The US will re-enter talks with Iran next week after a ceasefire with Israel that also raises the prospects of peace in Gaza, President Donald Trump has said.
Speaking at a Nato summit, Mr Trump said Iran is “not going to be building bombs for a long time” after US attacks, as mystery surrounded the fate of Iran's nuclear materials. He compared the US strikes to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that ended the Second World War.
A truce continued to hold after Israel and Iran halted a 12-day air war, their worst ever direct conflict. If Israel “does not take any aggressive actions, Iran will not react either”, an Iranian government official told The National.
Hamas said Gaza ceasefire talks had “intensified in recent hours” with the participation of mediators from Egypt and Qatar. Mr Trump said “great progress” was being made to end the Israel-Hamas war, and added that his special envoy Steve Witkoff had told him: “Gaza is very close.”
He linked his optimism about imminent “very good news” for Gaza to the ceasefire agreed on Tuesday between Israel and Iran. “It helped a little, and sowed a lot of power,” he said. “I think this helped.”
Mr Trump said the “war is done” after the US dropped “bunker-buster” bombs on three Iranian nuclear sites early on Sunday. Iran responded by launching missiles at an American airbase in Qatar, in an attack widely condemned in the Arab world.
“We're going to talk to them next week with Iran. We may sign an agreement, I don't know,” said Mr Trump. “The way I look at it, they fought, the war is done.
“I don’t want to use an example of Hiroshima. I don’t want to use an example of Nagasaki, but that was essentially the same thing – that ended a war.”
The bombing raid ordered by Mr Trump hit the Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites in Iran, which is suspected by the US and Israel of secretly developing a nuclear weapon. Iran denies this, insisting it is enriching uranium for peaceful purposes.
Tehran will re-enter nuclear talks only if the US offers clear aims and takes steps to rebuild trust, current and former Iranian officials said. Five rounds of meetings failed to produce a deal on curbing Iran's activities, before Israel attacked Iran almost a fortnight ago.
“We need to see whether the opposing sides will enter in good faith or not,” an analyst in Tehran who is close to the Iranian government told The National.
“The opposing side must prove that it is reliable this time with confidence-building measures,” the analyst said. “We will wait until there is good faith and a new initiative.”
Iran was believed to have a stockpile of near-weapons grade uranium before the air war broke out. The whereabouts of its nuclear materials are now unclear, amid speculation it could have moved them before the US bombing.
Mr Trump maintained on Wednesday that “there was obliteration” but conceded that early US intelligence findings were inconclusive. “It could've been very severe. That's what the intelligence suggests,” he said.
Iran said only that its nuclear sites were “badly damaged” in the bombing raids. Israeli strikes also killed nuclear scientists and several senior military commanders in Iran, as well as hitting symbols of government power in Tehran.
Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Iran informed him it had taken “precautionary measures” regarding its uranium stockpile. He said: “There is rubble, there could be unexploded ordnance, there are not normal inspections.”
A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the strike on Fordow “destroyed the site's critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable”.
Israel said it assessed that the strikes had set back Iran's nuclear programme “by many years”. Mr Netanyahu is now coming under pressure from some quarters in Israeli politics to follow the Iran truce with a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
Sources reported that top Hamas officials, including Khalil Al Hayah, Zaher Jabareen, and Nazar Awadallah, have been holding talks with Egyptian officials since they arrived in Cairo on Monday.
A lone mid-level Israeli negotiator was also in Cairo, while a senior team from Israel's Mossad spy agency was expected later in the week, but only if the chances of making progress in the talks improve, according to the sources.
They told The National that the proposals on the table to pause the war and secure the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza were not different from those discussed in previous rounds, and which mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the US could not get Hamas and Israel to agree to.
Life was returning to normal after the war. Israel has mostly lifted restrictions on schools and public gatherings put in place by a home front command. Iranian authorities announced the gradual easing of internet restrictions.
“The communication network is gradually returning to its previous state,” said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' cyber security command in a statement carried by state media.
Hezbollah meanwhile lauded what it described as Iran’s “divine victory” over Israel in the 12-day war. The Lebanese armed group and political party said Iran’s attacks “shattered the aura of [Israel’s] defence systems” and marked a “new historical stage” in the region.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi spoke by phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, condemning Iran’s attack on a US airbase in Qatar and reaffirming Cairo's support for “the sovereignty of Arab and Islamic states”.
According to a statement from Egypt's presidency, Mr El Sisi welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel, emphasising the need to “stabilise and uphold the agreement” to prevent escalation in the region.
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RESULT
Los Angeles Galaxy 2 Manchester United 5
Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The Bio
Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.
Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.
Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.
Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
Read more from Johann Chacko
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
