War weary and feeling defenceless, it has once more been forced into accepting a ceasefire with an enemy. History does not repeat itself exactly, but as the saying goes, it often rhymes.
When Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini agreed to a ceasefire with Iraq in 1988, he famously described it as “worse than drinking poison”. The octogenarian leader, who died a year later, urged Iranians to accept his decision and be grateful for the sacrifices of the war. One million lives were lost in the eight-year conflict.
It was a moment of deep humility for a regime born in defiance. The Islamic Republic’s dream of swiftly exporting its 1979 revolution through the battlefield collapsed under the weight of economic strain, human cost and strategic overreach.
Now, four decades later, another poison pill is being passed around in Tehran. This time, it is the 86-year-old supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, confronting the bitter taste of necessity. The recent ceasefire with Israel feels like deja vu, but with higher stakes and broader regional implications.
After the war with Iraq, the establishment adopted a policy of “forward defence”, projecting power beyond its borders to prevent future wars at home. What began as a shield became a spear. Over time, Iran’s ideological mission turned into geopolitical ambition: proxy militias; missile stockpiles; covert operations; and a nuclear programme. What was once a doctrine to protect the revolution evolved into a campaign to dominate parts of the region.
To some extent, it worked. Iran came close to building a strategic arc of influence from Tehran to the Mediterranean. But the latest conflict has exposed the limits of that strategy. The myth of invulnerability was shattered in a matter of hours. Tehran’s deterrence was tested and found wanting. The old playbook of raising the stakes then stepping back with a calculated calm no longer worked.
Tehran was caught off guard, assuming war was off the table as it pursued nuclear negotiations with the US. Instead, it was hit hard. It retaliated swiftly, unleashing a wave of devastating missile strikes on Israeli cities. For the first time, both cities were under direct, heavy fire. No proxies. No buffers.
What began as an effort to contain Iran’s nuclear programme soon revealed a deeper aim: a quiet campaign to destabilise or even shift the balance of power in Tehran. As Iran’s regional alliances crumbled and with Hezbollah overstretched, Syria’s Bashar Al Assad gone and air defences faltering, Israel escalated its operations inside Iran with assassinations and drone strikes. Iran had to defend its own soil, from its own soil. Again.
Tehran faces a new reality in the Middle East, while inside the country, millions of voices are calling for peace, prosperity and rebuilding
Sensing an opportunity, the US stepped in. American bombers struck major nuclear sites deep inside Iran, a bold show of support for Israel that stopped short of total war. Iran hit back with a precision strike on a US base in Qatar, sending a message: cornering its ruling class could ignite the whole region. That strike was a warning: Iran may be battered, but it won’t go down quietly and it is ready to defend the Islamic Republic, even at the cost of its regional ties.
Now Tehran faces a new reality in the Middle East, while inside the country, millions of voices are calling for peace, prosperity and rebuilding. They are tired of sacrifice without progress, and slogans without solutions. They want passports that open doors, not raise suspicions. They want to join the world, not fight it.
Iran has long prided itself on thinking 50 years ahead. But is that still true? Or is it stuck, chained to the logic of defiance, even as the region changes? What cards are really left on the table? Oil? Uranium? Ideology? The real card was, and it still is, Iran’s own potential – a young, educated population of 92 million people, vast natural resources, rich culture and strategic geography.
The risk now is that this new poison pill becomes just another loop in an old cycle: lick the wounds; regroup; rebuild for the next round. That would be a mistake. The real lesson is not just restraint – it is to know when to stop, when to pivot and when to listen.
Rescue and recovery crews at work at a residential site in Be'er Sheva following a missile attack from Iran on June 24. Reuters
Contrails from Israeli air defence system are visible as interceptor rockets are launched towards Iranian missiles during an Iranian attack on June 24. AP
Residents spend the night in an underground garage as a precaution against Iranian missile attacks in Tel Aviv on June 23. AP
Supporters of regime change in Iran rally outside the Wilshire Federal Building in Los Angeles, California. The Los Angeles area holds the largest Iranian community in the world outside of Iran. AFP
A US Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber takes off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to support Operation Midnight Hammer against Iran. AFP
Projectiles in the sky over Doha, Qatar, on June 23 as the US military base at Al Udeid is attacked by Iran. AFP
The remnants of an Iranian missile intercepted over Qatar. AFP
The truth is that much of the Middle East is rooting for a better Iran. Not a weaker Iran, but a wiser one. One that is realistic, co-operative and open. One that sees compromise not as defeat but as a strategy. One that builds strength through trust, not fear.
“With all that clamour, with all those claims, the Zionist regime, under the blows of the Islamic Republic, has almost collapsed and been crushed,” said Mr Khamenei in a defiant speech after the ceasefire. But the reality is far more complex.
His poison pill could turn out to be not a bitter dose for the man at the top, but a potential remedy for the whole nation.
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Afghanistan fixtures
v Australia, today
v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
v New Zealand, Saturday,
v South Africa, June 15
v England, June 18
v India, June 22
v Bangladesh, June 24
v Pakistan, June 29
v West Indies, July 4
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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
Manchester City transfers:
OUTS
Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy, Willy Caballero and Jesus Navas (all released)
INS
Ederson (Benfica) £34.7m, Bernardo Silva (Monaco) £43m
ON THEIR WAY OUT?
Joe Hart, Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri, Wilfried Bony, Fabian Delph, Nolito and Kelechi Iheanacho
ON THEIR WAY IN?
Dani Alves (Juventus), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE) Where: Anfield, Liverpool Live: BeIN Sports HD Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
MATCH INFO
Karnataka Tuskers 110-5 (10 ovs)
Tharanga 48, Shafiq 34, Rampaul 2-16
Delhi Bulls 91-8 (10 ovs)
Mathews 31, Rimmington 3-28
Karnataka Tuskers win by 19 runs
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11 What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time. TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
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.
Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023 More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
