- 2 months ago
This edition of India First provides an in-depth analysis of the escalating crisis in Iran, where nationwide protests originating from economic grievances have intensified into a direct challenge against the regime.
Category
ЁЯЧЮ
NewsTranscript
00:00Good evening. Is Iran on the brink? The death toll not just in Tehran but across Iran continues to
00:09rise. U.S. President Donald Trump in a direct message to Tehran has said the U.S. is looking
00:14at very strong options. His words, looking at very strong options. Iran has shut back saying
00:21Iran is ready for war but open to negotiations. Situation on ground appears extremely alarming
00:29but the pro-Ayatollah Ali Khamenei protesters, they've also taken to the streets with polls
00:36to take very strong action against who they describe are terrorists. Furthering U.S. agenda
00:43in Iran. Is Iran very clearly on the brink? Is the U.S. truly locked and loaded for a strike?
00:51We're looking at some very strong options. We'll make a determination. Trump talks war
01:07ready for action. But we're looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it. Iran
01:15Trump's U.S. pushing chaos. We will not limit ourselves to a reaction. We will act based
01:22on signs of threat. War clouds in Persian Gulf. Will U.S. strike Iran? That is a big focus
01:40on India first. And Iran has hit the kill switch on internet. Those tracking it says whoever
01:50is trying to use the Starling connection, according to reports from Iran, they are now being targeted.
01:57Conflicting reports on the number of protesters who've been killed so far. But a news agency
02:01close to the regime says more than 100 security forces personnel have been killed controlling
02:07the riots in almost all the 31 regions of Iran. The head of judiciary in Tehran has called
02:14for exemplary action against the rioters. This is happening at a time when countries like Germany,
02:20Finland, Canada, they've urged the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei regime to stop targeting protesters
02:25and open dialogue with detained demonstrators. Will the U.S. target Ayatollah Ali Khamenei regime?
02:32Or is the regime regaining control street by street, city by city? Once again, we get to the latest.
02:42I'm Gaurav Savant. As always, let's get started with the headlines on India First.
02:47Enforcement Directorate seeks CBI investigation against Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerji
02:57over what ED describes as drama during raids on IPAC in an alleged money laundering case.
03:03Officials say they were restrained and threatened by the Bengal police.
03:08CBI questions Vijay for over seven hours in the Karoor Stampede case.
03:18Sources say Vijay informed the CBI that TVK is not responsible for the stampede.
03:23He is likely to be called again by the CBI after Pungal.
03:28Jananayagan action shifts to Supreme Court. Filmmakers challenge the Madras High Court order denying certification.
03:41Censor board files a caveat urges. No order be passed before hearing them.
03:47New low in the battle for Mumbai. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Chakray mocks BJP leader Anna Malai hurls the Ras Malai insult.
04:03Anna Malai hits back, says intimidation will not deter him from visiting the city.
04:09German Chancellor Merz on a two-day visit to India.
04:19Poles talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both leaders in key deals.
04:24The Prime Minister raises the issue of baby Ariha with Merz.
04:39There's breaking news coming in, in an investigation both in Lucknow and in Delhi.
04:48Link to the Delhi blast case and the KGMU case, the King George Medical University conversion case.
04:56There's a shocking link that's emerging in the KGMU conversion case and the Delhi Red 4 blast case.
05:03Investigators have confirmed that the arrested resident doctor of King George Medical University, Dr. Ramiz, was in contact with Dr. Shaheen, one of the accused in the Delhi Red 4 blast case.
05:17So what is that wider link between a conversion racket in Lucknow and a Red 4 blast case in Delhi?
05:25So apparently the two were not only in touch online, the two had had several meetings.
05:32Ramiz was on the run for the past 18 days.
05:36The man you see on your television screen, Dr. Ramiz, he was on the run for 18 days after a lady doctor made a written complaint against him.
05:45He was finally arrested in Lucknow for allegedly trapping a fellow lady doctor in a conversion racket.
05:52He wanted a Hindu doctor to convert to Islam to marry him.
05:55Apparently, he'd done so even before with others.
05:59During interrogation, he has actually admitted that he was in touch with Dr. Shaheen, but claimed that they had only met professionally at medical conferences.
06:09Dr. Shaheen is one of the key accused in the November 10 Delhi Red 4 blast.
06:14More than 10 people had been killed in the Delhi blast.
06:17The lady doctor you see on your television screen, her car was used.
06:21There are other links that are currently under investigation.
06:24She's believed to be a part, according to the police, of the terror module that was operating from the Alfala University.
06:32She too originally is from Lucknow.
06:35It's the same city where Dr. Ramiz was living, working in the KGMU and apparently running what is being described by the police as Love Jihad factory there.
06:49Investigators say they found out that after he went missing on the 23rd of December, Dr. Ramiz actually travelled to Shaheen Bagh in Delhi.
07:00And this is where the police want to now find out who was he in touch with at Shaheen Bagh.
07:07Where did he stay?
07:08Who all is he in touch with?
07:10What is that wider connection?
07:11I quickly want to cut across to my colleague Santosh Sharma joining us with the latest on this big investigation.
07:17Santosh, what more can you tell us?
07:20Dr. Ramiz and Dr. Shaheen, how are they being linked up?
07:23What was their connection?
07:25During the investigation of the Lucknow police in this illegal conversion racket, by the call detail, Lucknow police got some clues in the call connections of Dr. Ramizuddin, who is the prime accused of this illegal conversion.
07:44A resident doctor of KGMU was having connection with Shaheen and her brother Parvez was the main key link between Shaheen and between the Ramizuddin.
07:56So, UPATS sought a report from the Lucknow police about the investigation, the preliminary inquiry, what they have found in the illegal conversion.
08:06And the most important thing that now the KGMU administration has recommended to probe STF in this whole conversion racket.
08:15Because after the Ramizuddin arresting by the Lucknow police, several theories were floating out.
08:23No, sir, just explain this quickly.
08:26How is this?
08:27Is this a wider conversion racket or it's a case of a relationship between a Muslim doctor and a Hindu doctor that went sour?
08:35Or went south and after that there are these allegations of alleged love jihad or conversion racket.
08:41Are there others who are involved? Did he mislead other women also?
08:49During the fact-finding committee, what the KGMU fact-finding committee, after preliminary inquiry, they have the doubts that there can be some doctors in connection with Riazuddin.
09:02And that's the reason the fact-finding committee has recommended the UP STF investigation to be involved in this illegal conversion.
09:10In the primary inquiry, they got some connections of a massive illegal conversion.
09:16Because the Pilibeet Maulana was coming and after the FIR was lost in the Chok police station, Ramiz ran to Delhi and there he got sheltered in the Shaheen Bagh.
09:28So we can say there is a big racket that the Lucknow police is probing.
09:33But now the UP STF is going to take up this case as the fact-finding committee of the KGMU has recommended for the UP STF or any special agency to probe this whole illegal conversion case.
09:47Keep tracking that story. I will come back to you for more.
09:50So the Delhi blast and illegal conversions in Lucknow.
09:54The link, a preliminary link has emerged and we'll be tracking that story very, very closely.
10:00Especially the link even with Pilibeet in Eastern UP.
10:04And I'll get you more on that story in the coming days.
10:06But for the moment, I want to show focus to our top story.
10:09The Tehran traders, protestors and protests over rising inflation and sinking currency then led to massive, massive nationwide protests against the regime in Iran.
10:20Reports seem to indicate hundreds have been killed.
10:23US President Donald Trump has warned of very strong options.
10:27They're contemplating very strong options.
10:29Iran's Foreign Minister, Bas Arachi says Tehran is ready even for war but open for dialogue.
10:37He said that they're even better prepared than they were during the 12-day war.
10:41But is the US truly locked and loaded as President Trump had earlier claimed?
10:46Or after that massive crackdown, is the government in Tehran clawing back for control city by city?
10:54We'll get you more in this one.
10:59As Iran burns, America is threatening the Ayatollah Khamenei regime with grave consequences.
11:16US forces are on standby and a war may now be closer than ever.
11:22But we're looking at it very seriously.
11:24The military is looking at it.
11:27And we're looking at some very strong options.
11:30We'll make a determination.
11:31Some of the protestors were killed through the stampeding.
11:35I mean, you know, there's so many of them.
11:37And some were shot.
11:39We're getting a full report.
11:40I'm getting an hourly report.
11:42And we're going to make a determination.
11:44US strikes on Iran are not distant memory.
11:49Just seven months ago, American bombers hit Iran's nuclear and missile sites.
11:55Now Trump says Iran must pay a price for killing protestors.
12:00But he's also sending another message.
12:04We may meet with them.
12:05I mean, a meeting is being set up.
12:08But we may have to act because of what's happening before the meeting.
12:14But a meeting is being set up.
12:16Iran called.
12:17They want to negotiate.
12:19Trump is openly keeping both options on the table.
12:29In Iran, the situation is dire.
12:31Protests have spread across 180 cities, affecting 1.85 million people.
12:44The agitation that began over price rises has become a direct challenge to Supreme Leader
12:50Khamenei.
12:51Hundreds are dead.
12:53Thousands detained.
12:54Tehran is warning the world.
12:57Do not mistake chaos for weakness.
13:01I also have an advice for the delusional President of the United States.
13:09Be careful.
13:10And the advice you are receiving about attacking Iran are the same as the ones who told you
13:15that Mashhad has fallen.
13:17In case of an attack on Iran, the occupied lands as well as US military bases in the region
13:23will be our legitimate targets.
13:26And with all these clear confessions that you have made about invading Iran, we will not
13:31limit ourselves to a reaction.
13:33We will act based on signs of threat.
13:36Iran has issued direct threats to American forces across the Middle East.
13:48Trump said if people are killed, the US would intervene.
13:52Elements seeking chaos tried to increase deaths to draw Americans into action.
13:57From January 10th till today, we are in a new phase.
14:02The situation is now under control.
14:06Trump believes Iran is already intimidated.
14:10You think they take your threat seriously?
14:15Wouldn't you say they do after all of the things we've done?
14:18What a stupid question.
14:20Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah of Iran, is openly pushing for regime change.
14:26Iran's freedom is near.
14:31We will reclaim our beloved Iran back from the Islamic Republic.
14:35A nation in revolt.
14:43A superpower threatening force.
14:45With Iran burning and America warning, the countdown to war may already be underway.
14:57With Pranay Upadhyay and Geeta Mohan, Bureau Report, India Today.
15:04So close to 600 protest sites across 180 cities in 31 provinces.
15:13And this is information that rights activists overseas are actually collating very painstakingly.
15:19And they claim more than 10,000 people have been taken into custody and more than 500.
15:23It's a claim that more than 500 have been killed already.
15:27The SNEAM news agency close to the state on the other hand is reporting more than 100 security forces personnel have lost their lives.
15:34And today, pro-government protesters took the Inkalab Square demanding action against the pro-U.S. protest leaders.
15:42The question we're asking after Venezuela.
15:44Is the U.S. locked and loaded for another regime change operation and this time in Iran?
15:49Or has the government in Tehran regained control city by city?
15:53Joining me on this special broadcast is Khusro Isfahani, who is a research fellow.
15:58Lived in Iran till very recently, currently in the United States of America.
16:01Adele Nazarian is a senior fellow at the Gold Institute of International Strategy.
16:06Joins us on the show.
16:07Dr. Vail Awad is a very well-respected senior international correspondent in India.
16:13Professor Abdul Fazi Behesti joins us on the show.
16:17Professor Behesti is a professor of international relations at the European institutions.
16:21He joins us from Brussels.
16:23Professor, welcome.
16:24Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar is a top diplomat.
16:26Watching these developments very closely.
16:28Adele, what's the current situation in Iran?
16:31Are you able to pick up any information amidst reports that the digital kill switch was activated.
16:36Information flow heavily regulated.
16:38But is the government well and truly in control in Iran now?
16:42Hi, thank you for having me on this very important topic.
16:46No, there's a lot of mixed signals coming out of Iran.
16:50They have pulled the kill switch, so to speak, on the communication networks.
16:54People haven't been able to communicate with relatives for days.
16:58And they're very worried.
17:00I mean, the biggest fear is that, you know, I have friends whose wives are in Iran, for example, or husbands.
17:05And they're just worried that they're joining the protesters and having caught up with it.
17:08You don't know if they're alive, if they're dead, if they're in hospitals.
17:11The confusing thing, though, however, is that airspace was closed for a few days, but apparently it's been reopened.
17:18This is sending mixed signals.
17:20To be frank with you, I've been hearing a lot of things, seeing a lot of talk on social media from influencers claiming that this is dwindling down.
17:27This is coming to an end. The fire is burning out. Far from the truth.
17:31I can tell you that this is the only opportunity that I see, I have seen in the past 40 years, to be honest with you, plus,
17:40where change can actually occur in Iran.
17:43And I do not think that the, unfortunately, thousands of lives that were lost are going to have been lost in vain.
17:49I don't think, I think they're going to keep pushing the people of Iran to see the change that they really want.
17:53Let me bring in Khosrow Ashwahani also.
17:56Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pehelvi is urging people to remain on the streets.
18:02Use this opportunity to oust the government.
18:05But is the government now well and truly in control of the situation?
18:08We are told there have been over 10,000 arrests.
18:10There are conflicting reports on the number of people who've been killed and currently are on death row, sir.
18:16The arrest and the violence that we are seeing happening in Iran is nothing surprising to any of us.
18:22As your other guests said, we have seen this type of violence coming and going in Iran again and again.
18:29We are talking about a nation that has fought for liberty for overthrowing this regime for four decades
18:35and the Islamic Republic has killed them, made them, raped them, jailed them.
18:40Iranians are back on the streets fighting unrelentingly.
18:44The other night there were videos coming out of Iran of people doing fireworks.
18:49Fireworks in Tehran literally celebrating the incoming fall of the Islamic Republic.
18:56There was a video that showed people outside police stations shouting,
19:02put down your arms and no harm will come to you.
19:06This is a nation that has risen without weapons, with empty hands and is trying to reclaim its land.
19:14The Islamic Republic is gone. The world got to catch up with them.
19:19Right now as we speak, videos are coming in from last night in Tehran.
19:24People were on the streets en masse. They were unrelenting, they are unstoppable and they are going to reclaim their homeland.
19:34They are going to reclaim their homeland, you say.
19:36Professor Beheshdi, protest slogans have now shifted.
19:41Initially they were all about economic grievances.
19:43Now reports seem to indicate that these are direct protests saying death to the dictator, death to Khamenei.
19:51Historically, Iran may have tolerated economic dissent perhaps longer than political dissent.
19:56But does this escalation in your view, sir, fundamentally change the regime's response?
20:02Your take on what's happening in Iran right now, sir.
20:06Yeah, thank you very much for being with me, sir.
20:11I am very glad today's conversation with you about Iran and about the destabilization of Iran from USA and Israel and France and England and NATO.
20:30Today, Iran, a lot of people are coming in the Strait, support, the government support Iran and support of the region.
20:42Because what is happening in Iran and rest in Iran takes very, very dangerous for geopolitics of the region, especially in India, in Pakistan, in Afghanistan, in Russia, etc., and China, of course.
20:59Of course.
21:00What is happening in Iran?
21:02What is happening in Iran?
21:03It is very, very dangerous because the enemy, our enemy, take and rest Iran and very, very dangerous for all of the regions, the west of Asia.
21:19Because today, the people, Iranian, shows his support, they are supporting the government, they are supporting the region against the USA and France and England and NATO.
21:38Give me a moment.
21:39Let me also bring Dr. Vail Awad into this conversation.
21:42Dr. Awad, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran is ready for war but open to dialogue.
21:50Will the west agree for talks at this moment or in your view is an attack on Tehran for a regime change operation imminent, sir?
21:59Well, I think the American and the European have made of their mind that the regime change policy will continue.
22:08The dynasty of the American presidents continued.
22:11And the President Trump, who was against any regime change, we have seen his style of regime change by attacking a nation and hijacking the president and his wife in Venezuela.
22:22And they think that they are above the international law.
22:24What's happening in Iran is definitely an internal affairs.
22:28It's a legitimate demonstration against an incubancy, against the price rise, against the unemployment, against the harsh economy the people of Iran have been facing.
22:39Let us remember, Gaurav, that 1953, Musaddaq, the prime minister of Iran at that time, he was democratically elected by the people of Iran.
22:48But it was the United States and the MI6 of England who brought him down.
22:53And Israel, Musad, and then the MI6 and the CIA have played the havoc during the rule of the Shah of Iran until 1979.
23:03So after 1979, when Tehran changed the embassy of Israel to the embassy of Palestine, things have taken a different U-turn of an anti-Iranian regime.
23:17And I think ever since then that the anti-Iran has been continued till date.
23:22And we have seen over that since 2006, there were lots of demonstrations against the Iranian government after the U.N. imposed sanctions because of the nuclear program.
23:32But then there was a little reprievement during the 2015 when the 5 plus 1 signed an agreement with Iran for the nuclear.
23:41Then Americans revoked it and had the unilateral sanctions.
23:44Yes.
23:45So all this is exactly a replica of what happened to Iraq before the invasion of America.
23:50Very interesting.
23:51You should point it out that there is a template which is being followed.
23:54Ambassador Sajjan Har, is an attack on Iran imminent in your view?
23:58Because early January, I think it was the 2nd of January when the U.S. President said the Americans are locked and loaded.
24:04But today he says they are looking at strong options.
24:08Iran wants dialogue.
24:09They may consider that.
24:11Yeah.
24:12Thank you very much Gaurav for having me on your show.
24:14I think if the attack comes, in my view, it's going to be quite counterproductive.
24:19Because number one, we have to see that, you know, United States is far away from Iran.
24:25Iran is a big country.
24:27Iran is not a small country.
24:29You know, people might not know it is the area is one half the size of India.
24:34You know, it's about 1.6, 1.7 million square kilometers.
24:38It's a big country also in terms of population.
24:41It's more than 90 million people.
24:44You know, it's the biggest country in West Asia.
24:47And we have seen that, you know, in June, when there was an attack by the United States, B2 bombers, nuclear installations, etc.
24:56It was the protesters.
24:57They came in support of the government.
25:00Those who were protesting against the government, they came in support because those people are very proud people.
25:07They don't want any foreign intervention.
25:10Let me also make one or two points, meaning I agree with some of the points that have been made by the other panelists,
25:15that these protests, in my view, are some of the strongest protests that I have seen.
25:21I remember, you know, I was in Iran from in the early 1980s, just after the Iranian revolution had taken place.
25:29At that time, it was the Bazaris, you know, who had come out in support of Imam Khomeini.
25:36And that was the turning point that really came in favor of Imam Khomeini.
25:41At the moment, because of the economic downturn, the Bazaris have turned against Imam Khomeini and the leadership.
25:51But that having been said, I think it is, this is the most dangerous protests that have taken place.
25:59Adele, the Tasneem News Agency reports fatalities of more than 100.
26:07Some reports say 100, some reports say 135.
26:10Security forces personnel have been killed while trying to contain these protests.
26:15And some courts in Iran and the judge in Tehran has called for decisive and effective measures against the protesters
26:23who Iran's foreign minister, Araki, has described as foreign-funded terrorists or word to that effect.
26:30So, can the protests still continue if there's such a massive crackdown that's happening?
26:35That number is an absolute lie. The figures of death are at least in the thousands.
26:41And it's going to come out very soon.
26:43I do think that at this point, look, there's going to be protesters who are going to be deterred by the deaths of their friends, their relatives.
26:52But I think at the end of the day, there was a woman who was in her 70s, who was out in the street, bloodied mouth.
26:58There's a video of it circulating, real video, not AI.
27:01And she said, 47 years I have been dead.
27:04And that she's out there. This is her last opportunity.
27:07She's been dead for 47 years since the regime came to power.
27:10I think that's the driving force.
27:12It's whatever little hope is left for the Iranian people, that for themselves or for future generations,
27:17they can get back a semblance of what their country was like before the radical Islamist regime took over
27:24that is not even identifiable or in any way comparable to what Iran's rich, beautiful history is.
27:32And I think that's the biggest disconnect.
27:34And the ambassador pointed out, the economics, it's all about the economics. Sorry.
27:40No, truly, truly it is.
27:42But I want to understand from you, when countries, Adele, you know, before I bring in our other guests again,
27:46I want to understand from you, when countries like Canada or Germany or Finland,
27:50they say that they stand with the people of Iran and they want the regime or the government
27:55to stop targeting protesters, open dialogue, release the detained demonstrators.
28:01Do you actually see that happen? Or in your view, are they still paying just lip service to the people on the street?
28:08The people on the street are dying. The world is just watching.
28:12They won't stop. Whatever dialogue they want to have, the damage has been done.
28:17I think at this point, to be frank with you, President Trump has proven that he's a man of action.
28:22I've been against foreign intervention from the start.
28:25At this point, if the people of Iran are calling for aid from outside,
28:30aid in any form in the US and Western allied powers, I think they should receive it.
28:35But the biggest indicator here has to be, the most important facet is, it cannot target any civilians.
28:42This has to be a strategically done operation that will only target the powers that are currently in the seat of power.
28:52It has to be to remove the current governance structure. And I think if that's capable, if that's a capability and a possibility, then I think the Iranian people give America or whoever it is the blessing to go ahead and do that, to be honest with you.
29:05I think they're sick and tired, fed up.
29:08Okay. Dr. Awad, do you actually see that happen? Because what was also very visible today in Tehran were pro-government protests at that same inkalab square in Tehran,
29:18where a large number of people chanted death to America and death to Zionist terror.
29:24How major is the pushback against what is being seen as a US-sponsored protest as Iran puts it?
29:31The reasons are genuine, you know, whether it's rising inflation or sinking currency or joblessness, lack of jobs in Iran.
29:40But how do you see the pushback by the regime in Iran?
29:45Well, I like your question. It's very important.
29:48In fact, that is a reflection of the hypocrisy of the United States seriously, if they really wanted to have a regime change to bring democracy.
29:55Look at Bangladesh next door.
29:57Muhammad Yunus himself said it was the United States behind it.
30:00Do you see democracy there or you see more extremism?
30:03Let's be more... I don't want to be naive not to compare also what happened in Venezuela and Iran.
30:09Look at what happened in Venezuela. They just hijacked the president and his wife. They left the structure intact.
30:15While they're in Iran, it is not because of the Iranian legitimate right, as I said, they wanted to support.
30:22Nobody is coming to bring democracy to West Asia, by the way.
30:26So, therefore, they wanted to destroy the infrastructure of the ballistic missile, of the nuclear technology, of the scientists to kill them,
30:34the same way they targeted the Iraqi regime. They destroyed the middle class.
30:40I travel to Iran almost every year, and I understand the sentiment of the Iranian people.
30:46I understand their suffering. I understand there is a harsh economy on them.
30:51But when there is a foreign intervention in their country, like Ambassador Sir Jankar said, it is a fact that it will be backfire,
30:59especially from those countries who are speaking of democracy when themselves are destroying humanity.
31:05Very pertinent point you raised there. And let me bring in Professor Beheshti from Brussels, you know, for his perspective on this.
31:12Because human rights groups in the West point to protests in almost all the 31 districts across 600 locations.
31:20And participation right now, we are told, cuts across working class, middle class, wealthy neighbourhood, traders.
31:28How unusual is this in your view, sir, compared to whatever happened either earlier in 2009 or in 2019?
31:35Yes, sir. Please, about your guest is very, very, very glad about this, what is he say about Iran.
31:50It is very, very exactly. For regime change in Iran, the USA and NATO and France in England never, never can change
32:05in regime in regime in Iran. Because regime is very, very, very popular, very, very popular in Iran.
32:14Today, the people Iranian show support the Iranian Republic Islamic and Trump. Today, I think we will be unhappy about Iran.
32:34because the people Iranian is very, very Sacha Dreams, who is really, very, very, very able to move on to Iran.
32:39He knows what is happening on their regime in Russia. He knows the US has waited against Iran, England, France, NATO because they don't understand.
32:43He knows USA is really, really against Iran, England, France, NATO, because...
32:53Interesting point to mention, Professor.
32:55No, it's not correct.
32:57Okay, Adele wants to respond to you. Adele, you want to respond to Professor Beheshdi?
33:02Professor Beheshdi, respectfully to all the panelists, there's about 75 to 80% of Iranians
33:08who oppose Barzid-Hastan to the Iranian regime, Johor-e-Islami, Barzid, means against the
33:14regime in Iran.
33:15So I don't know where he's saying there's enough support for them, for the regime.
33:19And regarding the gentleman, the other gentleman diplomat's comparison to Bangladesh, I'm so
33:24happy you brought that up.
33:26Muhammad Yunus never outright said that the U.S. was behind removing Sheikh Hasina.
33:31In fact, he said there were outside forces that influenced it.
33:34But the reason Sheikh Hasina was taken out was because of a democratic, left-wing-aligned
33:38State Department under President Biden that purposefully went ahead and gave support through
33:43the Pakistani ISI to the Jamaat-e-Islami to run similar protests to what happened between
33:49with the Mujahideen al-Khalq that supported what is Khomeini back in the day, same exact
33:55scenarios, to join hands together, the student movement, Marxist-aligned, left-wing, radical
34:01Islamist-aligned, to overthrow the current leadership.
34:03No, but to stay on the issue of Iran, just to stay on the issue of Iran, Professor Behishti
34:08says the regime is popular, the people of Iran do not want a U.S.-led regime change operation
34:15and that goes against their pride.
34:18Why should they permit the Americans to do that, Adele?
34:20Just respond to Professor Behishti on that.
34:23Of course.
34:23So here's the thing.
34:24As I said earlier, I think that this has to be, and I've said this so many times for
34:29many years, it's in the hands of the Iranian people.
34:32If they want to see their government change, their country change, they will be willing
34:36to step up against the 20 percent, if not less, of the country that supports the Jamaat-e-Islami,
34:44the Islamic Republic of Iran leadership.
34:46That 20 percent is not going to be enough to overpower the 75, 80 percent who are dying and
34:53clamoring for a change.
34:54At the end of the day, as I said before, if they want to have outside intervention, that's
34:59going to need to be solidified, tangibly stated in whatever channels they can get through.
35:04I don't think they want the U.S. to come in and cause more casualties.
35:07Before I bring in Dr. Vail Awad and Ambassador Sajjanhar, Professor Behishti, you want to quickly
35:12respond?
35:13Ariel Nazarian's point of view is maybe 20 percent are with the regime, 80 percent are against
35:19it.
35:19It is, it is false.
35:24The majority of Iranians support the Republican Islamic in Iran.
35:30Today, today, the demonstration in Iran shows what is happening in Iran because the enemy,
35:38the West enemy, the West enemy, and I repaired, I, uh, uh, USA and, uh, England and France and
35:49NATO is very, very, uh, enemy of Iran because the Iranian, uh, help of Russia's, uh, against, uh,
35:59the, uh, the, uh, Ukraine.
36:03Yeah.
36:03He will take in, uh, uh, in, uh, uh, Kine.
36:09I don't know, I don't know in English, Kine.
36:12No, I, I, I just, I, I just, you know, it's an amazing fact that you're sitting in Brussels
36:18and you're saying, um, you know, uh, uh, NATO and, and, uh, America are enemies of Iran,
36:24uh, and, and Adele also has a huge smile on her face.
36:27But, Professor, stay with me for a moment.
36:30Ambassador Sajjan Har wants to intervene on this very interesting point where I take the
36:34question, Ambassador Sajjan Har, does the U.S. have the capital for back-to-back regime
36:38change operations?
36:39First Venezuela, then Iran, and neither UN mandated?
36:42No, absolutely, meaning this was the point that I was making, you see, uh, you have
36:47been having a discussion also on Bangladesh and whenever in future you have a discussion,
36:52I'll be happy to participate in that.
36:54But right now, you know, neither in Iran nor in the region nor outside, I don't think anyone
37:02believes that the United States or any of the Western powers can come to bring in democracy
37:08because you look at the track record, look at the track record in Iraq, look at the
37:12track record in Afghanistan, look at the track record in Libya, all the places they went
37:17to established, uh, uh, democracy.
37:19Have they been, what sort of a democracy have they been able to establish?
37:22Democracy is a fallacy, my friend.
37:23Second point that I want to make, uh, kindly allow me to finish.
37:27Second point I want to make is, you see, the problem with the protests at, at the moment,
37:32you know, meaning all, uh, uh, establishments, all administrations have problems there.
37:38But the problem with them right now is that there is no leader.
37:43There is no face as far as all these protests are concerned.
37:47And you know what, uh, uh, Mr. Reza Pahlavi, the crown prince, he's been sitting outside.
37:52He's been talking that he's willing, you know, he's fishing in troubled waters.
37:56He doesn't have a support, any support in Iran.
38:00I know that for a fact.
38:01Of course he does.
38:02He doesn't even have the support of the U.S. administration or any of the European governments.
38:08So, you know, he is just trying to be there, uh, come into place, uh, for the last...
38:13He has not visited Iran even once, uh, since he left in the early seventies.
38:19Interesting point.
38:20But, you know, the point that you've raised, and let me take it to Dr. Vail Awad in the last 30 seconds that I have on this part of the show.
38:26Dr. Vail Awad, some in the West seem to indicate it's a zombie regime, um, in Iran right now.
38:32Weakened after the 2025, uh, conflict that took place, that 12-day conflict that took place.
38:38So now, with a little help from the Americans or, or, or Israel, that regime change can truly happen.
38:45Do you believe that, sir?
38:46Absolutely not.
38:47I think this is the largest demonstration in Iran in the history of the last 22 decades.
38:53I believe I have following it since 2009, 2019, 2022.
38:58Yes.
38:59And this is definitely because of the economic harsh on the people.
39:03And I fully agree on the, the demand of the people.
39:06They deserve a better life.
39:07Iranians are very young and energetic.
39:09The point, Gaurav here, is very important that 65 to 70% of Iran are youth.
39:15And they wanted good job.
39:16They wanted good life food.
39:18That is for sure they wanted.
39:19But do we expect the Americans to bring that to them?
39:22I think, let us not, let us be, I will be, it look very funny on my part to imagine that America wants to bring democracy to Iran or they wanted to bring.
39:32Okay.
39:33No one should intervene.
39:34Let the changes come from the Iranians.
39:35Okay.
39:3630 seconds that Adele wants to, wants to come in on that fact.
39:37You do not need to, let the changes come from outside.
39:39You know, because where she says that, give the people of Iran who are on the streets an opportunity to express themselves which they are unable to do.
39:46Adele, do I understand you correctly?
39:48You wanted to come in last 30 seconds to you, madam.
39:51Thank you so much.
39:52I want to say America is a republic.
39:53I need everyone to understand.
39:55Republic.
39:56Democracy is an aspiration.
39:57It has no proven model in modern day.
40:00Regarding the people of Iran.
40:01Indian democracy, we swear by it.
40:03It's working.
40:04Of course.
40:05Of course.
40:06It is working, of course.
40:07Absolutely.
40:08Absolutely.
40:09But India is also a republic.
40:10Largest democracy.
40:11I was going to say a constitutional republic.
40:12So I want to say that regarding the people of Iran, 1970 and 1979, it was the Democrats, Jimmy Carter, that actually annihilated the government regime, you want to call it the Shah.
40:22So maybe it's time to have the U.S. intervene again and fix its last mistake.
40:26Okay.
40:27That's what I leave you with.
40:28Okay.
40:29Will that actually happen?
40:30We'll be tracking that story very closely.
40:31Adele Nazarian, Professor Behishti, Ambassador Sajjan Har and Dr. Vail Awad, as always, many thanks for joining me here on this India Today special broadcast.
40:39News coming in, renowned singer and Awami League leader in Bangladesh, Pralai Chaki has died in police custody.
40:49His family is making it out to be a case of death in custody and ill treatment and negligence in custody.
40:58Chaki was taken to the Raj Shahi Medical College and Hospital on Sunday evening.
41:04He suffered a cardiac arrest in custody.
41:07He did not survive in hospital is what is being said.
41:12He had been in detention since December.
41:15He'd been arrested and booked in an explosion case linked to last year's July uprising in Bangladesh.
41:26Pralai Chaki was not just a political figure, he was a very well-respected cultural voice in Bangladesh.
41:33He served as the culture secretary of the Pabna District Awami League.
41:39He was also the general secretary of the Awami Shilpi Goshti and joint secretary at the Banmali Shilp Kala Kendra, senior leader of the Awami League.
41:52His family now says he had serious health problems including heart issues and the family claims he was denied proper medical attention and care while he was in custody.
42:08And this is just the latest in a series of very disturbing incidents that are coming in from Bangladesh.
42:15This of course is a case of death in custody due to a heart ailment with the family is blaming negligence.
42:25But so far according to other reports, 12 Hindus have also been targeted and killed in Bangladesh in the past 40 days.
42:35That's the information that's coming in but this is a little different from that.
42:40This is a case of Pralai Chaki, a very well-respected cultural voice in Bangladesh and a senior leader of the Awami League who died in custody.
42:54I want to quickly bring in Pranay Upadhyay for more on this.
42:57Pranay, what more do we know the family alleges negligence but do we have a reaction, a response from the state, the police or the hospital?
43:05There is absolutely no word Gaurav as yet but definitely it's a very disturbing news because you know Pralai Chaki was a known singer who usedтАж
43:22Okay, give me a moment as we re-establish that link but I want to move on to the next big story we're tracking here on India today
43:28and that's the Pakistani drones have been seen over the skies of Jammu and Kashmir especially south of Peer Panjal
43:34in the Jammu-Punch Rajwari area and that triggered a massive security alert all along 200 kilometers of the international border
43:43and then about 300 plus kilometers of the line of control south of Peer Panjal.
43:48Multiple Pakistani drones were sighted late last night, late Sunday night across not just the IB sector but also across the LC sector south of Peer Panjal.
43:58So they were spotted in Samba sector, they were spotted near Jammu, they were spotted along the border, then Punch, Rajwari, Naushera.
44:07They crossed into Indian airspace, they hovered around sensitive locations and then retreated as soon as there was LMG and MMG light machine gun and medium machine gun fire.
44:19Indian forces responded, the anti-drone system was activated immediately, LNG and MMG fire in one of these areas.
44:32Now the drones were actually seen dropping something. Search operations were launched immediately to check either for drugs or arms and explosives.
44:41Security agencies say some Chinese grenades and other weapons were also found.
44:49Turkish made pistols and revolvers were recovered in a forested area.
44:54Agencies say Ravalpindi is once again trying to revive terror south of Peer Panjal.
45:00But the air defence grid was activated, it was battle ready, we get you this report.
45:15The Pakistani terror drones are trying to make a comeback.
45:22Multiple Pakistani drones were spotted along the international border and the LOC late on Sunday.
45:28Once again exposing Pakistan Army's nefarious designs.
45:32The drones were detected in Samba, Rajwari and Pooch, brazenly crossing into Indian airspace.
45:39Hovering over sensitive locations and then retreating back into Pakistan.
45:44A clear attempt to probe India's defences.
45:47Indian security forces responded swiftly, deploying anti-drone warfare measures.
45:53Pushing back the drones which retreated into Pakistan.
45:56Search operations were immediately launched to find if the drones dropped some suspicious load.
46:06In the Naushera sector, Army units opened fire with light and medium machine guns after a drone was spotted hovering over Gania Kalsia village, forcing it to flee.
46:16This sharp spike in drone activity comes just days after a major arms drop was busted in Samba, underlining Pakistan's renewed push to fuel terror through drones, arms smuggling and infiltration.
46:30Security agencies say this is no coincidence, but part of Pakistan's evolving playbook, using unmanned aerial systems to destabilise Jammu and Kashmir after repeated failures on the ground.
46:44It is worth recalling that in May last year, Pakistan had unleashed a barrage of drones towards India's border states in retaliation for Operation Sindur.
46:54Not a single drone succeeded in causing damage to Indian military or civilian infrastructure, as India successfully defended its airspace.
47:05Once again, the message is clear.
47:07While Pakistan continues to export terror, the Indian Army remains fully prepared, alert and capable of countering Rawalpindi's misadventure.
47:16Vedash Shafani in Srinagar, Bureau Report, India Today.
47:25Prime Minister Narendra Modi has just addressed the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue.
47:29The Prime Minister invoked Swami Vivekanand on his birth anniversary.
47:33He's called on youth, he's called on India's youth to live with the India first mindset, the nation first mindset, work for the betterment of our society and our country.
47:44Listen in.
47:46Sathiyo, you all know that today is the birth of Swami Vivekanand ji's birth of Swami Vivekanand ji.
47:57The thoughts of Swami Vivekanand ji today are a prayer for every youth.
48:05Our life is the first one that we have given the purpose.
48:06Our life is the purpose of life.
48:08Our life is the purpose of life.
48:09How can we live the nation first?
48:14How can we live the nation first of our lives?
48:18How can we live the nation first?
48:19The state of the world is the purpose of our nation first?
48:24реБрдкрд┐рд╢реНрдХрд╛ рд╣рд┐рдд рд╣реЛ рдЗрд╕ рджрд┐рд╢рд╛ рдореЗрдВ рд╕реНрд╡рд╛рдореА рд╡рд┐рд╡реЗрдХрд╛рдирди рдЬреА рдХрд╛ рдЬреАрд╡рди рд╣рдо рд╕рднреА рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рдмрд╣реБрдд рдмрдбрд╝рд╛ рдорд╛рд░реНрджрд░реНрддрдХ рд╣реИрдВ рдкреНрд░реЗрд╣рд┐ рд░рдЦ рд░рд╣реЗ рд╣реИрдВ рд╕реНрд╡рд╛рдореА рд╡рд┐рд╡реЗрдХрд╛рдирди рдХрд╛ рд╕реНрдорд░рдг рдХрд░рддреЗ рд╣реБрдП рд╣рд░ рд╕рд╛рд▓ 12 рдЬрдиреНрд╡рд░реА рдХреЛ рд╣рдо рд░рд╛рд╖реНрдЯреНрд░рд┐рдп рдпреБрд╡рд╛ рджрд┐рд╡рд╕ рдордирд╛рддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ
48:51рдФрд░ рдЙрдиреА рдХреА рдкреНрд░реЗрдирд╛ рдЖрдЬ рдмрд╛рд░рд╛рдЬ рдЬрдиреНрд╡рд░реА рдХреЛ рд╡рд┐рдХрд╕рд┐рдд рднрд╛рд░рдд рдпрдВрдЧ рд▓реАрдбрд░ рдЬрд╛рдпрд▓реЛ рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рдЪреБрдирд╛ рдЧрдпрд╛ рд╣реИ
49:03Arise awake and stop not till the aim is achieved take culture and science hand in hand for a
49:17Vikasit Bharat for a developed India with that India first a nation that is all I have for you
49:24on this India first special broadcast very thanks for watching
Comments