TEHRAN // The Syrian president, Bashar Assad, expressed little hope for success in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks yesterday, saying the US administration was only interested in boosting President Barack Obama's domestic popularity. "There has been no change in the Palestinian peace process. The main objective of the talks is to garner support for Obama inside America," Mr Assad was quoted by the official government news agency IRNA as saying after his meeting yesterday with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Mr Assad was on a one-day trip to Tehran where he met Mr Ahmadinejad to discuss regional and international issues as well as the two countries' economic ties. Few details were released on what the two leaders discussed, but analysts believe the US rapprochement with Syria and the political stalemate over the formation of a new government in Iraq were at the top of the agenda. Mr Ahmadinejad praised the Syrian president's role in "resistance" against Israel at the start of their meeting. "America's facade has crumbled and the Zionist regime has been exposed," he said.
Iran does not recognise Israel and has strongly opposed and condemned the US-sponsored talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Speaking about the peace talks before his meeting with the Iranian president behind closed doors, Mr Assad seemed to be reassuring Iran about Syria's stance towards Israel in light of his country's recent rapprochement with the US. After a meeting between the Syrian foreign minister, Walid al Moualem, and Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, at the UN last week, a US official was quoted by Al Jazeera as saying Syria was "very interested" in renewing its peace talks with Israel as part of a Middle East settlement. Iran has not had any public reaction to that report.
Washington says it is concerned about Syria's relationship with the Lebanese militant group Hizbollah, an ally of Iran, and wants Damascus to resume its Turkey-brokered peace talks with Israel and lend its support to peace talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. "Mr Assad needs to reassure Iran because the US rapprochement towards Syria can be a cause of concern for Iran at a time when Iran's own relations with the US seem to be moving towards a head-on collision over Iran's nuclear case and now its human-rights issues," a Tehran-based political analyst who requested anonymity said.
"Iran wouldn't want to lose Syria, and subsequently Lebanon, to the US." But it was not clear if Iraq's political impasse, on which the two countries have diverging views, was discussed. Iran backs the Shiite incumbent, Nouri al Maliki, while Syria supports the secular Iraqiyya bloc of the former premier Ayad Allawi. Before Mr Assad's visit, sources in Iraq said the Syrian president was delivering a message from Mr Allawi to Mr Ahmadinejad. In Beirut on Wednesday, Mr Allawi accused Iran of meddling in Iraqi politics by supporting Mr al Maliki.
"We have been asking leaders who have good relations with Iran to ask it not to interfere in Iraqi affairs and we have discussed this with President Assad," Mr Allawi said after a meeting with the Syrian president on Wednesday. During his trip to Tehran, Mr Assad also met Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who praised Iran-Syria relations. "There are no two countries in the region that enjoy such excellent and well-built relations for 30 years," Ayatollah Khamenei said, according to the official website of his office.
The Iranian leader also expressed hope that all Iraqi political groups would cooperate "to solve the country's problems and to drive out the occupation forces". Mr Assad headed a high-ranking delegation that included his vice president, Farooq al Sahara, Mr al Moualem, the foreign minister, and an assistant vice president, Brig Gen Muhmmad Nassif. This was Mr Assad's eighth state visit to Iran since 2000 and his fifth since Mr Ahmadinejad came to power in 2005.
Mr Ahmadinejad visited Damascus in February and on his way to the UN General Assembly last month.
msinaiee@thenational.ae
THE CARD
2pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
2.30pm: Handicap Dh 76,000 (D) 1,400m
3pm: Handicap Dh 64,000 (D) 1,200m
3.30pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh 100,000 (D) 1,000m
4pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (D) 1,000m
4.30pm: Handicap 64,000 (D) 1,950m
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
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
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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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
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
