you know centuries this train great to appreciate. on low volumes really subdued will probably continue. well that's our business for their cell for get back with more about fifteen minutes to talk of. the.

resistance is not a politics but a culture. this could. see its own. cultures of resistance on the march.

eight thirty pm in moscow these iraqi headlines brushes foreign minister voices his fears that a repeat of the libyan scenario could come to pass in syria sergey lavrov says a number of alleged incidents could be used as pretext to justify foreign intervention against the regime in damascus. a fresh wave of downgrades sweeps the struggling euro zone six nations get their debt ratings cut by agency moody's all this while greece faces further bailout hurdles from the e.u. despite the latest harsh austerity plan calls and public outrage and mass riots. russia's military predicts the west might decide on a military strike against iran before the summer anti-riot rhetoric in the world has intensified after israel accused the islamic state of being behind monday's

attacks on diplomatic personnel and today's blast in bangkok. for more on the iranian issue r.t. spoke with brian becker a member of the antiwar answer coalition stay with us. thank you for joining us on r.t. thank you but does the united states want from tightening the sanctions i mean there is even beyond tightening the sanctions now indeed it is the united states government has created an artificial crisis that's first and foremost it's a manufactured crisis iran is complying with the i.a.e.a. iran does not have a nuclear weapon iran is now threatening its neighbors iran has not started a war with any of its neighbors israel on the other hand has hundreds of nuclear weapons and unlike iran refuses to sign a nuclear nonproliferation treaty does not allow. inspectors into its country so

there's not really a nuclear menace or a nuclear danger from iran and so what is the cause what's the cause of the crisis of the artificial crisis the real goal is the united states government has embarked on a course of extreme economic aggression against iran with the hope that by creating economic suffering economic isolation economic misery that part of the population will rise up or become disenfranchised with the government so that the u.s. can do as it has in history carry out regime change they deny that the us denied that it's trying to carry out there was a change in iran right i mean we have to take it with a very very big grain of salt because we know that since one nine hundred seventy nine the united states refuses to have relations with the islamic republic of iran why is it because iran is a dictatorship well it's actually a democratic government it has democratic features far beyond some of america's

most foremost their allies in the middle east such as saudi arabia for instance since one thousand seventy nine iran became an independent government before that between one nine hundred fifty three in one thousand nine hundred seventy nine when the shah was there. the shah basically is a proxy or a puppet or a client of the american power and so the u.s. says they're not carrying out regime change but in fact everyone who is watching knows that indeed is the u.s. policy to create pressure on iran carry out overt operate covert operations economic sanctions and now these new sanctions are not really even like the old saying they are saying to the rest of the world if you dare do business with iran central bank if you buy iranian oil which constitutes half of iran's g.n.p. if you have any business with iran whatsoever you will not have access to american banks to american corporations to the american market this is in fact

a blockade something like an economic blockade of iran and by international law in economic blockade is an act of war and so we should understand it just like that so what do you think iran's response is going to be well iran so far has been very prudent even though they said that they would consider closing the strait of hormuz that six mile stretch of the persian arabian gulf where twenty five percent of the world's oil supply goes through. and even though much was made of that in the western media in fact iran has not done anything to give the u.s. . pretext an excuse a provocation so to speak that would allow the united states or israel to trigger a set of military actions a run i think is also telling its people that we are not panicked the iranian government are not panicked that they are trying to show that they have

a serenity and a calmness and a confidence and that they will weather the storm but in fact economic sanctions are taking a bite on the iranian economy right now there is a lot to see about this israeli possible attack specially israeli. possible attack wall street journal says that the u.s. is planning a plan b. should israel attack i think the israelis try to pretend that iran constitutes an exorcist and chill threat to israel i don't think that that in fact is the case even though iran's military has the capability to do great damage to israel in the event of a war even though israel is a nuclear power i think that the israeli government has a pattern and a practice of invasion and bombing of its neighbors in the middle east it carried out the bombing of a racks nuclear facility in one thousand nine hundred one even though that was permitted by international law and subject to spec sions in other words

a nuclear program for civilian energy purposes israel came and bombed it they did the same to syria in the last few years and they would like to carry out military strikes against the iranian government the americans don't want there right now even though they are happy to be have iran in a state of tension they don't really want israel to become the main protagonist with the iranian government by carrying out an unprovoked military strike i mean i'm talking about the main sectors in the american establishment because that would then present the crisis death struggle between the islamic republic of iran on one side and the israeli's ionise regime on the other and in that case iran will be able to mobilize mass support throughout the middle east for it the united states has a different tact they want to keep israel sort of in the background lou mean danger in threatening iran in one way keeping iran in the state of tension perhaps

militarily but have the economic sanctions do the bulk of the work by carrying out economic and financial isolation against the iranian government they think in the long term that's the easier way the better way or the more effective way to carry out regime. change the u.s. has puzzled over israel's intentions so what if israel does decide to strike iran and this is a u.s. official says it's hard to know what's a bluster and what's not with israelis well i think a lot of that is baloney and nonsense the israelis are the recipient the benefactor of three billion dollars a year in u.s. military aid if they do something that's completely contrary to what washington wants they will be on the very short end of the stick the israelis are not dominating and dictating u.s. policy in this geo strategically they're not they are not they have a big influence in washington they have a strong lobby but when it comes to iran or when it comes to iraq the israelis do

not tell the united states what to do it's vice versa if israel strikes no if the conflict is presented that way between the islamic republic and israel the people of the middle east will really to the side of iran the assassination of the iranian scientist which rick santorum called half a measure. or john bolton of. the former u.s. ambassador to the united nations the sanctions the tightening of the sanctions the . coalition that the u.s. is trying to building in iraq but what is iran going to do with a face all of this pressure well iran has certain lies to iran has russia and it has china increasingly it has venezuela and cuba another words those governments in the world in addition of course to syria which has its own problems right now but the countries in the world don't want the entire world to be dominated by one power

the united states of america they recognize that the existence of iran as an independent government is something that is positive meaning that if the united states were were were to be successful in carrying out regime change in iran they would be emboldened to carry out further destabilizing efforts against other powers including russia and china by the way even though there are great powers. so i think that iran has allies and i think iran is trying to show that they can weather the storm and also that they can rally their population in spite of the fact the divisions that were revealed in two thousand and nine after the elections the presidential elections the iranian people as a whole don't believe they should be sanctioned the iranian people believe that they have as they do the right to develop nuclear power for peaceful civilian purposes and i think right now the iranian government is trying to weather the

storm they're also making it clear that they do it options that they have they have limited options they have limited options and that's the big issue here i think is that. in america right now in the united states nobody feels this issue they don't feel there's a war looming they don't feel the problem of economic sanctions it's the iranians who are feeling it it's the tension the pressure of the economic problems are all one sided this is like a great power the seven hundred pound gorilla who decides to sit wherever it wants to sit and it can create immense tension and pressure and economic suffering somewhere else without having to endure any political price so that it's the big problem and as a peace activist and as someone who believes in human rights in i think will do will see this more and more in the united states we are starting to concentrate our efforts to expose the fact that the united states government is carrying out through

a different set of tactics the same thing that they did in iraq they carried out regime change in iraq not to make iraq more democratic more human rights oriented but to dominate a wreck and i think they they want to do that in iran and we need to have people outside of iran stand up and say iran should not be alone on this that's not presidential elections have any say in what's going on in and what's going to happen with iran and tens of washington. i think the presidential elections in the united states definitely play a role in u.s. policy towards iran that by the way has been the case ever since the iranian revolution in iran has factored into american politics in this case the republican candidates are sort of baiting obama and suggesting that if obama is reelected we will have a nuclear armed iran someday soon well i do something just to counter their statements because it's an election year i don't think so i think that it's not out of the question that obama could opportunistically up the ante or even escalate

tensions or even allow some sort of limited military attack against iran in order to show how tough he is and how why he's not a liberal. or something like that but i don't think so this is a very big project for the pentagon for the cia for the us establishment i think it goes beyond electoral politics and i think the obama administration and the pentagon are having a carefully calibrated approach that won't again with regime change the republicans and democrats share the same objective one is more demagogic we militant against iran they both share the same objective which is to bring a run back into an americans fear of influence and i think the republicans can't move obama that much because obama actually has the backing of the pentagon in terms of this particular approach the pentagon is bogged down in afghanistan they really were pushed out of iraq they have a lot of a lot of military problems

a major full scale war right now which could happen even if they don't intend it by people climb the escalation ladder.

brighton. from feinstein question.

starts on t.v. dot com. russia's foreign minister voices his fears that a repeat of the libyan scenario could come to pass in syria started a lot of rob says a number of alleged incidents could be used as a pretext to justify foreign intervention against the regime in damascus. a fresh wave of downgrade sweeps across the struggling euro zone as six nations get their debt ratings cut by agency moody's all while greece faces further bailout hurdles from the e.u. despite its latest harsh austerity plan that caused public outrage and mass rife. and russia's military predicts the west might decide on a strike against iran before the summer anti-riot or rhetoric intensified after israel accuse the islamic state of being behind monday's attacks on diplomatic personnel and today's blasts in bangkok. case up next with the sports update stay with us here on r.t.

. hello welcome to the trees are not sports round up through the headlines. to find the elements substitute goalkeeper roy carroll saves a penalty and tenille in p.r. being one male in the first leg of the opening here in moscow. while come back by kickoff step as it's set to return to manchester city three months exile you know how do tina. allen dogs russia stay to shine on some of the best in the world take the ice in the swiss city of doubles. but first football and for my man just united goalkeeper roy carroll came off the bench to save a late second half penalty as ten men at n.p.r. because on one illusion of the stadium in the first leg of the europa league last thirty two tie well due to the harsh weather we've been have to play only artificial pitch in moscow and the game finally came to life with eighteen minutes

to go david frost started scoring for the great champions plus two minutes later as they thought about action again he saw red the nice kind of a nice but thirty four year old carol came on to make his debut and save the resulting penalty not true i'm sure the greek side now has a vote in the last sixteen but meanwhile there's one other you write the game is tuesday night and in a considerably warmer climate the sporting braga the last to follow in portuguese sun also in last year's final post from turkey. well meanwhile the champions league also resumes this tuesday with defending champion boss alone in germany to face by a lady q.'s an in the first leg of the last sixteen bossa suffered a surprise three two defeat at asa sooner on saturday to finish the weekend ten points adrift of league in need israel madrid on a ship that gaudy owner admits that gap will be hard to claw back but in the meantime his side are intent on reaching the quarter finals in europe's top club competition. we we achieve two. three prices

this year and we arrive in another final in the end of the main the. back behind of the leak it would be tough to to recover the points but. in this did round i'm going to try our our target is play our best as best as possible arrive to the quarter finals and go to step by step. well opponents leverkusen will be without midfielder michael ballack who picked up an injury during training the thirty five year old has sat on the bench by his side lost three blunders league matches but was expected to feature against boss or however his side has done well at home in europe winning all their games at the buy arena during the group stage of the tournament but i'll swear french real will be looking to bolster their defenses when they take on secrets like apple well in their last sixteen clash on paper lay all the overwhelming favorites having reached the knockout stage for the ninth consecutive year apple will have gone this far in the competition for the

first time however the on domestic form currently has a lot to be desired they've picked up just one win out of their last five games and conceded goals in all of them. while on wednesday russian champions in each one has been featured in their first ever lost sixteen match coach new chinas but he is relaxed despite missing some key players for the historic game goalkeeper just love my fave is a doubt already ruled out the strikers danke allows a bitch and alex on the one hot off defender the medical record signing danny you had some serious knee injury however star ford alexander because of god does return from an ankle injury is first competitive match in four months but he says another ten men could also produce goals with a mate to make up for those who sidelined. one notable form this season's champions league is turkish side fenerbahce thousands of their fans gathered outside the courtroom turkey to voice their support for the club's president and almost one hundred other high profile figures went on trial president as these is among those

charged in a match fixing probe nine hundred games last season are alleged to have been rigged including fenerbahce as title clinching for three victory over civil sport istanbul club was replaced by the club's anspaugh in the champions league in the wake of the scandal. while over in england striker cost as is set to return for managed to secure this tuesday the twenty eight year old was to report to training for a series of fish. tests manager about the man cheney says he would welcome the return of terrorists who has not played since he allegedly refused to warm up in cities tuna lhasa by munich in september and has been in his native argentina since november the seventh the striker has paid an estimated three hundred fifteen thousand dollars a week has lost an estimated sixteen million dollars in wages fines and lost bonuses have as was linked with moves to ac milan into milan and paris during the january transfer window and none of which came off meanwhile english premier league leaders city has lost two of their last four anything cup games. i've decided

to return because i didn't say anything to the club and i want to return to see if i can sort out the situation and see if i can play school grades and wear the mentions to see the jersey i know is going to be hurt but it will be a good challenge for me the people at syria are against me because of what happened but they were badly informed. well meanwhile over in scotland defending champions glasgow rangers have gone into administration meaning the club will be docked an immediate ten points in the scottish premier league this follows an unsuccessful legal bid by the inland revenue the court of session in edinburgh to appoint its own administrator london based duff and phelps will not take over the day to day running of rangers addressing the club's substantial debt problems. however there are better times as ambien fans who gave their national team a hero's welcome on their return for winning the africa cup of nations thousands gathered at usaca airport to greet the copper bullets who beat start of

a tournament favorites the ivory coast eight seven on penalties on sunday night to play in the trophy for the first time in more than thirty years thousands more lined the streets as the team were driven on the back of army trucks to show grounds where speeches and celebrations were planned. while there was little hope that a break in brazil after a player was arrested and later released despite bashing his opponent with a camera stand during an on pitch brawl he hasn't happened as a man. championship you know one of the country states of that exam that i carry ok attacking and defend out of and as the latter was doing on his license the victim was carried off on a stretcher and taken to hospital it sounds revealed there is no serious injury and he refused to press charges. that are boxing and the head of the heavyweight title fight britain derek just sora has promised to knock out champion vitaly klitschko and to fight us faced off in front of the camera at a joint news conference in munich on monday many calling the fight hard to predict who's just or is thirteen years younger than forty year old klitschko but ukrainian

has a much greater reach and more experience although just or doesn't see that as a problems and has even chosen the round in which will floor his opponent. looking forward what if i and i train hard and the way we're going to be fighting to be a hundred miles an hour on the first round to round a promise you fancy that he's going down. action now from the n.b.a. where the new orleans hornets have broken in a game losing streak after beating the utah jazz eighty six points to eighty well the hornets led by as many as twenty points in the third quarter but despite a comeback by utah new orleans managed to hold on iraq up their third victory in twenty six points antichrist famous for twenty seven points about thirteen rebounds after starting the seventh game of the season. now with a couple of major test events completed over the weekend of the olympic city of

sochi preparations for the twenty fourteen winter games to be well on track as chairman of the coordination commission called killing he says there are no burning issues at the back so you're sort of the advantages of the peak with two years to go before the olympics we are confident the games will go smoothly but to make it happen we need to create all the necessary conditions i'm not saying there are any issues but preparing for the olympics is always difficult no matter where they take place transport accommodation security and infrastructure need to be looked at. and finally some of russia's best figure skaters have been showing off their talent a star studded exhibition event in switzerland and. once again the swiss mountains attracted some devoted figure skating fans vaillant's arena and gathered the best pairs and single skaters from around the globe two time world champion mickey underwood japan was one of them demonstrating

an emotional style and breathtaking elegance however it was russia which was represented most widely apart from the country's young talents elisabetta took to misha an arts of the chance of the lucky spectators so the show could have seen europe's best couples as well. me and make you think it's a lot of one brooms at last month's european championship. losing to their gold when in comes better as the general and maksim turn call this time both pairs didn't have to compete but their beautiful glide in and engage in korea graphy showed their desire to never stop unproven and an extraordinary light show than video projections on the ice made of the framework for this amazing performances. the atmosphere is just amazing when you go out of the arena you see such a beautiful picture clear sky mountains people skiing around we always come here

with great pleasure and really enjoy our time here on. this show deaths help us a lot i think because here we can go for some things which are not allowed in the real competitions and it might be quite useful and it's also great to have so many people watching and. in the meantime this we saw dance had a chance to enjoy their countrymen splendor twenty eleven year opinion champion sara meyer entertain the home crowd alongside the two time world champion stefan. he retired in twenty ten but it looks like he hasn't lost his touch i was helped on rigor ian's party i. that's what this woman is a thing i think.

you know sometimes you see a story and it seems so for like you think you understand it and then you glimpse something else and you hear or see some other part of it and realized everything you thought you knew you don't know i'm charged welcome to the big picture.