Persian Realm

باید جوانگرایی کنند!

در صد نو جوانان قبل از اسلام در خاندان سلطنتی خیلی زیاده. 

Saudi Arabia's crown prince Nayef dies

Saudi Arabia's crown prince dies (bbc)

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud has died "outside the kingdom", state media say.

Prince Nayef, who was also deputy prime minister and interior minister, had left the country for a holiday and medical tests late last month.

On 3 June, the deputy interior minister said the prince, who was 77 or 78, was in good health and would return "soon".

He was named crown prince in October 2011 after the death of the previous crown prince, Sultan bin Abdul Aziz.

The succession in Saudi Arabia still passes among the sons of former King Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, who established the modern kingdom during his reign from 1932 to 1953.

Next in line is expected to be Crown Prince Nayef's 76-year-old brother, Prince Salman, who was appointed defence minister in November after spending five decades as governor of Riyadh.

King Abdullah, who is 89 years old, had a back operation last year.

British defence giant BAE signs £1.9bn Saudi jet deal

BAE signs £1.9bn Saudi jet deal (bbc)

British defence giant BAE has signed a £1.9bn ($3bn) deal to supply Hawk trainer jets to Saudi Arabia, saving over 200 UK jobs.

The military contractor said the deal averted job losses at its Brough plant and guarantee work for 30 apprentices.

Twenty-two Hawks will be built under the deal with the majority of the work taking place in Lancashire - at BAE sites in Samlesbury and Warton.

A Unite trade union official said hundreds of jobs were still at risk.

BAE had previously said it was ending manufacture of the Hawk training jets at its Brough factory in 2013, with the loss of 865 jobs. Planes have been made at the plant for almost 100 years.

The company said on Wednesday 218 jobs at the Brough factory had been saved until mid-2015 and 73 more employees could be offered transfers to plants in Lancashire.

'Arab Gulf' leaders meet for talks on further union

Leaders of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) are meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss plans for a regional political, economic and security union.

The exact nature of this union is unclear. Bahrain's minister of state for information, Samira Rajab, said it could follow European Union model.

Saudi king sacks key conservative adviser

Saudi King Abdullah sacks conservative adviser, Sheikh Abdelmohsen al-Obeikan, a staunch critic of relaxing gender segregation.

Saudi court 'convicts rights activist Bajadi in secret'

A prominent human rights campaigner has been sentenced to four years in prison by a state security tribunal in Saudi Arabia, campaigners says.

biggest change is a favour to humanity

The biggest change he could do is by destruction of Kaaba.

Readers responses to a Saudi princess’s call for change

Against reform (bbc) 

Last week, Princess Basma bint Saud bin Abdulaziz set out five ways she thought Saudi Arabia could change for the better.

She focused on the constitution, divorce laws, education system, social services and the custom of women having a chaperone.

There was a huge response from readers to the princess's article. Many cheered her on, but some opposed her ideas. Here are some emails from those who disagree with her.

Saudi Princess: What I'd change about my country

Princess: What I'd change about my country (bbc)

• Constitution that enshrines gender equality
• Make it easier for women to file for divorce
• An overhaul of the education system
• Reform of social services, such as introducing independent women's refuges
• Increase women's freedom of movement by removing necessity for male chaperone

Rape case against Saudi prince dropped in Spain

A court in Spain has dropped a rape case against a Saudi prince over "contradictions and vagueness" in evidence from the alleged victim.

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the world's richest men, was accused of raping the woman, a model, aboard a yacht moored off Ibiza in August 2008.

He denied the charge, saying he was not even in Spain at the time.

A judge ordered the case to be closed for lack of evidence in 2010 but it was re-opened on appeal from the plaintiff.

In its ruling released on Thursday, the provincial court on Palma de Majorca, capital of the Balearic Islands, ordered a stay of proceedings.

"In light of recent statements by the complainant, we cannot firmly establish with evidence what happened overnight August 11-12, 2008, on the yacht," it added.

Sweden 'secret arms for Saudis'

Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt is under pressure to clarify a report that his government is helping Saudi Arabia plan an advanced arms plant.

According to Swedish national radio, the country's Defence Research Agency (FOI) led the project to build weapons including missiles and torpedoes.

While not confirming the report, Mr Reinfeldt said Sweden had signed an initial deal with the Saudis in 2005.

There were no rules preventing deals with non-democratic states, he added.

Sweden has been involved in arms sales to Saudi Arabia in the past, but the planned factory is seen as unprecedented.

'Protester' dies in Saudi Arabia

A protester has been shot dead by security forces in the city of Qatif in eastern Saudi Arabia, activists say.

Munir al-Medani, 21, was shot in the chest late on Thursday when police fired on a demonstration in the town of Qatif, in Eastern Province, they added.

The police confirmed a man had died, but said officers had responded after being shot at by unidentified gunmen.

The protesters were reportedly demanding the release of Shia political prisoners and democratic reforms.

China strengthens Saudi oil ties

China strengthens Saudi oil ties (CNN, VIDEO)

Saudi Arabia produces nearly 10 million barrels of oil a day – about the same as China consumes. That’s why the Kingdom is at the heart of China's energy strategy to secure more resources from the Gulf region. 

Saudi Arabia: Ready to turn valves

Saudi Arabia: Ready to turn valves (cnn)

Dhahran, Saudi Arabia (CNN) – With 260 billion barrels of oil, Saudi Arabia has more than double the proven reserves of Iran, its nearest competitor within OPEC.

In an interview in Dhahran, in the Kingdom’s Eastern Provence, the veteran energy minister Ali Al Naimi said the country is ready step back in as the swing oil producer if sanctions undermine Iran’s exports of 2.2 million barrels a day.

“We have the capacity to produce 12.5 (million barrels a day) and we are idling now between 9.4 and 9.8. So we have substantial spare capacity,” he said.

Naimi also suggested it could happen much faster than the market was anticipating. “I believe we can easily get up to 11.4, 11.8 almost immediately, in a few days. Because all we need is to turn valves. Now to get to the next 700 (thousand) or so, we probably need about 90 days.”

The CNN interview took place after Saudi Arabia signed a third joint venture, with Sinopec of China, to supply 400 thousand barrels a day from Saudi’s west coast port of Yanbu by 2014.

That refinery on the Red Sea will avoid tanker passage through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has threatened to close if Europe and the United States intensify sanctions. 

Saudi Arabia: We can match Iran crude

Saudi Arabia: We can match Iran crude (cnn)

CNN) -- Saudi Arabia can make up for any loss of crude oil production if sanctions are placed on Iran, the country's oil minister told CNN in an exclusive interview set to air Monday.

"I believe we can easily get up to 11.4, 11.8 (million barrels a day) almost immediately, in a few days, because all we need is to turn valves," Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi told CNN's John Defterios. "Now to get to the next 700 or so, we probably need about 90 days."

When asked about whether Saudi Arabia could make up for Iran's exports of 2.2 million barrels a day, al-Naimi said the country has a spare capacity "to respond to emergencies worldwide, to respond to our customer demand, and that is really the focus. Our focus is not on who drops out from production, but who wants more."

Saudi Arabia: Ready to turn valves

He also discussed his outlook for oil prices in 2012 amid tensions in the Gulf region. 

درست میگی دیوانه جان

بقول سعدی:

یکی از بزرگان اهل تمیز

ز دست زنش رفته بود زیر میز

این بابا زمان سعدی هم زنده بوده

فکر کنم این شیخ نایف ابن عبدالعزیز باید خود امام زمان باشد چون زمان سعدی هم زنده بوده، چنانکه سعدی فرمود:

یکی از بزرگان اهل تمیز

حکایت کند ز ابن عبدالعزیز

David Cameron visits Saudi Arabia to talk on Iran threat

David Cameron visits Saudi Arabia  (VIDEO BBC)

Britain's David Cameron visits Saudi Arabia

Britain's David Cameron visits Saudi Arabia (cnn)

London (CNN) -- British Prime Minister David Cameron is visiting Saudi Arabia, an important British partner in the Middle East, for the first time since he took office, Downing Street said Friday.

Cameron has arrived in Riyadh, where he will meet with King Abdullah and Crown Prince Nayef later, his office said.

Security, the global economy and regional issues, such as the Syrian government's crackdown on protests, are likely to be on the agenda.

The leaders will also discuss ways to boost business ties between Britain and Saudi Arabia.

"Building a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia is vital to advancing the United Kingdom's priorities in the region: increasing exports and investment; boosting energy security and creating jobs; co-operating on security, counter-proliferation and counter-terrorism; and promoting stability through political reform and human rights," Downing Street said.

The visit follows talks between Cameron and Prince Saud Al Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in September, the Downing Street statement said.

Saudi Arabia is Britain's largest trading partner in the Middle East, with bilateral trade worth over £15 billion ($23 billion) every year, the statement said, while Saudi investment in the United Kingdom is worth more than £62 billion ($95 billion).

Britain sees Saudi Arabia as a major market for the sale of military equipment and arms. 

Shia protester 'shot dead' in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Shia protester 'shot dead'  (bbc)

At least one person has been killed and three others injured in clashes between security forces and Shia protesters in eastern Saudi Arabia, activists say.

US sells $30bn in jets to Saudis

US sells $30bn in jets to Saudis (bbc)

The United States confirms the sale of nearly $30bn (£19.5bn) of new fighter jets and upgrades to its key Middle East ally Saudi Arabia. 

Saudi Arabia's Shia pay price for rulers' fears about Iran

'Fifth column' (bbc)

In late November in the Saudi Arabian city of Qatif, four young men were shot and killed by security forces over a four-day period.

Qatif, a port in the oil-rich Eastern Province, has a population of roughly half a million, almost all of whom are Shia. The men who were killed were Shia.

Eastern Province has a Shia majority which has long complained of discrimination at the hands of the Sunni ruling family, the Al Saud.

Emboldened by the Arab Spring and a popular uprising in neighbouring Bahrain, also with a Shia majority controlled by a Sunni royal family, protests flared up in March.

Marchers were calling for an end to discrimination and for constitutional reform. In a country where all street protests are illegal, the Saudi authorities were not slow to respond, arresting hundreds and breaking up demonstrations very quickly.

However, after the Bahrain uprising was crushed with the assistance of Saudi and other Gulf troops, the authorities started to come down even harder on dissent in Eastern Province. 

Saudis reject repression claims

Saudis reject repression claims (bbc)

Saudi Arabia has said that a report by Amnesty International - accusing the kingdom of reacting to the Arab Spring by launching a wave of repression - is based on "inaccurate information".

The human rights group said hundreds of people had been arrested in the east, many of them without charge or trial.

The Saudi embassy in London said only people who were endangering the lives of others were arrested.

Most of those were released without charge after questioning, it said. 

Saudi Arabia accused of repression after Arab Spring

Amnesty International has accused the Saudi Arabian authorities of reacting to the Arab Spring by launching a wave of repression this year in the name of security.

The human right group says thousands have been arrested, and that prominent reformists have been given long sentences following trials it called 'grossly unfair'.

New Saudi defence minister named

New Saudi defence minister named (bbc)

Saudi Arabia has named a new defence minister after the death of Crown Prince Sultan, who had held the defence position for some 50 years.

Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, who is 76, will take the defence post, state television al-Ekhbariya announced.

He is currently governor of Riyadh and is the half-brother of King Abdullah.

Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz had already been named as crown prince and Prince Sutam bin Abdul Aziz will become Riyadh's new governor.

Why is it that I think slick Willy is more interested in....

getting his hands on the princess's headlights than how Saudi Arabia will come out of its 700 AD barbaric cultural state....?

Dear MM

I am not talking about DK. Frankly videos are not my thing either. Don't have time or interest. Just making a point about Shah. Totally irrespective of DK. A lot of people keep harping on Shah.

There was one person who said Shah was "the most repserssive". I just want fariness noting more or less that is all. I myself said he was a dictator. What do people want from this man.

Precisely MM Jan Just do that and it will avoid me wasting

my time answering your similar and recurrent questions ...

VPK

DK knows where I stand with respect to the new proposals by RPII and I have told him under what circumstances I would not mind monarchy.  However, DK cannot help himself post a page of condescending remarks which usually end up with TP/NIAC, and then say that: you didn't watch my videos, so I do not get it or I am too whatever.....  Well, so be it!

I am not a fan of Saudi

But I do like what Shah tried to to for Iran. Why do people have such deep hatred for him. Really what did he do to warrant such anger? For 3000 years we had kings. From petty local to major powerful ones.

Most of them were much worse than the Pahlavi. Some were maniacal blood thirsty murderers. Others were totally inept idiots. Others just did not give a damn about Iran like Ahmad Shah. 

Very rarely we had a decent compassionate one. Pahlavi were true Iran lovers. It is not like we had "democracy" for 2000 years then Shah took it away! Pull your head out of the fantasy. For a king Pahlavi were about as good as it got.