Iran’s belated decision this week to allow inspectors from the United Nations’ atomic watchdog access to two suspected nuclear sites needs to be seen against the background of Iran’s diplomatic offensive to have the international arms embargo lifted.
Iran and the UN-sponsored International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have been at loggerheads for several months over complaints by nuclear inspectors that Iran has been denying them access to two sites at Marizan and Amad that they suspect are linked to the country’s controversial nuclear programme. UN inspectors believe that the sites have been used for developing and storing nuclear material related to the country’s clandestine nuclear weapons programme, which the CIA believes was active until 2003.
Nuclear experts at the IAEA believe the sites were active in the early 2000s, but Tehran has consistently refused to allow UN inspectors access to the sites despite signing the controversial 2015 nuclear deal with the world’s major powers.
The stand-off between Tehran and the IAEA over the sites, together with disputes over other unresolved issues, prompted the organisation to take the unprecedented step of publishing a special report in March about the unanswered questions that remained about Iran’s nuclear activities, and the lack of co-operation inspectors had received from Tehran.
This was followed in June when the IAEA’s Board of Governors, led by the US and the European signatories to the deal, Britain, France and Germany, issued a rare condemnation of Iran for stonewalling its nuclear inspectors and called on the country to allow the agency access to two undeclared sites. The resolution was the first time the organisation had formally criticised the Islamic Republic since 2012.
Since then a senior team of IAEA officials have been involved in talks with Dr Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Agency of Iran, to resolve the dispute. A breakthrough was made earlier this month when Tehran signalled it would end its opposition to the inspectors visiting the disputed sites.
This led to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi travelling to Tehran earlier this week for meetings with key Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Dr Salehi.
In a joint statement issued after the meetings on Wednesday, the IAEA and Iran announced that they had reached an agreement on dates for access and verification activities “after intensive bilateral consultations.”
There will, of course, be a degree of scepticism over whether Iran will actually comply with the terms of the agreement signed by Mr Grossi and Dr Salehi, or indulge in the prevarication tactics that have characterised Iran’s dealings with the IAEA over more than two decades.
Iran's priority is to get the arms embargo lifted
Indeed, the imposition of an arms embargo against Tehran was first undertaken in 2007 after the Iranian regime was accused of failing to co-operate fully with the IAEA over its nuclear programme.
But while a number of serious questions still remain about Iran’s nuclear activities, such as the activities carried out at undeclared nuclear sites and the exact size of the stockpiles of nuclear material Iran has developed since signing the 2015 deal, Iran’s main priority now is to get UN arms embargo lifted when it comes up for renewal in October.
And on that front, all the indications are that Tehran may well achieve its goal.
Iran, backed by China and Russia, insists that the arms embargo that was imposed under a number of UN Security Council resolutions is no longer valid because of the Trump administration’s unilateral decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal in 2018.
Washington insists this is not the case, and that the nuclear deal is separate from the arms embargo issue. But attempts by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to persuade European leaders to support Washington’s position have so far met with little success, prompting Mr Pompeo to accuse Washington’s European allies of “siding with the ayatollahs.”
For this reason Tehran is now trying to demonstrate its willingness to co-operate with the UN by resolving the dispute over allowing inspectors access to disputed nuclear sites.”
As one Western diplomat with knowledge of the negotiations told me: “Iran’s priority is to get the arms embargo lifted, which the Iranian government believes would be a major diplomatic coup against the US. This explains Tehran’s decision to end its differences with the IAEA.
“The big question is whether Tehran will abide by its undertakings to allow new inspections or continue to frustrate IAEA inspectors?”
Certainly, the deal between the IAEA and Tehran, which is due to be discussed at a meeting of the nuclear deal’s signatories in Vienna on Tuesday, is unlikely to make much impact on the Trump administration’s hostile attitude towards Iran.
On the contrary, Mr Pompeo has made it clear that even without the support of America’s allies in Europe, Washington will continue to press for the continuation of the arms embargo, irrespective of whether the nuclear deal continues or not.
To this end Mr Pompeo travelled to the UN earlier this month in an attempt to persuade the body to maintain the sanctions by filing a formal complaint accusing Iran of breaching its obligations.
But earlier this week the US initiative was rejected by the UN Security Council after the body, which is currently chaired by Indonesia, declared that it was "not in a position to take further action" on Washington's request, citing a lack of consensus in the 15-member body. Among those who opposed the US move were Britain, France and Germany.
The UN’s decision now leaves the US isolated, a situation that raises the terrifying prospect of the arms embargo being lifted, thereby allowing Iran the freedom to buy arms on the open market.
Con Coughlin is a defence and foreign affairs columnist for The National
RACE CARD
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
Rooney's club record
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
Kibsons%20Cares
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERecycling%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EAny%20time%20you%20receive%20a%20Kibsons%20order%2C%20you%20can%20return%20your%20cardboard%20box%20to%20the%20drivers.%20They%E2%80%99ll%20be%20happy%20to%20take%20it%20off%20your%20hands%20and%20ensure%20it%20gets%20reused%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EKind%20to%20health%20and%20planet%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESolar%20%E2%80%93%2025-50%25%20of%20electricity%20saved%3Cbr%3EWater%20%E2%80%93%2075%25%20of%20water%20reused%3Cbr%3EBiofuel%20%E2%80%93%20Kibsons%20fleet%20to%20get%2020%25%20more%20mileage%20per%20litre%20with%20biofuel%20additives%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESustainable%20grocery%20shopping%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENo%20antibiotics%3Cbr%3ENo%20added%20hormones%3Cbr%3ENo%20GMO%3Cbr%3ENo%20preservatives%3Cbr%3EMSG%20free%3Cbr%3E100%25%20natural%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
Labour dispute
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.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
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Doucoure 90'
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Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
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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.
MATCH INFO
Pakistan 106-8 (20 ovs)
Iftikhar 45, Richardson 3-18
Australia 109-0 (11.5 ovs)
Warner 48 no, Finch 52 no
Australia win series 2-0
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SERIES%209
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Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
It
Director: Andres Muschietti
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor
Three stars
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
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