The US and Israel are scheduled to hold strategic talks in Washington in the coming week, with their primary focus being on Iran’s nuclear weapons programme. However, the consultations will also cover the war in Gaza, border negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, and Tehran’s broader regional activities.
US President Donald Trump has given the Iranian leadership a two-month window to negotiate a new nuclear deal, warning in his letter to the nation’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that military strikes against its nuclear facilities remain on the table if no agreement is reached. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is seeking close co-ordination with Washington with a view to produce a joint action plan, convinced that the chances of striking a deal with Iran are slim and that escalation towards military confrontation is inevitable.
Both the US and Israel appear firmly committed to preventing Tehran from advancing its nuclear weapons programme.
The countdown has begun, either towards a deal that brings the programme under oversight extending beyond the International Atomic Energy Agency to include nations such as the US, as Mr Trump proposed; or towards US-approved military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, a threat implicitly conveyed in Mr Trump’s letter. But Mr Khamenei isn’t likely to yield, for the establishment in Tehran perceives its nuclear weapons programme as a vital safeguard for its survival.
Mr Trump’s approach to securing a deal with Iran marks a radical departure from that of former US president Barack Obama, who yielded to Tehran’s demand to exclude its regional conduct from a future nuclear agreement. This concession left the latter free to pursue destabilising activities inside sovereign nations such as Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen through a network of militias.
Negotiations between Lebanon and Israel don’t constitute normalisation
Iran’s strategy at this stage is centred on distancing itself from the conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen, all of which it considers to be secondary to its nuclear weapons programme. As long as these conflicts remain outside Iranian territory, it can maintain the illusion of plausible deniability while continuing to push its narrative of “resistance” through its regional proxies.
The US President’s strategy centres on confronting these proxies. He is particularly insistent about cutting off Hamas and appears to have endorsed Israel’s renewed offensive to destroy the group’s presence in Gaza. He is also committed to dismantling the Houthi leadership through a direct military campaign in Yemen – to stop the group’s disruption of international shipping as well as to send Tehran a message that Washington is prepared for direct military action.
Moreover, Mr Trump seems ready to give Israel the green light to escalate its ongoing operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, should the government in Beirut not fulfil the terms of its ceasefire agreement with Israel, which includes disarming Hezbollah and Palestinian factions based in the country. Israel will persist with its attacks on Hezbollah targets and its occupation of Lebanese land as long as it has a pretext to do so.
The Lebanese government must also avoid bowing to Hezbollah’s rejection of probable negotiations with Israel on the false pretext that such talks amount to normalisation between the two countries.
First, such negotiations don’t constitute normalisation. The time has come for the Lebanese state to assert its right to engage in talks aimed at removing Israeli occupation from the 13 disputed border points and the five additional positions the latter recently seized.
Second, Lebanon and Israel have previously engaged in negotiations through a trilateral mechanism involving the UN. This mechanism can, and should, be expanded from its purely military function to include political negotiations necessary to end the occupation.
Third, Lebanon and Israel demarcated their maritime borders with Hezbollah’s approval two years ago. So why shouldn’t Beirut insist on a structured diplomatic process to demarcate land borders, too – and, in the process, thwart Israel’s territorial ambitions?
Likewise, there is no justification for delaying the demarcation of Lebanon’s borders with both Israel and Syria, especially when UN Security Council Resolution 1680 calls for this step as a pathway to peace following the end of occupation. It is in the strategic interests of both Lebanon and Syria to settle their borders with Israel and with each other.
These actions are not just advisable; they are urgent and essential, particularly given the looming regional crisis, which presents a deeply unsettling picture. Iran appears determined to stand its ground on the nuclear issue, refusing any flexibility, while preparing for a high-stakes military confrontation with Israel – particularly if Mr Trump follows through on his threats to strike its nuclear facilities.
Tehran might then see no alternative but to retaliate by launching attacks on Israel, with the goal of crippling its infrastructure and placing Mr Trump in a political and strategic bind. If this is indeed the contingency plan, as I am given to understand, it could be mere posturing – a desperate attempt to mask Iran’s growing vulnerabilities and to give Mr Trump pause. Or it may well be to signal Iran’s readiness to risk an all-out war with devastating consequences for the region.
Either way, Mr Trump is unlikely to back down easily. That is precisely why the Middle East is teetering on the edge of an extremely dangerous moment right now.
Iran’s leadership must know that it finds itself increasingly isolated on the issue of its nuclear weapons programme. Neither Russia nor China is certain to stand by its side, and its regional proxies have either been weakened or neutralised. In other words, Tehran’s continued defiance won’t shield it from the consequences of its actions.
PREMIER LEAGUE STATS
Romelu Lukaku's goalscoring statistics in the Premier League
Season/club/appearances (substitute)/goals
2011/12 Chelsea: 8(7) - 0
2012/13 West Brom (loan): 35(15) - 17
2013/14 Chelsea: 2(2) - 0
2013/14 Everton (loan): 31(2) - 15
2014/15 Everton: 36(4) - 10
2015/16 Everton: 37(1) - 18
2016/17 Everton: 37(1) - 25
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
The 15 players selected
Muzzamil Afridi, Rahman Gul, Rizwan Haider (Dezo Devils); Shahbaz Ahmed, Suneth Sampath (Glory Gladiators); Waqas Gohar, Jamshaid Butt, Shadab Ahamed (Ganga Fighters); Ali Abid, Ayaz Butt, Ghulam Farid, JD Mahesh Kumara (Hiranni Heros); Inam Faried, Mausif Khan, Ashok Kumar (Texas Titans
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Specs
Price, base: Dhs850,000
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 591bhp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.3L / 100km
THE BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Whenever I have any free time I always go back to see my family in Caltra, Galway, it’s the only place I can properly relax.
Favourite film: The Way, starring Martin Sheen. It’s about the Camino de Santiago walk from France to Spain.
Personal motto: If something’s meant for you it won’t pass you by.
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
About Seez
Company name/date started: Seez, set up in September 2015 and the app was released in August 2017
Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer
Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
Sector: Search engine for car buying, selling and leasing
Size: (employees/revenue): 11; undisclosed
Stage of funding: $1.8 million in seed funding; followed by another $1.5m bridge round - in the process of closing Series A
Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds
RESULTS
Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO
Featherweight: Izzeddin Farhan (JOR) beat Ozodbek Azimov (UZB). Round 1 rear naked choke
Middleweight: Zaakir Badat (RSA) beat Ercin Sirin (TUR). Round 1 triangle choke
Featherweight: Ali Alqaisi (JOR) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (UZB). Round 1 TKO
Featherweight: Abu Muslim Alikhanov (RUS) beat Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG). Unanimous decision
Catchweight 74kg: Mirafzal Akhtamov (UZB) beat Marcos Costa (BRA). Split decision
Welterweight: Andre Fialho (POR) beat Sang Hoon-yu (KOR). Round 1 TKO
Lightweight: John Mitchell (IRE) beat Arbi Emiev (RUS). Round 2 RSC (deep cuts)
Middleweight: Gianni Melillo (ITA) beat Mohammed Karaki (LEB)
Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (BRA) beat Amiran Gogoladze (GEO). Unanimous decision
Flyweight (Female): Carolina Jimenez (VEN) beat Lucrezia Ria (ITA), Round 1 rear naked choke
Welterweight: Daniel Skibinski (POL) beat Acoidan Duque (ESP). Round 3 TKO
Lightweight: Martun Mezhlumyan (ARM) beat Attila Korkmaz (TUR). Unanimous decision
Bantamweight: Ray Borg (USA) beat Jesse Arnett (CAN). Unanimous decision
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
