US may have forced Ben Affleck to make 'Argo': Top Iranian leader

March 1, 2013

Ben_Affleck

New Delhi, Mar 1: Despite the verve with which it captured the dramatic escape of six Americans from the Canadian embassy during the Iranian revolution - culminating in an Oscar for best picture this year - Argo is perhaps no more than just another American red rag for the Iranians.

The chairman of Iran's Parliament and one of the key politicians in the country, Ali Larijani, said on Thursday that he didn't like movies made by "way of order" suggesting that American authorities may have forced Ben Affleck and his team to make the movie.

"I have not seen the movie and so I have no reason to congratulate Affleck," said Larijani, who is leading a Parliamentary delegation to India. He was asked if he would like to congratulate Affleck for making a movie about Iran.

"What I don't like though are movies which are made by way of order from others. I did notice Michelle Obama saying the Oscar goes to...and then I got the message," added Larijani, who is tipped to be one of the candidates for presidential elections later this year. The movie has received some criticism for over dramatizing the escape by showing Iranian Revolutionary Guards on hot pursuit of diplomats carrying guns in their hands.

Taking another swipe at the US, Larijani said that some countries wanted to control the progress of emerging countries by "dominating energy sources".

Asked about the issue of payments by India to Iran for its oil imports, Larijani said the two countries had discussed the issue at length and that there were "good results". He refused to elaborate though. Iran had earlier agreed to accept 45% of the payment in rupees with the remaining being routed through Turkey's Halkbank. The bank has now stopped payment because of tougher sanctions effective February 6. On the situation in Afghanistan, Larijani said the country was facing problems faced by terrorists and occupying forces.

"And these are interrelated. There are also some countries whose intelligence agencies are backing terrorists there," he said. He did not name Pakistan though and, in fact, when questioned by a foreign journalist if he meant Pakistan, Larijani shot back saying he meant only the US and the UK.

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News Network
July 12,2020

Hyderabad, Jul 12: Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday condemned the demolition of a mosque and a temple inside the Secretariat building. He demanded the arrest of the contractor for demolition.
"During the process of demolition of the Secretariat building in Telangana, the mosque and temple were also demolished. The contractor must be booked and should be arrested. The public should know that we condemn this," he said while speaking to news agency.
Pointing out that his party MLAs Akbaruddin Owaisi and Moazam Khan have urged the state Assembly to look into the matter, he added, "We are not against the building of a new Secretariat, but what we asked for is not to destroy these structures during the process."
He welcomed the Chief Minister's announcement regarding the rebuilding of these structures.
"We expect the mosque to be built in the exact same place where it once stood. We expect the Chief Minister to speak to the representatives and meet our expectations and emotions about the mosque," he added.

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News Network
June 15,2020

New Delhi, Jun 15: Two officials working with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad have reportedly gone missing, sources said.

The two officials are untraceable for the last few hours.

Recently news agency reported on how Pakistan 's spy agency ISI has been tailing and harassing Indian officials and also increased their presence at the residence of Acting High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia.

This incident came in the backdrop when two Pakistani officials were caught red-handed and sent back trying to collect classified information and spying in Delhi.

South block is watching the developments closely, the Indian mission has also launched a complaint with local authorities and taken up the matter Pakistan Foreign Ministry.

This incident can cause a further dip in the already tense India-Pakistan relations.

Earlier in the month, India deported two Pakistani officials for espionage activities in India.

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News Network
February 17,2020

New Delhi, Feb 17: Indian officials denied entry to British lawmaker Debbie Abrahams on Monday after she landed at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Debbie Abrahams, a Labour Party Member of Parliament who chairs a parliamentary group focused on the Kashmir, was unable to clear customs after her valid Indian visa was rejected, her aide, Harpreet Upal, told The Associated Press.

Abrahams and Upal arrived at the airport on an Emirates flight from Dubai at 9 am. Upal said the immigration officials did not cite any reason for denying Abrahams entry and revoking her visa, a copy of which, valid until October 2020, was shared with the AP. A spokesman for India's foreign ministry did not immediately comment.

Abrahams has been a member of Parliament since 2011 and was on a two-day personal trip to India, she said in a statement.

"I tried to establish why the visa had been revoked and if I could get a 'visa on arrival' but no one seemed to know," she said in the statement.

"Even the person who seemed to be in charge said he didn't know and was really sorry about what had happened. So now I am just waiting to be deported ... unless the Indian Government has a change of heart. I'm prepared to let the fact that I've been treated like a criminal go, and I hope they will let me visit my family and friends."

Abrahams has been an outspoken critic of the Indian government's move last August stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its semi-autonomy and bifurcating the state into two Union Territories.

Shortly after the changes to Kashmir's status were passed by Parliament, Abrahams wrote a letter to India's High Commissioner to the UK, saying the action "betrays the trust of the people" of Kashmir.

India took more than 20 foreign diplomats on a visit to Kashmir last week, the second such trips in six months.

Access to the region remains tight, with no foreign journalists allowed.

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