'Crime against defenseless people':
Iran's health minister condemns
US attack on Lamerd stadium
August 5th, 11:05am
(PressTV)
Iran’s health minister has condemned an attack on a sports
stadium in Lamerd that martyred and injured civilians,
calling it a humanitarian tragedy, as he visited the
county to review medical responses and
healthcare needs.
During a visit to Lamerd on Wednesday, Mohammad-Reza
Zafarqandi toured different sections of a hospital to
assess healthcare services, medical capacities
and the needs of the facility after the attack.
The minister said that his visit aimed to review healthcare
infrastructure in the county, evaluate the performance of
medical and health networks during crisis conditions,
and follow up on the region's treatment and
emergency care needs.
Referring to the US attack on Lamerd stadium, which killed
and wounded a number of Iranian civilians ranging from a
two-year-old child to young people, Zafarqandi strongly
condemned the aggression, calling it -- a "clear crime
against defenseless people" and a human tragedy.
During his inspection of the hospital, the health minister met with
doctors, nurses and other medical staff, thanking them for their
efforts to receive, treat and care for the dozens of people
wounded in the attack.
Zafarqandi praised the dedication, rapid response and
commitment of the healthcare workers, describing
their handling of the crisis ---- under difficult
circumstances, as a commendable effort.
"The round-the-clock efforts of our colleagues in managing
this crisis and providing specialized medical services to
the injured under the most difficult conditions - are
valuable and deserve appreciation," he said.
The minister also stressed the health ministry's support
for expanding medical services in Lamerd, pledging
that measures would be taken to strengthen the
hospital's workforce, provide the necessary
equipment and address existing shortages.
Amin Niakan, deputy head of treatment affairs at Shiraz
University of Medical Sciences, also presented a
report during the visit on crisis management
procedures, the organization of medical
services and efforts to treat those
injured in the attack.
On February 28, the very first day that the US and Israel
started an unprovoked war against Iran, Washington
carried out a strike on a crowded sports facility in
Lamerd, using a Precision Strike Missile (PrSM),
killing 21 young people.. who were inside the
venue at the time.
The attack occurred the same day as a US Tomahawk
cruise missile struck a school in the city of Minab,
several hundred miles away, killing 175 people.
________________________________________________
Jordan warns of possible
religious conflict over
Israeli actions
Amman, August 5th, 10:43am
(Prensa Latina)
Jordan today hosted a ministerial meeting dedicated to
examining the situation in occupied Jerusalem and
coordinating an international response to Israeli
measures against the city and its holy sites.
The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of the
member countries of the Arab Ministerial Committee, in
charge of confronting Israeli policies in Jerusalem, as
well as the secretary general of the Arab League,
Nabil Fahmy, and representatives of Indonesia,
Pakistan, Türkiye and Malaysia.
According to the official Jordanian news agency Petra,
the attendees ...analyzed the actions that affect the
Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity of Jerusalem,
with the purpose of adopting a common position
in the face of the Israeli escalation.
The committee is made up of Jordan, Qatar, Algeria,
Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Iraq, Palestine, Tunisia,
Egypt and Morocco.
During his speech --- Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister
and Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, denounced how
Israel consolidates its occupation of E. Jerusalem
through the expansion of settlements, the
confiscation of land and property, and
restrictions on Palestinian mobility.
The official noted that such actions seek to isolate the city
from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories and
change its identity, history and demographic makeup.
Safadi also accused Israel of violating the sanctity of
Islamic and Christian religious sites and limiting the
freedom of worship of both communities.
According to the foreign minister, members of the Christian
clergy face acts of harassment, while the churches resist
attempts to appropriate their property and land, through
laws that he described as illegitimate and contrary to
international law.
The diplomat stressed that the Arab-Israeli conflict has
no religious roots, but responds to the occupation of
Palestinian territories and the denial of the right
of that people to freedom and to establish an
independent state.
He warned, however ---- that the raids and violations against
the Al-Aqsa Mosque ....could transform the political dispute
into a religious conflict with unpredictable consequences
for the region and the world.
Safadi said attempts to alter the identity of the holy compound
could spark international calls to defend one of Islam's main
holy sites.
The minister urged the international community to act firmly
to stop Israeli violations in Jerusalem, curb the policies of
annexation and occupation in the West Bank ---- and
preserve the chances of reaching a just peace.
He also warned that the continuation of these actions
threatens regional stability, hinders the end of the
crisis in Gaza and deprives the peoples of the
Middle East of their right to live in peace
and security.
________________________________________
Court ruled anti-Zionist beliefs qualify
as protected philosophical belief
August 5th, 7:57am
(PressTV)
David Miller is a political sociologist and former professor at
the University of Bristol. His academic work has focused
on lobbying, propaganda, and political influence.
He became a controversial figure in British academic debate
because of his anti-Zionist views, which he has argued are
a political position rather than hostility towards Jewish
people or Judaism.
''So this was an appeal that the University of Bristol took
against my victory in 2024 --- which established that
anti-Zionist views should be protected as worthy
of respect in a democratic society.
''And now this tribunal, the appeal tribunal, has confirmed
that judgment, so that means ---- it's a binding legal
precedent in the UK that no one can go against.
''What it means, of course, is that anyone who expresses
anti-Zionist views cannot be sacked, cannot be
disciplined, cannot be marched out of their
work or deselected -- because it's
protected under the law -- and
they can take a case under
the Equality Act to have
people prosecuted
for that.''
Former University of Bristol professor David Miller has won
a landmark legal victory after the Employment Appeal
Tribunal ruled that his anti-Zionist beliefs are
protected under equality law.
Miller was dismissed by the University of Bristol in 2021,
after controversy over comments relating to Zionism.
He challenged the decision, arguing that his anti-
Zionist beliefs qualified as a protected
philosophical belief under the UK
Equality Act 2010.
In 2024, an employment tribunal ruled that his beliefs met
the legal threshold for protection, and the employment
appeal tribunal has now upheld that decision, after
rejecting the university's appeal.
Miller says the ruling could have wider implications for others
who have faced disciplinary action over similar views.
''Well, there have been hundreds and hundreds of people
who have been disciplined or removed from their jobs
or suspended in the health service, accountants,
lawyers, across the whole society, thousands
and thousands of activists.
''Of course, this judgment will be a major element
in the defense of everybody in these cases.
''I've been in touch with people already today
whose own procedures are contingent on
what happens in my case.
''So, as a result of what's happened today,
we will see, in short order, several other
people win their cases as a result.''
UK tribunal rules anti-Zionist views
protected .......and not anti-Semitic
The UK Employment Tribunal ruled that political sociology
professor David Miller was wrongfully dismissed for his
anti-Zionist views.
After years of legal proceedings, Miller says he is now
looking ahead to what comes next, including his
future at the University of Bristol.
''Well, the next stage is first of all for the court to award me
some compensation from the University of Bristol, and
then since we've now shown that we've won, not
once but twice, I'm looking forward to going
back to my job - as professor of political
sociology at the University of Bristol,
just here, and to resuming
my career.
''And the important thing about that, is not just that I want
my job back, but that I want the credibility, which they
destroyed when they sacked me erroneously, back,
and so that.... I can resume my academic career
in the way which I've been doing for 40 years.''
The case has also reignited debate in the UK over academic
freedom, freedom of expression, and the protection of
philosophical beliefs under the equality law.
David Miller has now won a legal landmark with the
Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling in his favour
that his anti-Zionist beliefs are protected
under equality law.