Iraq is planning to host an international conference to discuss developments in the region, the country's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani announced on Wednesday during an official visit to Iran.
“We call for a comprehensive regional dialogue that strengthens trust among the countries of the region and ensures security and peace for all,” Mr Al Sudani said during a joint press conference with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. He did not specify a date but said it would occur “in the upcoming period”.
Both leaders discussed regional developments, particularly Syria's political transition and bilateral ties, following up on Iranian President Pezeshkian's visit to Baghdad in September.
Iran and Iraq were strong supporters of the former Syrian regime under Bashar Al Assad, which was overthrown by an offensive led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) last month. Only days before, the Iraqi and Iranian foreign ministers had met the Syrian foreign minister in Baghdad and reaffirmed their support of the regime in Damascus.
“Both countries share common concerns regarding the developments in Syria, including stability and calm in the country, preserving Syria's territorial integrity and combating the terrorist groups,” Mr Pezeshkian said, adding that other concerns are “the necessity of the Zionist entity withdrawal from the occupied areas, and respecting religious and sectarian sentiments, particularly the holy Shiite shrines”.
“It requires greater intelligence and wisdom between the two countries when addressing the threat of terrorism and the reactivation of terrorist cells,” he added.
Iraq has cautiously welcomed the regime change in Syria and is calling for an inclusive political process. However, it has expressed concerns over the continuing situation in Syria, warning of the danger of a resurgent ISIS, sending more troops to the borders. Iraqi officials have warned that the numbers of extremist group's militants have increased and that they have seized more weapons.
Last month, Iraq sent a senior security delegation led by the Head of the Intelligence Service Hamid Al Shatri who met HTS leader and the Commander of Syria's new administration Ahmad Al Shara. They discussed several security-related issues, particularly the borders.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein last week congratulated new Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani and stressed Baghdad's commitment to restoring its diplomatic staff to Syria. Iraq is also set to reopen its Al Qaim border crossing with Syria soon, Iraqi officials told The National.
“We believe that Syria's stability is the key to the stability to the entire region,” Mr Al Sudani said. “Therefore, we call for a comprehensive political solution that preserves Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and puts an end to foreign interventions that harm the interests of the Syrian people,” he added.
He expressed Iraq's readiness to “co-operate with all parties to enhance Syria's stability, contribute to achieving a smooth and peaceful transition to a system that reflects the will of the Syrian people”.
“Syria should be able to decide its own fate and future without the destructive intervention of regional or international parties and not become a place for the growth of terrorism and violent extremism,” said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei on Monday. Developments in Syria's political transition will be on the agenda when Mr Al Sudani visits Tehran on Wednesday.
With the collapse of the Al Assad regime in Syria, Iraq remains one of Iran's last key supporters in the region. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, Baghdad and Tehran have shared strong religious, political and economic ties. Iran enjoys strong influence over its neighbour and backs dozens of armed groups there as part of its Axis of Resistance which has suffered severe blows by Israeli attacks on allies in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. These groups also participated in attacks against Israeli assets, particularly at the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023.
The developments in Syria come against the backdrop of the continuing war in Gaza and a fragile ceasefire in place between Israel and Iranian ally Hezbollah.
On Wednesday, Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei told Mr Al Sudani that the Popular Mobilisation Forces, a collection of militias mainly backed by Iran “must be preserved and strengthened,” while the US presence in Iraq was “illegal and contrary to the interests of the people and government of Iraq”.
The US said last year it would withdraw troops from parts of Iraq, which currently number about 2,500, but some would remain for years to come.
During his first visit to Iraq in September, Mr Pezeshkian said Iran was seeking to further improve its ties with Baghdad. His three-day trip featured the signing of 14 agreements in various fields.
Aveen Karim contributed from Abu Dhabi.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
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Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal
Rating: 3.5/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SPECS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1.600m
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Top speed: 350kph
Price: Dh13,600,000
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