Iran and Russia can relate to being on the wrong end of international sanctions. Now the pair are exploiting their economic isolation by strengthening commercial ties.
The Russian president Vladimir Putin travelled to Iran yesterday as his country pursues more than US$21 billion in exports including a potential order for the Sukhoi passenger jet.
A Russian trade delegation led by the trade minister Denis Manturov is due to visit Iran on December 15. It is expected to include several units of Rostec, the sprawling military conglomerate controlled by Sergey Chemezov, a long-time ally of the Russian president.
But warming relations between Moscow and Tehran may risk alienating Gulf states including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, who are fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, say analysts.
“I think it’s pretty safe to say the Gulf will not be buying Russian weapons in large quantities for the time being,” said Michael Stephens, a research fellow for Middle East studies at the Royal United Services Institute. In a Dubai hotel meeting room, Mr Chemezov starts to chuckle when asked how sanctions have hurt him and his business.
The man who once lived in the same apartment complex as Mr Putin when they were both young KGB officers in East Germany, is determined not to take the question seriously.
After much mirth, the joke is shared. He personally has attracted so many sanctions by so many governments that he wonders if there is anyone left to apply any more.
“I think I have already gathered all of them,” he says. “I do not understand why I am so lovable in this respect.”
Russia has been strengthening relations with Iran since the Arab Spring and those ties have intensified further since the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine which triggered international sanctions against Moscow.
“As one of its early efforts, Moscow unofficially supported the activities of Russian businesses in Iran,” said Nikolay Khozanov, a lecturer in political economy and author of a report published in May by the Carnegie Moscow Center which examines the revitalisation of Russian-Iranian relations. “The Kremlin looked the other way when Russian businesses found loopholes in the US and EU sanctions regime aimed at their Iranian partners.”
Improving relations also led to the resumption of stalled exports of the S-300 missile system to Tehran.
Mr Chemezov flew to Dubai this month to use the city’s biennial air show to reveal the planned export of its S-300 surface-to-air missile system that had been mired in a long-running legal row.
The missile deal was originally signed in 2007, but deliveries were subsequently blocked by the Kremlin. That triggered a $4bn lawsuit brought by Iran against Rosoboronexport, the Rostec unit that oversees military exports. The revival of the stalled missile deal and expected withdrawal of litigation is being seen as a significant event for relations between Moscow and Tehran.
Sukhoi, the Russian plane maker, and Russian Helicopters were also displaying their aircraft at the Dubai Airshow this month. Both plan to travel to Iran next month, hopeful that the removal of international sanctions against Iran brings with it lucrative contracts as the country’s aviation industry lurches back into life.
Ilya Tarasenko, the president of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, confirmed the company was in talks with Iran to sell up to 100 of its SSJ100 twin-engine regional jets in an interview aboard the plane at the show.
Mr Putin arrived in Tehran yesterday on what is his first visit to the country in eight years.
He is due to meet the Iranian president Hassan Rouhani and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He will also attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, which comprises some of the world’s leading gas producers, including the UAE.
Russia has been seeking to develop investment partnerships with the UAE and in February visited the Idex defence exhibition, where Russian military manufacturers including Kalashnikov had a major presence.
scronin@thenational.ae
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T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYasmin%20Azad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESwift%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company profile
Name: Tharb
Started: December 2016
Founder: Eisa Alsubousi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Luxury leather goods
Initial investment: Dh150,000 from personal savings
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Calls
Directed by: Fede Alvarez
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Karen Gillian, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
4/5
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
THE%20SPECS
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West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Smart words at Make Smart Cool
Make Smart Cool is not your usual festival. Dubbed “edutainment” by organisers Najahi Events, Make Smart Cool aims to inspire its youthful target audience through a mix of interactive presentation by social media influencers and a concert finale featuring Example with DJ Wire. Here are some of the speakers sharing their inspiration and experiences on the night.
Prince Ea
With his social media videos accumulating more half a billion views, the American motivational speaker is hot on the college circuit in the US, with talks that focus on the many ways to generate passion and motivation when it comes to learning.
Khalid Al Ameri
The Emirati columnist and presenter is much loved by local youth, with writings and presentations about education, entrepreneurship and family balance. His lectures on career and personal development are sought after by the education and business sector.
Ben Ouattara
Born to an Ivorian father and German mother, the Dubai-based fitness instructor and motivational speaker is all about conquering fears and insecurities. His talk focuses on the need to gain emotional and physical fitness when facing life’s challenges. As well managing his film production company, Ouattara is one of the official ambassadors of Dubai Expo2020.
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKinetic%207%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rick%20Parish%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clean%20cooking%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
SPEC%20SHEET
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How to help
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