Face To Face

Israel is committing a live-streamed genocide, yet Israeli sporting teams and players have not been declared global pariahs — they continue to participate in club and international competitions with the full backing of governing bodies. As men, women and children are bloodied, starved and martyred in Gaza by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), Israeli teams attempt to whitewash their genocide. Nowhere is this starker than in the world's global sport, football. Calls to FIFA and UEFA, the sports' governing bodies, have fallen on deaf ears despite public revulsion at Israeli actions. But Israeli teams may soon be shown the red card. A brand-new initiative aims to target those at the very heart of football and bring about a revolution through sports.

In this episode of Face to Face, Fabian Zuleeg, chief executive of the European Policy Center, explains the foreign policy of the European Union and the reaction of this entity to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

In an exclusive interview with Press TV, Russia's top envoy in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, has accused the United States and European powers of harming diplomatic efforts on the Iranian nuclear file, saying they have politicized the issue and consistently take actions that worsen the situation.

The decision of the Lebanese government to disarm the Hezbollah Resistance Movement continues to be the main focal point in Lebanese media. Hezbollah and allies, including Iran, have insisted that as long as Israeli occupation and aggression continue, there will be no disarmament. This episode of Face to Face, hosting Hussein Hajj Hassan, a Lebanese politician from Hezbollah, looks at different aspects of the US proposal, the Lebanese Army's deadline for disarmament, and Hezbollah's strategy.

Lebanon has entered a very critical juncture in his history as Lebanese government has taken a decision to approve the US proposal. Although the US proposal on one hand, with Israel but on the other hand, it puts an ultimatum for the disarmament of the resistance. This episode of face to face reviews Hezbollah's reaction to the said proposal.

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese was the guest of this episode of Face to Face, where she called for sanctions on Israel over its atrocities in Gaza.

Ali Larijani discusses the 12-day war launched by Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran. He warns about the deceptive narratives used by the US and Israel to justify their attacks. Larijani highlights Iran's forceful response, striking Israel hard to make it regret its aggression. He outlines the war’s consequences for the region and Israel's strategic miscalculations. He also cautions that Israel may try attacking again, but says Iran is fully prepared to respond.

This edition of the program is an interview with Sahar Emami, an Iranian news anchor with the IRIB News Network. She became internationally recognized after an Israeli airstrike hit the IRIB HQ in Tehran during a live broadcast on June 16, 2025. Despite the chaos, Emami returned to the air shortly after the explosion and continued the broadcast with remarkable composure, which many hailed as an act of courage and resilience.

This edition of the program is about the Israeli interception of a humanitarian aid ship called the Madleen on June 9, 2025, in international waters as it sailed towards Gaza as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition mission. This interview is with Yasemin Acar, a German human rights activist, who was among the 12 people aboard the ship.

Admiral Ali Shamkhani confirms he was injured in the Israeli attack on his residence in Tehran. He describes the assault as an act of aggression that will not break his resolve. Vowing to resist until martyrdom, he pledges continued defiance against Israel.