Home Tags Posts tagged with "Iran"
Tag:

Iran

ArticlesFeaturedNewsVideo

Jesus Appears To An Entire Muslim Family In A Single Night

by Le-Jovale Vallejo
written by Le-Jovale Vallejo

When a man prayed that God would reveal Himself, he didn’t expect that his entire Muslim family would encounter Jesus in a single night.

A Muslim Family

Amin shared how a simple question, “Why does Allah need me to pray in Arabic if he is God?,” led him to ask God to reveal Himself—a prayer that led to an amazing chain of events.

He grew up in Iran and was born into a Muslim family that faithfully served Allah. They followed the religious practices and Amin prayed at least five times every day. He was doing it out of fear. He said that “behind the spirit of Islam is the spirit of fear.”

But when he was 17 years old, his journey with Jesus started.

Muslims pray in Arabic because Allah is an Arab, and for some reason this didn’t sit well with Amin.

Jesus Appears To The Entire Muslim Family

One day, when Amin was bowing to pray, a question came to his mind: “Why [is] God asking me to talk to him in a language that I don’t know? If you are God, you must know that I am a Persian. If you are God, you must know that I am not an Arab. Why are you asking me to talk to you in another language? And also, you want me to repeat the same thing every day. I’d get bored if you told me the same things.”

READ: DISC DISSOLVED, STOMACH PAIN GONE, AND KIDNEY HEALED AFTER PRAYER

It was a simple question that led him to ask God to reveal Himself. He said, “God, if you’re alive, show yourself to me.”

Muslim Family Dreams About Jesus

Amin stopped praying to Allah and waited for something to happen. He was waiting for God to show up. Seven days later, he had a dream.

“But not only me. My mother, my sister, and myself on the same night. We did have the same dream about Jesus Christ. I heard my mom and my sister were in the other bedroom. I ran away to them, and I said, “What’s wrong with you? Why are you crying at this time of the day?” And they said, “We had a dream about Jesus,”” Amin recalled.

He said that he had a dream about Jesus, too. They just wept.

“I don’t know for how long, but I kept crying. And I said, “God, what do you want to show us?”

“Jesus Is Not Only A Prophet”

Their family had no previous knowledge about Jesus because the Bible is not available in bookstores in Iran.

But God sent someone to give them a Bible.

One of their friends knocked on the door, and then he put a Persian Bible on the table. And he said, “I am sent by God to share this Word with you.”

Because of these two encounters and after reading God’s Word, Amin realized that Jesus was not who he thought He was.

“I want to tell you that Jesus is not only a prophet. Jesus Christ is the Word of God,” he said.

Jesus Visits Muslim in a Dream

Reference | Caroline Andrew

Header image: Amin [tkohdotcom]. Instagram, 18 July 2023, https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cu18TMdxJMq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Iran
IsraelIsrael Insider

Iran’s Crown Prince Visits Israel for First Time, Honors Holocaust Victims, Desires Peace

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

The oldest son of the last Shah of Iran, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, visited Israel for the first time this week, marking a historic event between the Jewish State and the ancient Persian dynasty. Pahlavi met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his time in Israel and attended a Holocaust Memorial event.

Pahlavi, who has lived in exile in America since his father had to flee Iran after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, is the leader of the National Council of Iran, a group inside and outside of Iran opposed to the current power structure of the Islamic Republic.

As soon as he arrived in Israel, Pahlavi spoke on social media about the “biblical relationship over centuries” between Israel and Persia and hopes for future “Cyrus Accords”—a reference to King Cyrus of Persia who gave the decree for the exiled Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.

“We are very happy to be here and are dedicated to working toward the peaceful & prosperous future that the people of our region deserve. From the children of Cyrus to the children of Israel, we will build this future together, in friendship.”

Pahlavi also said he felt it was his duty to be in attendance at a Holocaust Memorial event at Yad Vashem Monday night.

“My compatriots are very proud of their history, a history that dates back 2,500 years, when Cyrus the Great helped free Jewish slaves and helped rebuild their Temple,” Pahlavi said. “Today, when we have a regime that denies that the Holocaust ever occurred, it was my duty to be here, representing my fellow compatriots to honor the victims of the Holocaust and to pay my respects to this nation and its people.”

Israeli Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel received Pahlavi and his wife, Yasmine.

“We appreciate the crown prince’s expression of solidarity with the citizens of Israel in the face of the severe terrorist attacks perpetrated by Iran, as well as his visit to Yad Vashem on the occasion of Holocaust Day in order to sympathize with the Jewish people, in contrast to Iran’s rulers who deny the Holocaust and encourage anti-Semitism,” Gamliel said.

After the ceremony at Yad Vashem, Pahlavi met with Prime Minister Netanyahu. No details were given about their conversation, but photos of the meeting were published.

Pahlavi says people within the nation of Iran are ready to topple the government, so rather than the US and other countries continuing to negotiate with the regime or Israel creating a direct confrontation, why not support the resistance from within? Including allowing those in exile to financially help the “good guys” inside the country.

“With the regime, negotiations don’t help anything. Obviously, no one wants war. Including Israel,” Pahlavi said. Therefore, we are left with the only option left – the Iranian people themselves. All the people of Iran are your allies. There is a popular army that exists in Iran. What frustrates the Iranian diaspora is the impossibility of helping.”

In addition to the memorial service and visit with Netanyahu, Pahlavi paid a call on and offered condolences to Rabbi Leo Dee, whose wife and two daughters were slain by terrorists in the West Bank during Passover. The Crown Prince and his wife also spent time in prayer at the Western Wall.

“So said Cyrus, the king of Persia, ‘All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of the heavens delivered to me, and He commanded me to build Him a House in Jerusalem, which is in Judea.’” – Hebrew Bible, Ezra 1:2

2,500 years ago, Cyrus the Great liberated the Jewish people from… pic.twitter.com/HIVOj5RvoZ

— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) April 18, 2023

____________

Read more on the GOD TV blog here

Watch GOD TV here

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Iran and Saudi Arabia Announce Restoration Of Diplomatic Ties; A “Critical Blow” For Israel

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

Last Friday, Saudi Arabia announced it would reopen diplomatic channels with Iran. The talks between the two nations were mediated by China.

For months, Israel and the US had been hinting that Saudi Arabia would be the next nation to enter the Abraham Accords. But the “big prize”—what Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls peace between the Gulf Kingdom and the Jewish state—appears to have moved farther away than ever.

The Saudis had been in discussions with the United States looking to gain certain security agreements and help with its civilian nuclear program. Coming to terms with the US was seen as a pre-condition for Saudi Arabia entering into normalization with Israel.

The rift between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the two powerhouses in the Muslim world, originated 14 centuries ago, around 632 AD. The split of Islam into two major sects—Sunni and Shia—occurred over a disagreement about the rightful successor to the founder of Islam, Mohammed. Saudi Arabia is a Sunni Muslim majority, and Iran is 95 percent Shiite Muslim.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran now has 83.7% enriched uranium, putting them close to the 90% required to make a nuclear bomb. Iran’s ayatollah continues to breathe threats of destroying Israel and having the means to do it appears to soon be within reach.

Following Friday’s announcement, Riyadh and Tehran’s next move will be to reopen their embassies in each other’s countries.

 

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Another Gulf State Opens Airspace To Israel

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

Following the move last summer by Saudi Arabia to allow Israel to fly over, Oman announced Thursday that it will allow all nations to fly in its airspace. Although Israel was not mentioned specifically, the move will cut hours off travel time and likely reduce fares for civilian flights going and coming from India, Thailand, and other Far East nations to the Holy Land.

“As part of the Sultanate of Oman’s continuous efforts to fulfill its obligations under the Chicago Convention of 1944, the Civil Aviation Authority affirms that the Sultanate’s airspace is open for all carriers that meet the requirements of the Authority for overflyuing [sic],” according to an official tweet from the Omani government.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took credit for the Omani move to open their skies, saying it all started because of his 2018 visit to the Sultanate. He said Israel can now become “the central transfer point between Asia and Europe.”

Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said the Omani announcement is “a historic decision that will shorten the journey to Asia, lower costs for Israelis, and help Israeli companies be more competitive.” Cohen also thanked the US government and Oman’s ruler, Haitham bin Tariq, for their efforts. Tariq, the US, and Israel have been negotiating for months over the deal.

Oman was once thought to be the next Arab nation to join the Abraham Accords. And while opening the airspace is a good sign, a positive shift in diplomatic relations between the two nations is far from certain. Oman has long served as a mediator between Iran and the West. The ties to Tehran are strong. Late last year, Oman’s parliament voted to “expand the criminalization and expand the boycott” of Israel. But we can now fly over their country, even if we can’t do much business there.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Iranian Missile Carries “Death to Israel” Message, New Underground Air Force Base Unveiled

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

On Wednesday, Iran’s elite Islamic Revolution Guards Corp (IRGC) put a ballistic missile on display at a weapons exhibition in the country—and on the side of the projectile was a message for Israel written in Hebrew, “Death to Israel.” This move came a day after they unveiled a new underground air force base, allegedly designed to respond if Israel or other nations attack.

As I wrote last week, Iran’s leadership’s absolute hatred of Israel is rooted in Islamic theology. Unlike the theology of the New Testament which emphasizes humility, Jews were made to be subservient to Muslims. There were many mechanisms to enforce this ideology. So after decades of Jewish people having to publicly express their servitude to Muslims, it is unconscionable for the radical Muslims that there is a Jewish state. Worse, let the Muslims have to send it to this state.

It is not clear from the photos whether the surface-to-surface missile was real or just a mockup. But the display was purposefully made in the same city, Isfahan, where a recent drone strike crippled a weapons production facility that manufactures Iran’s deadly Shahed-136 drones (these are the drones Russia is using in Ukraine to wreak havoc).

Iran blames Israel for the attack and has filed a complaint with the United Nations, saying it has a “legitimate and inherent right” to strike back at Israel for the “terrorist attack.” This week’s missile display echoes Iran’s repeated threats to “wipe Israel off the map.” While much of the world may still dismiss Iran’s race to achieve a nuclear weapon, Israel is taking the existential threat seriously.

This week, the IRGC paraded many of its weapons for the public, including drones, warheads, and missiles. And they released photos of a new underground air force base, complete with fighter jets equipped with long-range missiles.

“Any attack on Iran from our enemies, including Israel, will see a response from our many air force bases, including Eagle 44,” said Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s armed forces Chief of Staff.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Large-scale Joint Military Exercise By US And Israel Sends Strong Signal To Iran

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

US and Israeli military forces embarked on a massive, joint combat drill on Monday, “the most significant exercise between the United States and Israel to date,” according to a senior US defense official.

“The exercise will test joint Israeli-U.S. readiness and improve the operational relationship between the two armies,” according to a statement released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The drill, “Juniper Oak,” will last until Friday and involves 6,400 US personnel, 1,100 Israeli soldiers, 142 aircraft, and 12 naval vessels (6 from the US, 6 from Israel). An anonymous US official said the unprecedented size of the military exercise was meant to show enemies like Iran that the US and Israel are fully prepared to mobilize a show of force should the need arise.

“Juniper Oak is a Combined Joint All-Domain exercise which improves our interoperability on land, in the air, at sea, in space, and in cyberspace with our partners, enhances our ability to respond to contingencies, and underscores our commitment to the Middle East,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla said.

This is the third joint exercise between the US and Israel over the past year to focus on the growing threat from Iran, as the Islamic Republic continues to march almost unimpeded toward achieving a nuclear warhead. The drill will involve intelligence sharing and dealing with simulated retaliatory threats coming from the Mediterranean Sea or even closer to home. According to the IDF, the US will drop live ammunition in southern Israel as part of the exercises.

Among the 100 aircraft from the US, there are B-52 bombers, F-35 fighter jets, F-15 and F-16 jets, dozens of Hornet fighters, Apache helicopters, drones, and various rescue and refueling planes, according to the statement released by CENTCOM. The IDF reports that several Sa’ar 5 corvettes (smaller, faster ships) and a submarine would also be participating in the drill.

An unnamed US defense official talked with NBC News and stated that the exercise was not based specifically on a scenario with Iran. However, if the shoe fits, as they say… “The scale of the exercise is relevant to a whole range of scenarios, and Iran may draw certain inferences from that. It’s really meant mostly to kick the tires on our ability to do things at this scale with the Israelis against a whole range of different threats. But, you know, it would not surprise me if Iran sees the scale and the nature of these activities and understands what the two of us are capable of doing.”

 

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Gulf State Oman Criminalizes Ties with Israel, Possibly to Appease Iran

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

It was only a few years ago that Oman and Israel were so close that the Gulf State was expected to be the next in line, after Sudan, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Morocco, to join the Abraham Accords. Times have changed.

On Friday, Oman’s parliament outlawed any ties or interactions with Israel, “the Zionist entity.” The details are still sketchy, but the application of the new law appears to be far-reaching—even including Zoom meetings.

“The brothers, Your Excellencies, looked at the development taking place, whether it was technical, cultural, economic or sports, and proposed additional amendments that include severing any economic, sports or cultural relations and prohibiting dealing in any way or means, whether it was a real meeting, an electronic meeting or something else, ” said Yaqoub Al-Harithi, Omani parliament vice president, talking about the scope of the measure.

Oman and Israel have had a long history of good relations. Oman is one of the few Arab nations that has never gone to war against Israel. The two nations also established unofficial trade relations in the early 2000s. Oman has welcomed three Israeli prime ministers, including Benjamin Netanyahu in his previous administration.

For years, Oman was known as the Switzerland of the Middle East, a neutral entity that could interact with Israel as well as Iran. The Gulf State has served as a middleman in the Iran nuclear talks and other regional issues.

A Turning point—against Israel

A big shift happened, though, in 2020 when the long-time Sultan Qaboos Bin Said died and left no heirs. His cousin, Haitham Bin Tariq, took over the country’s rule. While he promised to follow in his cousin’s peaceful footsteps, he instead has moved closer and closer to Iran…and away from Israel. Last year, when Saudi Arabia opened up its skies for Israeli air traffic, Oman refused (cutting off a direct route from Israel to Asia).

But, Israel’s recent elections and the formation of Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government could also be a factor in the Omanis’ decision to criminalize ties to the Jewish state.

“What also potentially fuels this is a recent call by several Arab countries, including the UAE, to go to the United Nations and condemn Israel over the recent rise of [Itamar] Ben-Gvir,” said Nir Boms recently. Boms is the director of the Program for Regional Cooperation at the Moshe Dayan Center of Tel Aviv University. “The issues around Israel are coming to a point where they need to have a counter-reaction and come back to a boycott policy.”

Another reason may be fear of Iran, which is conducting military exercises off of Oman’s coast and is reeling from months of domestic protests.

“Oman, like Qatar, is trying to calm Iran. Their message is: ‘We are not the ones rushing to form relations with Israel, so don’t take it out on us,’” said Tom Gross, a British journalist, and expert on the Middle East. Gross speculates that relations between Israel and Oman will actually continue on as they have, just under the radar for now.

“The Omani vote was primarily designed to appease the Iranian regime. There is a feeling in intelligence circles that the counter-revolutionary uprising in Iran has passed the point of no return, and as a result, the regime in Tehran may try to externalize its domestic problems. Meanwhile, relations with Israel will likely continue, albeit more quietly.”

_______

Read more on the GOD TV blog here

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

US and IDF Conduct Joint Military Exercise in Simulated Strikes on Iran, Proxies

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

The Israel Defense Forces and the United States military conducted joint exercises this week, flying together over the Mediterranean Sea and Israel in a mock attack on Iran and its proxies in the region, according to a statement from the IDF on Wednesday.

The IDF released details of the drills, along with footage from the exercises conducted this week, as the US and Israel worked together in “an operational scenario” that simulated long-range flights. The military exercise follows a recent visit by Israeli army official Aviv Kohavi to Washington. Yair Lapid, who is still the prime minister until Netanyahu forms his new government, observed the drills from the Israel Air Force underground command center.

“The strategic cooperation with the United States and other countries strengthens the IDF’s capabilities in the face of challenges in the Middle East, chiefly Iran. We have partners in the sky and on the ground, but we also have the right to act as we see fit and defend the State of Israel,” Lapid said.

The drills involved four Israeli fighter jets, four American F-15 aircraft, and an American refueling plane, which refueled several of the Israeli jets as they “simulated an operational scenario and long-distance flights.”

The mission also simulated intelligence gathering.

“The Intelligence Directorate conducted an extensive simulation that replicated a campaign against distant countries [apparently Iran]. This exercise tested the IDF’s abilities at gathering intelligence, researching and outlining targets, and making intelligence available to the operational forces,” the IDF said.

“These exercises are a key component of the two militaries’ increasing strategic cooperation in response to shared concerns in the Middle East, particularly those posed by Iran.”

Last week, Kohavi met with US officials and urged that the time for a heightened joint military presence in the region is rapidly approaching.

“We are at a critical point in time that requires the acceleration of operational plans and cooperation against Iran and its terrorist proxies in the region,” Kohavi said. “In order to improve our capabilities in the face of challenges in the region, joint activity with the US Central Command will be significantly expanded in the near future. At the same time, the IDF will continue to act at an accelerated rate against the entrenchment of the Iranian regime in the region.”

In the last two years, the IDF has accelerated its preparations to deal with Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

While Iran insists its program is peaceful, the Islamic republic is believed to have enough enriched uranium to fuel at least one nuclear bomb.

And the threat is not just from Iran—any one of its proxies, from Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis in Yemen, could be the vehicle for Iran to unleash a nuclear weapon in the region. They all share a common goal—to “wipe Israel off the map” and “drive (the Jewish people) into the sea (the Mediterranean).”

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Iran Claims Hypersonic Ballistic Missile, US and Israel Working Together to Counter Threat

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards aerospace division claims to have built a hypersonic ballistic missile, according to an Iranian news agency report this week. A hypersonic missile can fly fast—up to five times the speed of sound—and handle complex flight paths. A missile like this is very hard to intercept—even for Israel’s advanced defense technologies like the Iron Dome and Arrow 3.

“This missile has a high speed and can maneuver in and out of the atmosphere. It will target the enemy’s advanced anti-missile systems and is a big generational leap in the field of missiles,” Revolutionary Guards commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh said.

No testing of a hypersonic ballistic missile by Iran has been detected, but Iran has developed extensive capabilities for domestic weapons production in the wake of international embargoes and sanctions.

Iran announced last week that it tested a space vehicle that could put 180-pound satellites into orbit 300 miles above the earth.

The US and Israel are both wary of the reports of Iran’s newest advances in weapons technology. The US is concerned that Iran could use the satellite launch technology to transport a nuclear warhead. And Israel had already been working with the US Missile Defense Agency on a strategy to counter hypersonic ballistic missiles well before this week’s announcement by the Islamic Republic.

In September, the IDF’s Air Defense Array was already forecasting the possibility of this development. “Hypersonic missiles are not yet a threat in the region, but they are a big concern.”

One of the keys to the modern state of Israel’s success at surviving for over 75 years in such a “rough neighborhood” (being surrounded by countries and peoples that want to see our annihilation) is working toward peace while thinking ahead and developing a really good defense system. But when all is said and done, our hope is not in a shield or dome but in the One Who covers us with His wings—the Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Iran’s economy is tanking. “Iran’s battered currency, the rial, was in a freefall on Saturday, hitting a historic low of more than 360,000 against the US dollar amid continuing protests.” The protests against its hardline Islamic regime are gaining steam, as Iran’s beach soccer team made public gestures in support of the protesters and Tehran has threatened punishment.

The point is that we need to be praying for Iran, for God’s will and freedom for the people of Iran and the world around her.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Israel Military Declares It Has Wiped Out 90% of Iran’s Presence in Syria

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

According to a spokesman with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel’s long-standing campaign to drive Iran out of Syria is almost complete. For years, Iran has been building up its proxy—Hezbollah—at Israel’s northern border, and the IDF has worked tirelessly and mostly covertly to drive back the Islamic regime’s encroaching presence in the region.

The IDF said it has wiped out Iran’s ability to get weapons into the hands of Hezbollah. It has also destroyed Iran’s weapons-making capabilities in Syria and its ability to build bases there. And Israel has blocked Iran’s ability to bring in any weapons or reinforcements by way of the Mediterranean Sea or over any land routes.

The Israeli Air Force has had great success blowing up armaments intended for Hezbollah, effectively crippling their operations in Syria.

This week, Israel allegedly conducted a daytime strike—a rarity—on Damascus, where one Syrian soldier was injured. Israel is known for taking great pains to get the best intelligence possible to minimize loss of life (for Israel or the enemy) and maximize the destruction of the target. Last week, there was a strike near the Damascus airport. Typically, Israel neither confirms nor denies these military engagements.

“The Israeli enemy carried out an air aggression with rockets from the north of the occupied Palestinian territories, targeting some points in the vicinity of the city of Damascus,” reported the Syrian Arab News Agency.

One key player in Israel’s clean-up of Iran’s presence in Syria is Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has close ties with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Putin basically controls the air over the country. Political tensions over Israel’s assistance to Ukraine have strained Russian-Israeli relations, but Israel has apparently still had clearance to fly missions over Damascus and the region. And supposedly, al-Assad has also wanted Iran and Hezbollah out of his country, especially on the Golan and southern Syria.

Israel officials say the new concern is whether Hezbollah has been equipped and armed with Iranian drones like the ones Russia is using in Ukraine.

While we try to live in peace with our Arab neighbors, Israel has to remain ever vigilant—many want to see our destruction, but as believers in Messiah Yeshua, we know that God is on our side and has plans for Israel still! We are grateful for the technology of the Iron Dome and other defense systems, as well as our brave young men and women in the IDF…but our ultimate hope is always in God.

 

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts

GET YOUR DAILY
DEVOTIONAL