ABU DHABI // Experts found some of the poll’s results surprising, particularly when it came to Iran’s nuclear agenda.
In 2012, 78 per cent of Arabs in the UAE said they believed Iran had ambitions to produce nuclear weapons. This year, that number plummeted to 53 per cent.
“It is quite surprising because the mood of the public is one of distrust of Iran and you’d assume that they would want to indict Iran as a wily negotiator who will hoodwink the P5+1 and proceed to produce nukes a la North Korea,” said Dr Albadr Alshateri, adjunct professor at the National Defence College and researcher at the Armed Forces.
“A possible explanation is, saying Iran will produce nuclear weapons is a recognition of its capability scientifically, [while] no Arab power has these capabilities. So maybe they want to deny Iran the prestige of a nuclear-capable status like that of Japan, Sweden and Brazil.”
Mark Katz, professor of government and politics at the School of Policy, Government and International Affairs at George Mason University in Washington, DC, said the surprising results could mean a substantial number of Arabs in the UAE were more convinced now that Tehran was genuinely seeking a nuclear agreement with the P5+1.
But although they have over time come to see Iran as less of a nuclear threat, they still see it as a threat, as 80 per cent said they believed Iran did not contribute to peace and stability in the Arab world.
“What this shows is that, unlike in the West and Israel where the focus is on a possible Iranian nuclear threat, Arabs in the UAE see Iran more threatening due to its support for its Shia allies in the region,” Mr Katz said.
Prof Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, political science professor at UAE University, said the results were not surprising.
“Nearly everybody perceives Iran as a force of instability in the region,” he said. “As a country that follows an expansionist policy, as a country that feels itself at ease interfering in regional affairs, this is definitely not contributing to the Arab world’s stability,” he said. “Wherever there are hot spots - Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon - we see Iran so I don’t think this will change in the near future as Iraq will remain troublesome and Iran will always want a weak Iraq next door. Syria will continue this way, Lebanon is also in trouble with the presence of Hezbollah and Yemen is now the new place to watch. It’s a pattern that will most likely continue.”
Dr Alshateri said people saw Iran as the problem and source of instability and conflict.
cmalek@thenational.ae
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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"
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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
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
RESULTS
Bantamweight title:
Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) bt Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
(KO round 2)
Catchweight 68kg:
Sean Soriano (USA) bt Noad Lahat (ISR)
(TKO round 1)
Middleweight:
Denis Tiuliulin (RUS) bt Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
(TKO round 1)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) bt Joachim Tollefsen (DEN)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 68kg:
Austin Arnett (USA) bt Daniel Vega (MEX)
(TKO round 3)
Lightweight:
Carrington Banks (USA) bt Marcio Andrade (BRA)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 58kg:
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) bt Malin Hermansson (SWE)
(Submission round 2)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (CAN) bt Juares Dea (CMR)
(Split decision)
Middleweight:
Mohamad Osseili (LEB) bt Ivan Slynko (UKR)
(TKO round 1)
Featherweight:
Tarun Grigoryan (ARM) bt Islam Makhamadjanov (UZB)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 54kg:
Mariagiovanna Vai (ITA) bt Daniella Shutov (ISR)
(Submission round 1)
Middleweight:
Joan Arastey (ESP) bt Omran Chaaban (LEB)
(Unanimous decision)
Welterweight:
Bruno Carvalho (POR) bt Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
(TKO)
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
