Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein expects that a military confrontation with ISIS will become necessary, and that the international community is increasingly recognising the need to act as the extremist group continues to regroup. This comes at a time when the Middle East is dealing with major changes, particularly since the fall of Bashar Al Assad’s regime in Syria last December.
In an exclusive interview with The National at the Munich Security Conference, Mr Hussein said that “the whole situation in the Middle East is now different”, and will require further co-ordination between countries in the region.
Mr Hussein and his government are closely following developments in Syria, with which Iraq shares an almost 600km border. Although Syria’s new President Ahmad Al Shara was previously imprisoned in Iraq for his ties to extremist groups, Mr Hussein said Baghdad hopes to co-ordinate with Damascus in “the collective fight” against ISIS, which Iraq considers to be the main threat from its neighbour.
“We consider ISIS as a threat, we don’t consider other groups as a threat to Iraq,” he said, describing the situation in Syria as “very complicated”.
“It’s complicated because there are various groups still in Syria, and various countries, armies of different countries. The Americans, the French, the Turkish army, the Russian base, and now the Israelis. And next to all these armies, you have got various groups. Hayat Tahrir Al Sham controls the largest area in Syria, but at the same time you have the north-east, which has been controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, and the north-west, which has been controlled by Turkmen forces. And of course, on the other side, the ISIS terrorist fighters are controlling that area.
We cannot wait for ISIS to once again reorganise themselves
“We are watching the Horan Valley. It starts from Deraa, in Syria, and ends in Al Anbar in Iraq. It is easy for ISIS terrorist fighters to enter in or near Deraa, and exit in Al Anbar, or the other way around.”
Iraq is working with Jordan to counter this threat, Mr Hussein said, and he expects to have talks with the US-led international coalition.
“We are going to have discussions with the coalition to strike ISIS, because we cannot wait for ISIS to once again reorganise themselves.”
ISIS, he said, has strengthened its position in Syria and equipped itself from weapons left by the Assad regime’s military. “So they are better equipped, better organised and many people have joined them. And according to our information, various leaders of ISIS from abroad also went back and joined them. Either we are going to attack, or they are going to prepare themselves to attack, because ISIS is an organisation that is based on attacking other societies. And I think that once again, the first target of ISIS will be Iraq.”
'Democracy is important for Syria, people fought for freedom'
Mr Hussein, who last week travelled to Paris to attend a summit on Syria, voiced hope that the new authorities in Damascus “will take the right steps so that they can have an inclusive political process”.
Otherwise, he warned, “conflicts and difficulties will remain in Syria. Stability in Syria is very important for Iraq. It is very much interlinked with Iraq."
While he was reluctant to suggest how the new Syrian government should plan its political transition, Mr Hussein stressed that it is vital for all groups in the country to be represented, including Kurds, Alawites, Christians, Druze and others.
“The only way to solve these problems is to have a democratic system in place. Democracy is important for Syria, because people fought for freedom.”
He voiced concern at the new government’s silence regarding the details of the transition. “So far, we see no discussion of a democratic system. It will be important to have all these components on board, representative components, otherwise, there will be an unstable Syria. We don’t want that; that would affect us negatively.”
US policy on Gaza a 'main topic' for Arab Summit
In May this year, Baghdad will host the next Arab Summit. Mr Hussein confirmed that Mr Al Shara would be invited to the talks. “We are talking about hosting the summit. That means bringing together all leaders of Arab countries, and this means we are going to invite all leaders of Arab countries,” he said. “Of course, it is up to the leader to send another representative, but, in principle, we are inviting all of them.”
Mr Hussein said the summit would focus on finding solutions for the latest developments in the region. Palestine, he confirmed, will be among “the main topics, but also relations between Arab countries and ties with their neighbouring countries, Iran and Turkey, as well as the American policy towards the region”. The Arab world is facing the threat of the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank, especially with US President Donald Trump having repeatedly spoken of his plan to “own Gaza” and rebuild it.
Asked about Mr Trump’s proposal, Mr Hussein said: “The Palestinian question has to do with the Palestinians in the first place, but also with various countries surrounding Palestine – Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and other countries – along with Arab and Muslim countries.”
Iraq has suggested establishing a fund to support the reconstruction of Gaza, and Arab states have been working on a counterproposal to present to Mr Trump.
The Arab League is scheduled to meet in Cairo later this month, and Mr Hussein predicted that the gathering would result in “a common stance, a common position” being formulated.
“I think the Arab League will reject [Mr Trump’s] idea. But at the same time, we must have an alternative. Rejecting ideas is easy. But you to have an alternative,” he said. “We must be clear: Gaza has been destroyed. And the population of Gaza, they were suffering because of the war, but now they are suffering because of lack of services. So who’s going to build Gaza? And who is going to lead Gaza? What kind of authority is going to be there? All of these questions must be answered.”
Closer to home, Iraq has to contend with the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” policy towards Iran. Washington, Mr Hussein said, has already informed Baghdad that the US will no longer agree to waive sanctions to enable Iraq to buy Iranian gas. “The new decision means no gas from Iran, and that will affect our capacity. It also means no purchasing of Iranian electricity,” he added.
Iraq currently buys about 1,200 megawatts of electricity from Iran each year, and Iranian gas covers about 30 per cent of Iraq’s energy demand. “No Iranian gas means shortages of electricity. My Prime Minister [Mohammed Shia Al Sudani], our cabinet and myself are talking with various countries so that we can find a way to solve this problem,” Mr Hussein said. Iraq has approached Turkey, Jordan and Gulf countries in an effort to fill the void created by sanctions against Iran. Baghdad is also working on developing its own capacity, but Mr Hussein believes it will take two to three years to be able to meet the population’s needs.
'Pressure on Iran is increasing from Americans'
Alongside sanctions, Washington’s maximum pressure policy also involves taking measures against Iraqi armed groups allied with Iran. “The pressure on Iran is increasing from the American side, and we are a neighbouring country … so tension between Washington and Tehran affects us directly or indirectly. We are worried about that, to be honest,” Mr Hussein said.
“I am sure that the Iranians are studying the new developments in the Middle East, and I hope they will come up with a new policy … the only way to solve problems is through negotiation and dialogue, not through violence.
“All of us in Iraq – politicians as well as other groups – must take the major changes in the Middle East into consideration, but they must also take the new administration and new policy in Washington into consideration. Otherwise, we are going to face a difficult time.
“Taking all these things into consideration means that we must reorganise ourselves. We must have one voice, and that must be the voice of the state.”
Alluding to militias that refuse to come under the control of the government, Mr Hussein said that “all groups must be included under the responsibility of the government, not outside the government. And the government will decide any military or security issue”.
Iraq faces a major challenge in bringing the militias under the umbrella of the state, as several take their orders from Tehran. Mr Hussein warned that “they must work within the framework of government policy, otherwise we are going to face a difficult time”.
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
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on animal trafficking
The five pillars of Islam
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
Feeding the thousands for iftar
Six industrial scale vats of 500litres each are used to cook the kanji or broth
Each vat contains kanji or porridge to feed 1,000 people
The rice porridge is poured into a 500ml plastic box
350 plastic tubs are placed in one container trolley
Each aluminium container trolley weighing 300kg is unloaded by a small crane fitted on a truck
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Results
Final: Iran beat Spain 6-3.
Play-off 3rd: UAE beat Russia 2-1 (in extra time).
Play-off 5th: Japan beat Egypt 7-2.
Play-off 7th: Italy beat Mexico 3-2.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENetflix%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKris%20Fade%2C%20Ebraheem%20Al%20Samadi%2C%20Zeina%20Khoury%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The years Ramadan fell in May
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
'Outclassed in Kuwait'
Taleb Alrefai,
HBKU Press
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
