For any newly elected leader, picking a country to make his or her first official visit holds great significance. It’s no exception for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who assumed office in July.
There was much chatter around which country he would visit first and what that might say about his administration’s foreign policy priorities. Some expected it to be the US, where Dr Pezeshkian is due to address the UN General Assembly. Others suggested Russia, to attend the Brics summit. While the President confirmed he will be visiting both countries, he opted to make his first official trip to neighbouring Iraq, indicating that Tehran intends to give priority to the region.
Despite spending just three days in Iraq, Dr Pezeshkian had an expansive agenda. Aside from Baghdad, he visited the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala. He was also Iran’s first sitting president to travel to Iraqi Kurdistan as well as the southern port city of Basra.
Each destination was heavy on symbolism. Dr Pezeshkian is a devotee of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth of the Islamic Caliphs and first of the Shiite Imams, and has repeatedly quoted him both during his election campaign and since entering office. His pilgrimage to Najaf, where Ali rests, was especially meaningful, even though the fact that he didn’t meet Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, one of the world’s top Shiite clerics and leading Shiite authority in Iraq, raised a few eyebrows. He also met members of Iraq’s Co-ordination Framework, an umbrella of Islamist Shiite parties sympathetic to Tehran.
The Kurdistan leg of the trip was important on different levels.
As someone born to a Kurdish mother in the Kurdish-majority Iranian city of Mahabad, Dr Pezeshkian delighted local journalists in Kurdistan by speaking to them in their language. When he met Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid in Baghdad, the two leaders reportedly spoke in Kurdish, without interpreters, marking a historic moment.
After his return to Tehran, Dr Pezeshkian fondly recalled his meeting with Masoud Barzani, the head of Iraq’s Kurdistan Democratic Party, who was also born in Mahabad. It’s a different matter that the meeting drew protests from hardliners, unhappy that the President met a Kurdish leader without an official role.
The linguistic diplomacy was well reciprocated by Iraqi Kurdistan President Nechirvan Barzani, who spoke in fluent Persian during Dr Pezeshkian’s visit, as he lauded the “many common cultural, historical and linguistic ties” between the Iraqi Kurdish region and Iran. Mr Barzani’s fluency in Persian comes no surprise, with the leader having lived some of his childhood in Iran.
Dr Pezeshkian’s trip was especially significant because Tehran hasn’t always enjoyed warm ties with Erbil. The Iraqi Kurdish region allows the operation of Iranian Kurdish opposition parties on its soil, a perennial bugbear for Tehran and the subject of a recent security agreement with Baghdad. Erbil has also worked closely with the US and maintains unofficial ties with Israel.
Iran has traditionally held closer ties with KDP’s rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. As part of his trip, Dr Pezeshkian visited the PUK’s stronghold Sulaimaniyah and met party leader Bafel Talabani. But his warm reception in Erbil indicates Iran’s more ecumenical approach to Kurdish politics, particularly as the KDP’s concern that Tehran might back the PUK during the next month’s Kurdish parliamentary election will have been on the Iranian President’s mind.
His visit to Basra was symbolic in and of itself. Iranians will remember the 1987 siege of the city, which took place during the Iran-Iraq War and left thousands dead on both sides. Almost four decades later, with the war appearing to be firmly in the past, the city welcomed the President with the slogan “forever neighbours”.
But what does all this symbolism amount to?
Experts point out that while much of the trip seems to have been focused on public diplomacy, fundamental problems remain in the bilateral relations. Trade ties, worth less than $10 billion, remain lukewarm and even though Tehran has pledged to double this, its attempts to do so have been hampered by the western-led sanctions.
As he attempts to revive Iran’s economy and build a peace-oriented foreign policy, Dr Pezeshkian will have his work cut out for him
During his trip, Dr Pezeshkian spoke of grand plans for a union of Islamic countries. He spoke of how there are no more borders between most European countries and that one day the same could be true of the Muslim world, or at least between Iran and Iraq. And yet there are complexities even around the modest rail project that connects Basra to Iran’s Shalamcheh.
It’s also the case that ever since Saddam Hussein was overthrown in 2003, Tehran has maintained relations with Baghdad through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, rather than its foreign ministry. Iran’s ambassador to Iraq, like his predecessors since 2003, is an IRGC official. With a new president in office, is there an opportunity for the foreign ministry to take back some of the control it had on the country’s foreign affairs – particularly when it comes to dealing with Iraq – from the IRGC?
That would be a monumental challenge for Dr Pezeshkian, but if he were to succeed, it could lead to much less interference from Tehran in Iraq’s complex domestic affairs.
As often with diplomacy, making symbolic gestures is the easy part. As he attempts to revive Iran’s economy and build a peace-oriented foreign policy, Dr Pezeshkian will have his work cut out for him.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M3%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%2FUSB-4%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206E%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Midnight%2C%20silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%2F35W%20dual-port%2F70w%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%2C%202%20Apple%20stickers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C599%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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RESULT
Leeds United 1 Manchester City 1
Leeds: Rodrigo (59')
Man City: Sterling (17')
Man of the Match: Rodrigo Moreno (Leeds)
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
The finalists
Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho
Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson
Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)
Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid
Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
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THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
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
The years Ramadan fell in May
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
