destructive planes and rockets to pass over their territories.

Based on these facts, it is difficult to imagine that the boasting of Israel and the US against Iran is all propaganda bluff.

On the other hand, it seems unlikely that the United States of America will face the death threat of thousands of its soldiers and military officers in the region by entering into a direct war against Iran. America knows very well that in the event of a head-on war, today's Iran - as the world's largest producer of rockets, drones, and advanced military equipment - has the capacity and capability of a large and endless rocket to destroy all of that country's military bases, ships, and aircraft carriers in the Middle East.

Perhaps the idea is formed in our minds that Israel is a nuclear power and has the ability to destroy Tehran; although this idea is correct; but we must know that all of Israel's nuclear centers are still vulnerable and at risk from Iranian and its allies' rocket launchers, which could cause the entire small area of ​​Israel to burn in its own fire if a giant Iranian or Iranian proxy rocket hits those centers.

Based on these reasons and evidence, the boasting of Israel and America is all propaganda bluff, and it seems unlikely that America and Israel will abandon reason and commit suicide by directly attacking Iran.

One of the important social issues today is the position and role of girls in the family and society.

When we look closely, there are still people who, out of ignorance, prefer boys to girls, and according to the Holy Quran, when they hear the name of a girl, their faces become gloomy, and for this reason they are severely addressed by God Almighty.

This idea, which has historical roots, is due to their ignorance and is one of the examples of modern ignorance. By reviewing Islamic sources, we can see what a high position this girl had and has in Islamic thought.

In Islamic thought, girls have such a position that the Prophet of Islam includes them in the most important social issues, and in the incident of Mubahila, he takes his daughter with him, while at that time the Arabs buried girls alive.

In another very interesting interpretation, God uses girls as a gift in verse 49 of Surah Ash-Shura, and people should be happy with this gift from God. It is obvious that this interpretation is the best possible interpretation for a girl, because such an interpretation has not been used for a boy. Such literature is also common in the literature of the Infallibles (AS). As the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) refers to girls as the remnants of the righteous in one of his interpretations.

However, the decisive role of women in the survival and growth of human society has always been the subject of positive and negative attention by thinkers, politicians, managers and leaders of societies. History shows that women have played a role in human civilization - directly and indirectly - alongside men, but for a long time and for various reasons they have been deprived of their divine and human rights. History has recorded this fact in its heart that the prophets and saints of God have had the best guidelines and guidance for women in achieving their rights and playing a healthy and constructive role.

Israeli forces have killed at least three Palestinians in an attack on a house in the Far’a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Wafa news agency reported that the killings took place on Wednesday night after the Israeli military surrounded their homes near Tubas and opened fire. The report added that Israeli forces have withheld all three bodies.

ter the occupation forces withdrew from it and found body parts and traces of blood inside,” Wafa reported.

The Israeli military claimed that the three Palestinians were “wanted terrorists who sold weapons for terror purposes”.

Israeli forces also arrested two Palestinians – Ahmed Nabil Sobh and Hakam Muhammad al-Khatib – during a raid in the camp near the besieged house.

The army has also deployed hundreds of soldiers and bulldozers that demolished houses and tore up vital infrastructure in the camps, cutting off water and power.

Israel launched its crackdown on refugee camps in the West Bank in January. The camps have long been a hotbed of Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation.

The army has since killed dozens of Palestinians and forced at least 40,000 to flee as they have demolished homes and torn up vital infrastructure in refugee camps across the West Bank, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reports.

Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli forces continued with their raids and arrests. Soldiers detained two brothers after storming their family home near Tubas on Thursday.

At least three other Palestinians were arrested when Israeli forces stormed towns and villages in Ramallah and the nearby el-Bireh city in central West Bank. Another six were arrested after Israeli soldiers raided the town of al-Khader, south of Bethlehem.

In Beita, a town south of Nablus, confrontations broke out between residents and Israeli soldiers. A 15-year-old boy was shot in the leg, Wafa reported. Israeli forces also launched tear gas canisters towards the residents.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

Hamas has released the bodies of a woman, her two children and an 83-year-old Israeli man who were taken captive during Hamas releases bodies of four Israelis held captive in Gaza

Hamas said all four, including two children, were killed in Israeli air attacks on Gaza.

A member of the Red Cross stands near a coffin during the handover of the bodies.

Hamas has released the bodies of a woman, her two children and an 83-year-old Israeli man who were taken captive during the October 2023 attack.

The bodies were handed over to the ICRC in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Thursday. Four men carried the four coffins from the stage to the Red Cross vehicles.

A large poster acting as the backdrop on the stage showed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with fangs and blood on his face, dripping onto the photos of the four Israelis whose bodies were released.

A spokesperson for the Palestinian group said all four were alive before the “Zionist occupation aircraft deliberately bombed the locations where they were being held”.

Hamas said in a statement it “preserved the lives of the occupation prisoners”, provided them with what it could, and “treated them humanely, but their [Israel’s] army killed them along with their captors”.

“Criminal Netanyahu is crying today over the bodies of his prisoners who returned to him in coffins, in a blatant attempt to evade responsibility for their killing in front of his audience,” Hamas said.

While addressing the families of the killed Israeli captives, it said: “We would have preferred your sons to return to you alive, but your army and government leaders chose to kill them instead of bringing them back.”

The return of the bodies is part of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel that will also see hundreds of Palestinians released from Israeli jails where a number of them have been kept in detention without any charge or trial.

A Palestinian group said Israel is withholding the remains of at least 665 Palestinians, including several killed in the 1960s and 1970s.

Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Khan Younis, said “the site is symbolic for Palestinians because it was a central site for Israeli ground forces during the military operations in the city.

“Preparations started in the early hours of the morning. There are masked fighters with green bands on their heads, armed with rifles and holding different signs with slogans,” he added. “The stage was well-prepared with three main banners. One of them talks about the crimes committed by the Israeli forces during their operations in Gaza.”

Symbol of ‘Israeli stupidity’

The bodies that have been handed over included Israeli infant Kfir Bibas, his four-year-old brother Ariel, their mother Shiri Bibas, and a fourth captive, Oded Lifschitz.

Akiva Eldar, an Israeli author and political analyst, said the return of the bodies marks a “very sad day for all of us”.

“These babies became the symbol of I would say Israeli stupidity, fool attitude of the Israeli government,” Eldar told Al Jazeera from Tel Aviv.

He said Netanyahu is well aware of the poor conditions of the Israeli captives.

“But he has other priorities,” said Eldar. “It’s kind of a race between the families who are hoping to see their loved ones back home, and Netanyahu, who is desiring to keep his government as long as he can and to buy more time and buy the support of the people on the radical right that believe that land is more precious than the lives of people.”

Following the handover, the remains will be moved into coffins and an army rabbi will preside over a short ceremony. They will then be taken into Israel to the national forensic institute to be identified, a process that could take a few hours or even a few days.

Only after identification will there be a formal announcement of their deaths and a funeral.

dreds more Palestinians, expected to be women and minors detained by Israeli forces in Gaza during the war.

Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas agreed to release 33 captives in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in the first phase of an agreement intended to pave the way towards ending the war.

So far, 19 Israeli captives have been released, as well as five Thais who were returned in an unscheduled handover.

Negotiations for a second phase, expected to cover the return of about 60 remaining captives, less than half of whom are believed to be alive, and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip to allow an end to the war, are expected to begin in the coming days.

Israel’s genocide in Gaza has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, with thousands more remaining under the rubble of the bombed-out, besieged enclave.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

The start of Ramadan depends on the sighting of the moon and may not be the same in all countries. The start of Ramadan is announced on the first night of the month when the moon is sighted.

Ramadan 2025 is expected to begin on the evening of Friday 28 February 2025, and will end on the evening of Sunday 30 March 2025, with the exact dates contingent upon the sighting of the moon. The beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan will be confirmed upon sighting of the new moon.

O dear one, be careful that you are like us and you do not know what day it is; perhaps now that you are busy with a reading, if you procrastinate, the opportunity will be lost. O my brother, do not postpone these matters, which cannot be postponed.

How many healthy and sound people have passed away from this world with sudden deaths, and we do not know what their fate will be?

So do not miss the opportunity and seize the moment, because the work is very important and the journey is very dangerous. If your hand is cut short in this world, which is the field of the Hereafter, the work is over and you will not be able to correct the corruption of the soul, and you will not achieve anything except regret, astonishment, torment and humiliation. The saints of God were not at ease immediately and did not leave the thought of this journey full of fear and danger.

Using the Opportunity of Youth to Overcome Moral Corruption

O my dear, do not subject yourself to the wrath and anger of God for a false idea, a partial popularity of weak servants, a heartfelt attention from people... and do not sell those divine loves, those infinite dignities, those graces and mercies of God for a love for mankind that is of no effect and from which you do not gain any fruit except regret and longing. When your hand is cut short from this world, which is the world of business, and your deeds are cut off, regret is of no consequence and turning back is useless.

Imam Khomeini's Advice on Using Opportunities and Avoiding Corruption

O my dear, be careful that one day you are like us and you yourself do not know what day it is; perhaps now that you are busy with a recitation, if you procrastinate, the opportunity will be lost. O my brother, do not postpone these matters, for they cannot be postponed.

How many healthy and sound people have passed away from this world with sudden death, and we do not know what their fate will be?

So do not miss the opportunity and seize the moment, for the work is very important and the journey is very dangerous. If your hand is cut short from this world, which is the field of the Hereafter, then the work is over and you will not be able to correct the corruptions of the soul, and you will not get anything but regret, astonishment, torment and humiliation. The saints of God were not at ease and would not leave the thought of this journey full of fear and danger.

Using the opportunity of youth to overcome moral corruption

O dear one, do not subject yourself to the wrath and anger of God for a false idea, a partial popularity of weak servants, a heartfelt attention from people... and do not sell those divine loves, those infinite dignities, those graces and mercies of God for a love for the people that is not subject to any effect and you will not get any fruit from it except regret and regret. When your hand is cut short from this world, which is the world of business, and your work is interrupted, regret is of no consequence and turning back is useless.

Sufism or dervishism is a method based on the rules of conduct, to purify the soul and abandon the world to reach God and the perfection of the soul. The literal meaning of Sufism is to wear wool, and the name Sufis was chosen because of their woolen clothing, which is a sign of asceticism.

Sufism is more associated with the rules of abandoning the world and asceticism; while mysticism is a comprehensive and absolute school of spiritual conduct that includes Sufism and in some cases has considered mysticism superior to "individual" conduct.

Various opinions have been expressed in the definition of Sufism, but its foundations are based on a way to know the Creator of the world, discover the truths of creation, and establish the connection of the perfect human being with humanity and truth through a mystical and esoteric path and conduct, not through rational reasoning. Its subject is the negation of self-centeredness and annihilation and joining the Creator of existence. The method of Sufism is to enter various valleys, including stages of advancement from the stage (valley) of seeking to higher stages or the seven valleys of Attar to master the soul and abandon worldly interests and self-control.

Islamic mysticism has a wide scope and is mixed with the path of Sufism, and in some cases there is an identical or mixed understanding of the two. From a linguistic point of view, the two are sometimes used interchangeably, because the truth of Islamic mysticism is Sufism, general and scientific-terminological matters can be placed under the title of Islamic mysticism, and the famous path in Islam is often brought under the title of "Sufism". Some authors, such as Murtaza Motahari, have also presented two types of understanding of these two concepts, and consider mysticism to be the scientific aspect and Sufism to be its social and obvious dimension.

Sheikh Hurr Ameli believes:

The Imamiyya Shia and all the Twelver sects from the time of the Prophet of Islam - may God bless him and grant him peace - have agreed on the invalidity of Sufism and the negation of Sufism, and the Shia of the Ahl al-Bayt have always sought to deny Sufism, following their infallible Imams.

He also believes: All Shiites have denied the Sufi sects and have quoted many hadiths from their Imams condemning them, and Shiite scholars have written many books rejecting this sect and proving their kufr.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant over war crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The court’s Pre-Trial Chamber I issued warrants of arrest for Netanyahu and Gallant "for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024, the day the Prosecution filed the applications for warrants of arrest”, it confirmed in a statement Thursday.

It is the first instance in the court's 22-year history it has issued arrest warrants for Western-allied senior officials.

In its statement, the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber I, a panel of three judges, said it has rejected appeals by Israel challenging its jurisdiction. 

The chamber said it has decided to release the arrest warrants because "conduct similar to that addressed in the warrant of arrest appears to be ongoing", referring to Israel's ongoing onslaught on Gaza.

Netanyahu and Gallant, it said, “each bear criminal responsibility” for “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts,” as well as “intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population.”

All 124 states that signed the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court, are now under an obligation to arrest the wanted individuals and hand them over to the ICC in the Hague. 

The court relies on the cooperation of member states to arrest and surrender suspects. The Netherlands' foreign minister quickly said his country was prepared to enforce the warrants while 93 nations earlier reiterated their support for the ICC.

Triestino Mariniello, a lawyer representing Palestinian victims at the ICC, called the warrants "a historic decision".

He noted that the court had endured "pressure and threats of sanctions" from the US government, but acted nonetheless.

As expected, the Tel Aviv regime rejected the rulings, with its security minister Itamar Ben Gvir calling the warrants “anti-Semitic through and through.”

The ICC said Israel’s acceptance of the court’s jurisdiction was not required.

Israel and its major ally, the United States, are not members of the court. 

Israel unleashed its bloody Gaza onslaught on October 7, 2023. So far, it has killed at least 43,985 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 104,092 others, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel faces an ongoing South Africa-led genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Press TV’s website

A woman has been detained in the occupied Palestinian territories on “suspicion” of incitement after posting an obituary for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, celebrating his death.

The arrest was carried out in the central part of the occupied territories by the Israeli police’s Lahav 433 cyber unit, the police’s press service reported on Wednesday.

According to the police, the woman, in her 40s, posted an image designed as a mourning notice with a black border.

The text read, “With joy and great happiness, we announce the death of Israel’s executioner, terrorist, and oppressor, Benjamin Netanyahu. May his memory be cursed forever.”

‘Burial will be in the trash’

The post went on to announce Netanyahu’s pending burial place as “the trash,” before mockingly announcing a funeral on February 19, with condolences to be received on the Gaza Street in the holy occupied city of al-Quds and in Knesset (the Israeli parliament).

It also mentioned celebrations, including dancing and distribution of sweets, at the Carmel Yom Tov kiosk in the city of Tel Aviv.

The suspect also included a message for Netanyahu’s supporters, writing, “To all hypocrites and hesitators—this is my dream! Those who prefer to judge instead of act can get out of this post. Shame on you!”

“To all the idealistic people, who prefer to sit back and complain about their bitter fate instead of gathering their will into a fist and fighting... And to all the Bibists—you can safely join the executioner!” she added, referring to those who sympathize with Netanyahu, also called “Bibi.”

It is not the first time the Israeli police have detained individuals over alleged incitement. Similar social media posts in the past have led to criminal cases and, in some instances, court charges.

However, the same authorities have repeatedly turned a blind eye to violent rhetoric from Netanyahu’s supporters, many of whom have openly called for the genocide of Palestinians.

Observers say such developments highlight growing dissent among the regime’s illegal settlers against Netanyahu’s self-willed policies, marked by genocide, widespread war crimes, and crimes against humanity against the peoples of the region, including Palestinians.

Israeli officials have often cracked down on expressions of dissent against Netanyahu.

During his tenure, the Israeli regime has repeatedly bombed civilian areas in the Gaza Strip, killing tens of thousands, mostly women and children.

His orders led to a 2006 war on Gaza, which left around 1,200 Palestinians dead, three more subsequent deadly wars, and the most recent 15-month-plus brutal bombings of refugee camps, hospitals, and residential areas during the regime’s war of genocide against the coastal sliver that has claimed the lives of close to 48,300 Palestinians.

Netanyahu’s track record of massacres extends beyond the Palestinian territories.

During the regime’s 2000 and 2006 wars against Lebanon, Israeli forces carried out indiscriminate bombings, causing the deaths of around 2,300 Lebanese civilians.

The widespread destruction of Lebanese infrastructure and the use of internationally banned cluster munitions as well as the regime’s intensified deadly attacks against the country that ran concomitantly with the Gaza war, killing more than 3,000 Lebanese, solidified Netanyahu’s reputation as a war criminal in the eyes of international human rights organizations.

Press TV’s website