A narrative that has persisted throughout the decades-long cold conflict between Iran and Israel is that, before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the two countries had excellent relations that only soured after the Islamic Republic’s establishment.
Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s last crown prince, himself has repeatedly espoused a version of this narrative in his attempts to curry favour with Israel. It was front and centre when, on the invitation of its government, he visited Israel last year and met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
But how much truth is there to this rather simplistic historical narrative? At best, this is only half of the story.
Iran and Israel did have extensive trade, cultural, commercial and military links before the revolution. Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, had envisioned an anti-Arab “Alliance of the Periphery” that also included Iran, Turkey and Ethiopia.
Boasting a large Jewish community and a desire to have good relations with all the region’s peoples, Tehran also hosted a Jewish Agency office from 1942, which later became the de facto Israel embassy. As Iraqi Jews began fleeing their country for Palestine/Israel, they often went through Iran. And rather than side with the Arab powers in their wars against Israel, the Shah of Iran preferred to stay neutral, offering himself as a mediator.
Yet it would be inaccurate to characterise the Shah’s regime as pro-Israel. Pre-1979 Iran, instead, maintained mutually beneficial ties with Israel while opposing its occupation of Palestinian territories and maintaining sound relations with the Arab states. In fact, the Shah never established full diplomatic relations with Israel and was adamant that he would do so only after it ended its occupation – a position similar to that of many Arab countries today.
Like in recent years, Israel remained a topic of intense political debate in Iran
As a Muslim-majority country, Iran long defended the Palestinian cause, including by providing financial assistance to the Palestine Liberation Organisation in the 1960s. As early as 1935, following skirmishes in Mandatory Palestine, the Iranian diplomat Baqer Kazemi spoke in favour of the Arab people at the League of Nations.
In 1947, Iran was among a minority of countries on a UN committee to have presented a one-state federal solution to resolve the Palestine-Israel conflict. They failed to win the votes in the nascent body, with a majority of members in the committee advocating for the partition of Palestine and formation of the state of Israel.
Two years later, when Israel sought admittance to the UN, Iran voted no. Yet despite this official rejection, the two countries enjoyed people-to-people ties.
The late 1940s and early 1950s were stormy days in Iranian politics. This meant that the various political actors could mobilise around hot-button issues such as Israel. The right-wing Ayatollah Kashani described Israel offensively as “a bunch of nationless smuggling Jews who have been turned away by all countries of the world and have settled over there with the force of the large states”.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the communist Tudeh Party opposed Zionism and Israel’s policies while defending its right to exist and asking the Iranian government to establish diplomatic relations with it.
Iran finally recognised Israel in 1950 and sent Reza Safinia as its representative there. And although then prime minister Mohammad Mossadeq would recall Mr Safinia, citing financial constraints in running too many embassies, the relations between the two countries continued. In June 1953, months before Mr Mossadeq was overthrown in a CIA-staged coup, Bank Melli Iran signed an agreement with Israel’s Bank Leumi.
Regime change in Iran did not alter its foreign policy, with the Shah espousing a “national independent policy”, according to which Tehran maintained good relations with countries on both sides of the Cold War. It also established ties throughout the Mena region, including with those Arab states that called the Shah a stooge of the West.
Tehran even re-established diplomatic ties with Gamal Abdel Nasser’s Egypt in 1970, years after the latter had burnt bridges with it over its relations with Israel. His successor, Anwar Sadat, would go on to be the closest ally of the Shah, together with Jordan’s King Hussain.
Tehran’s relations with Arab countries were much more extensive than those with Israel. The Shah, for instance, intervened in key Arab civil wars such as those in Yemen (by sending arms to Saudi Arabia) and Oman (by sending boots on the ground to defend the Sultan against leftist rebels).
He opposed Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories in the 1967 war, declaring: “The age of occupying other people’s lands by the force of arms has long passed.” At the same time, however, Iran urged Arab states to accept Israel’s existence and drop the unrealistic goal of its destruction.
In December 1970, when Abba Eban, Israel’s foreign minister, visited Iran, he met his Iranian counterpart, Ardeshir Zahedi, in the latter’s private villa outside Tehran. The two countries’ relations, after all, weren’t official.
Mr Zahedi denounced the occupation at the meeting, before promising Mr Eban something familiar: if Israel were to leave the occupied territories, Iran “would see no problem in making its relations with you open”.
Like in recent years, Israel has remained a topic of intense political debate in Iran. In 1963, dissident intellectuals such as Jalal Ale Ahmad and Simin Daneshvar visited Israel, writing positive travelogues and praising the Kibbutzim as examples of religious modernity in practice. Four years later, however, Mr Ale Ahmad became a critic of Israel’s occupation.
When the socialist Dariush Ashoori wrote in praise of Israel in 1967, Ali Shariati, a pioneering Islamic socialist, wrote a bitter critique in Tehran’s Ferdowsi magazine, in which he condemned Israel as colonialist and fascist.
Going a step further, Ayatollah Khomeini and other Islamist leaders made opposition to Israel central to their politics. Iranian Islamists, together with radical Marxist opponents of the Shah, built durable links with the PLO and other Palestinian groups, with dozens of Iranians training, fighting and even dying alongside the Palestinians in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Such alliances help explain Iran’s post-1979, anti-Israel position. The record shows, however, that its pre-1979 stance was not wholly pro-Israel either, even though this myth continues to be propagated by the late Shah’s proponents and detractors alike.
The specs: 2018 Maserati Levante S
Price, base / as tested: Dh409,000 / Dh467,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 430hp @ 5,750rpm
Torque: 580Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.9L / 100km
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
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
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
ACC 2019: The winners in full
Best Actress Maha Alemi, Sofia
Best Actor Mohamed Dhrif, Weldi
Best Screenplay Meryem Benm’Barek, Sofia
Best Documentary Of Fathers and Sons by Talal Derki
Best Film Yomeddine by Abu Bakr Shawky
Best Director Nadine Labaki, Capernaum
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
((Disclaimer))
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Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Scoreline
Ireland 16 (Tries: Stockdale Cons: Sexton Pens: Sexton 3)
New Zealand 9 (Pens: Barrett 2 Drop Goal: Barrett)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
TICKETS
For tickets for the two-day Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) event, entitled Dubai Invasion 2019, on September 27 and 28 go to www.meraticket.com.
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Key findings of Jenkins report
- 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."
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on Quran memorisation:
Bundesliga fixtures
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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
Isle of Dogs
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber, Ed Norton, Greta Gerwig, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson
Three stars
Which products are to be taxed?
To be taxed:
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
Products excluded from the ‘sweetened drink’ category would contain at least 75 per cent milk in a ready-to-drink form or as a milk substitute, baby formula, follow-up formula or baby food, beverages consumed for medicinal use and special dietary needs determined as per GCC Standardisation Organisation rules
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