Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 12 February 2019
Iranians mark anniversary of victory day in 1979 revolution

By NASSER KARIMI minutes, lashing out at
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Wav- Iran's enemies — America
ing Iranian flags, chanting and Israel — and claiming
"Death to America" and their efforts to "bring down"
burning U.S. and Israeli the country through sanc-
flags, hundreds of thou- tions will not succeed.
sands of people poured "The presence of people
out onto the streets across in this celebration means
Iran on Monday, marking that plots by the enemies
the date that's considered ... have been defused,"
victory day in the country's Rouhani said. "They will not
1979 Islamic Revolution. achieve their ill-omened
On Feb. 11 that year, Iran's aims."
military stood down after In the backdrop to Mon-
days of street battles, al- day's marches, the military
lowing the revolutionaries displayed Iranian-made
to sweep across the coun- missiles, which authorities
try while the government of showcase every year dur-
U.S.-backed Shah Moham- ing anniversary celebra-
mad Reza Pahlavi resigned tions. The missiles have a
and the Islamic Republic range of up to 2,000 kilo-
was born. meters (1,250 miles), plac-
In Tehran, despite the Iranians attend a ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, at the ing Israel and U.S. military
rain, crowds streamed in Azadi, or Freedom Tower, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, Feb. 11, 2019. bases within range.
from the capital's far-flung Associated Press Over the past decade, Iran
neighborhoods to mass in has frequently test-fired
the central Azadi, or Free- pated in the celebrations, lutionary and nationalist This year's anniversary and displayed missiles, sent
dom, Square, waving Ira- ran archive footage of the songs. comes as Iran grapples several short-lived satel-
nian flags and chanting days of the uprising and Every year, the anniversary with the aftermath of Presi- lites into orbit and in 2013
"Death to America" — stan- played revolutionary songs. festivities start on Feb. 1 — dent Donald Trump's deci- launched a monkey into
dard fare at rallies across It later broadcast footage the day Ayatollah Ruhol- sion last May to withdraw space.
Iran. showing crowds across the lah Khomeini returned from from the 2015 nuclear deal The ballistic missile tests
Chants of "Death to Israel" country of 80 million. France after 14 years in ex- and restore tough U.S. have angered the United
and "Death to Britain" fol- The 6-mile-long downtown ile to become the supreme sanctions. States, which fears they are
lowed, and demonstra- Enghelab, or Revolution, leader as Shiite clerics took Speaking from a podium part of an effort to develop
tors burned U.S. and Is- Street was decorated with power. The celebrations in central Tehran, President a nuclear weapons capa-
raeli flags. Iranian state TV, huge balloons as loud- continue for 10 days, cli- Hassan Rouhani addressed bility, something Iran insists
which said millions partici- speakers blared out revo- maxing on Feb. 11. the crowds for nearly 45 it has never sought. q

Official: Russia's political system a good model for others

"The Russian-made political portrait of American rapper dling in their brains and
system is not only good for Tupac Shakur along with they don't know what to
home, it has a significant that of Putin, wrote texts do with their changed con-
export potential," he said. for a Russian rock group, sciousness."
"Others study it and borrow penned a novel under an Mixing sarcasm with brava-
from it." alias and published politi- do, Surkov wrote that "the
Surkov, who oversaw the cal articles full of literary al- foreign interest in Russian
Kremlin's efforts to tighten lusions. political algorithms is clear
control over Russia's po- With surprising candor, — no prophet is accepted
litical sphere and currently Surkov acknowledged in in his home country, and
serves as Putin's adviser on his Monday's piece that Russia has prophesied what
Ukraine, predicted that "Pu- Russia's political institutions is happening to them now."
tin's big political machine is just imitate those in Western He charged that Russia has
only starting to gain speed democracies, while "mili- run ahead of the curve with
for a long, hard and inter- tary and police functions its anti-globalist stance and
esting operation." are decisive and the most fierce defense of its conser-
Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Russian Sport minister
Pavel Kolobkov during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia-West relations have important" and the entire vative values — approach-
Russia, Monday, Feb. 11, 2019. sunk to their lowest levels system hinges entirely on es that have increasingly
Associated Press since Cold War times after Putin's authority. spread to other countries.
2014 Russia's annexation of He mocked accusations Surkov mentioned Donald
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV the world. Ukraine's Crimea, allega- by Washington and its al- Trump's victory in the U.S.
Associated Press Vladislav Surkov wrote in tions of Moscow's meddling lies of Russian interference presidential election, the
MOSCOW (AP) — A senior a piece published Mon- in the 2016 U.S. presidential abroad. British decision to exit the
policy adviser to Russian day in the daily Nezavisi- election, the war in Syria "Foreign politicians blame European Union, the rise of
President Vladimir Putin maya Gazeta that Russia's and other disputes. Russia for meddling in elec- anti-immigration sentiments
predicted that the nation's anti-globalist emphasis on The 54-year-old Surkov is tions and referenda all over across Europe among signs
political system will live on strong national sovereignty not a typical Kremlin offi- the planet," Surkov said. "In of a growing nationalism.
for a century and serve as is getting increasing trac- cial. He famously decorat- fact, it's even more serious "Putinism is the ideology of
a model for others around tion worldwide. ed his Kremlin office with a than that: Russia is med- the future," he said.q