Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian visits the village of Maroun El-Rass on the Lebanon-Israel border with Hezbollah members and lawmakers on Friday. AP Photo
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian visits the village of Maroun El-Rass on the Lebanon-Israel border with Hezbollah members and lawmakers on Friday. AP Photo
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian visits the village of Maroun El-Rass on the Lebanon-Israel border with Hezbollah members and lawmakers on Friday. AP Photo
Raghida Dergham is the founder and executive chairwoman of the Beirut Institute, and a columnist for The National
April 30, 2023
The Iranian regime has lately sought to appear moderate, including by softening the revolutionary tone and threatening rhetoric adopted by its proxies in the Middle East, and by supposedly deepening their political integration in their respective countries. Hezbollah, its Lebanese proxy, is an example of this new thinking in Tehran. What the regime seems to be doing in the process is using the strategy of a spider, which ensnares its prey by spinning a web around it and keeping it alive and fresh for later consumption.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian’s visit to Lebanon over the weekend was an indication that Tehran will continue propping up Hezbollah, while seemingly engaging with the Lebanese state, its leading parties and members of parliament, in an apparent recognition of the country’s democratic process.
However, Mr Amirabdollahian’s visit included a meeting with Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and concluded with a visit to the Lebanese-Israeli border without prior clearance from the authorities in Beirut. In doing so, he demonstrated an Iranian policy towards the Lebanese government that is based on the following principles: non-recognition of Lebanese sovereignty; preserving Hezbollah’s weapons and doctrine as they are, with the proxy being Iran’s military, regional and strategic ally, and the main arm of the regime and its regional projects.
Iranian officials seldom ask for permission from Lebanon before visiting the country. They arrive without invitation, simply informing Lebanese officials that they are on their way. This is what happened when Mr Amirabdollahian made his weekend trip – his first since his meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to implement their bilateral agreement. It’s worth noting that key provisions in the agreement, signed in Beijing in March, include a commitment to not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries in the region and to respect their sovereignty.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah delivers a speech via video during a gathering to commemorate Al Quds Day in a suburb outside Beirut in mid-April. EPA
Iran’s logic adopted an expanded scope of the agreement with an emphasis on resolving the crisis in Yemen first. During his meetings with Lebanese officials, Mr Amirabdollahian conveyed that Tehran is ready to help resolve the Yemen crisis, sending a message that Saudi Arabia has priorities in Yemen that Iran is responding to. On other issues, such as Lebanon, he offered no indication that Iran will provide assistance in solving its problems, which are mainly the outcomes of Hezbollah’s positions, whether on its insistence on maintaining Iranian arms and acting as a state within a state, and taking orders from Tehran; or on influencing its other ally, the Assad regime, to commit to the safe return of Syrian refugees to their country.
Mr Amirabdollahian did convey his country's supposed willingness to provide Lebanon with oil grants and assistance in electricity generation. However, he knows Lebanon doesn’t want to expose itself to US sanctions in the process.
The Lebanese stop in the foreign minister's tour of Arab countries was meant to emphasise Iran’s prominence as a regional actor that decides freely who to help and when to do so. For this reason, he reiterated in his meetings that if the dialogue between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis fails to resolve the Yemen crisis, Iran would be ready to intervene to persuade the Houthis to do what is necessary.
Mr Amirabdollahian told Lebanese officials that what matters to Iran is that Lebanon elects a president, appoints a prime minister and forms a government to restore normality. Practically, however, he didn’t say whether the presidency card is negotiable. Indeed, amid negotiations with Saudi Arabia about Hezbollah's regional roles, Iran’s priority remains a reinforcement of its proxy’s position in Lebanon and Syria.
A noteworthy event during his visit was a meeting he convened at the Iranian embassy, which included certain parliamentary blocs and excluded others, to show that Iran's new diplomatic approach is to engage with the Lebanese on parliamentary, social and grassroots levels. However, the meeting revealed a deep-rooted weakness, particularly as Mr Amirabdollahian affirmed upon his arrival in Beirut that Tehran will continue to impose the formula of "the Army, the People, and the Resistance”, which effectively removes the state's authority over its entire territory.
All this means that those suggesting that the regime could choose to disengage from Hezbollah or dismantle its networks are rushing to false conclusions.
Yemenis walk past historic buildings in Sanaa, Yemen, in early April. EPA
The same can be said about the assumptions regarding Syria and its strong relations with the Iranian regime. Some have expressed hope that this relationship will break down for logical reasons, including Syrian President Bashar Al Assad's need to assert his authority over his country instead of deferring to Iranian influence, and to benefit from Arab financing of reconstruction if he decides to break these ties. However, limiting ties with Iran or Hezbollah won’t be easy.
Meanwhile, the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon continues to fester with few solutions in sight. Lebanon has hosted almost 2 million refugees despite challenges of its own, since the Syrian civil broke out more than a decade ago. But the Assad regime appears not to want their return, almost as if the fact that these refugees are being supported by the international community relieves the regime of its political burden.
The responsibility for the crisis lies also with Hezbollah, which has played a key role in displacing these refugees in the first place, including by destroying their villages in Syria and preventing their return. The UN’s bureaucratic fecklessness and policies adopted by some European governments are other reasons for inaction on the issue – as is the failure of the Lebanese government and its politicians to deal with the problem.
What is happening in Lebanon today requires Arab vigilance so that these refugees don’t face the same fate as the Palestinian refugees, whose return to Palestine has become nearly impossible. The return of Syrians to their country could prove even more difficult unless a comprehensive regional and international strategy is adopted to address the various elements of this crisis.
The Lebanese-Syrian frontier is of utmost importance, too, not only in terms of the need to control smuggling but also to demarcate the land and sea borders between Lebanon and Syria. Closing the border is a measure rejected by several Lebanese parties, including Hezbollah, which is still present militarily inside Syria. Herein lies the surreal paradox that brings us back to the Iranian regime’s contributions to both the Syrian and Lebanese crises.
While the immediate priority for Saudi Arabia and Iran is to end the Yemen conflict, Iran's policies towards Lebanon and Syria must be quickly addressed before tensions in Lebanon turn into a catastrophic war.
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.
Starring:Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah 5.10pm: Continous 5.45pm: Raging Torrent 6.20pm: West Acre 7pm: Flood Zone 7.40pm: Straight No Chaser 8.15pm: Romantic Warrior 8.50pm: Calandogan 9.30pm: Forever Young
Result
Qualifier: Islamabad United beat Karachi Kings by eight wickets
Fixtures
Tuesday, Lahore: Eliminator 1 - Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators
Wednesday, Lahore: Eliminator 2 – Karachi Kings v Winner of Eliminator 1
Sunday, Karachi: Final – Islamabad United v Winner of Eliminator 2
ODI: Tim Paine (capt), Aaron Finch (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
T20: Aaron Finch (capt), Alex Carey (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth.
Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister. "We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know. “All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.” It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins. Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement. The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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.
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.
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
The 90th Academy Awards will be aired in the UAE from 3.30am on Monday, March 5 on OSN, with the ceremony starting at 5am
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
