Iran's supreme leader warned Israel and the US yesterday that his country "will respond with full force" to any military attack over its suspected nuclear programme.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "Iran is not a nation to sit still and just observe threats coming from straw powers which are being eaten by worms from inside." Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Basij militia and army will "answer attacks with strong slaps and steel fists".
His strident language followed threats from Israel last week that air strikes could be in the offing against Iran's nuclear facilities.
Pressure on Iran mounted this week when the UN's nuclear watchdog issued a detailed report that made clear Tehran conducted extensive research into building a nuclear weapon.
Iran responded defiantly to the claims by the International Atomic Energy Agency by vowing it would not budge "one iota" from its nuclear programme, which it insists is solely designed to generate electricity.
The exchange of bellicose rhetoric has alarmed influential Iranians at home and abroad who fear an attack on their country would wreck Iran's sanctions-hit economy and play into the hands of Tehran's divided ruling hardliners by provoking a wave of patriotic fervour.
Political repression ensuing from any military action would also be disastrous for Iran's battered pro-democracy movement and increase human-rights abuses, they said.
An attack on Iran's heavily-fortified nuclear facilities would even be welcomed by hard-line elements in the Iranian regime because it would help strengthen their grip on power, some argued. "War is the regime's lifeline. They depend on it. They can thrive in a war environment," said Fakhralsadat Mohtashamipour, a member of a reformist political party who has spent time in prison for her vocal support of other political prisoners.among them was her husband, Mostafa Tajzadeh, a former deputy interior minister under the presidency of Mohammad Khatami, Mr Ahmadinejad's popular reformist predecessor.
She was among 35 prominent civil-society figures inside Iran, ranging in age from 25 to 84, who spoke of their opposition to military action in interviews with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran (ICHRI), a New York-headquartered organisation.
Among them were lawyers, human-rights activists, journalists and writers, many of whom have faced censorship and even imprisonment for their opinions and activities.
One student activist told the ICHRI: "If war breaks out, democracy, human rights and civil society will be the main losers. The Iranian government would militarise and such a militaristic government has the potential to carry out widespread killings of opponents."
None of those interviewed believed an attack on Iran would precipitate "regime change", which some Washington hawks claim as an added incentive for striking at Iran's nuclear facilities. And none wanted Iran's dismal human-rights record used as a pretext to attack.
Most Iranian exiles, ranging from supporters of the domestic Green Movement opposition to leftist and liberal anti-government groups abroad, also oppose military action or further sanctions against their increasingly isolated homeland. Such measures, they say, would hurt ordinary Iranians who fear a return to the hardship they suffered during the devastating, eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s.
One 56-year-old Tehrani woman told the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that she could not sleep at night out of worry. And a man in the Iranian city of Isfahan said ordinary people would be the victims of any military action.
"People are the victims of sanctions. Iran's leaders are not suffering. People will bear the brunt of war," he told the radio channel.
More than 100 intellectuals and activists called this week on Iran to cooperate more with the UN's nuclear watchdog to prevent a pre-emptive attack.
"Democracy does not come from the barrel of a gun. We oppose military action against our country Iran based on any pretence, including concern over the regime's irresponsible nuclear activities," the group, mostly exiles, said in a statement.
"We strongly urge the Islamic Republic to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency … to clear up ambiguities about its nuclear programme so there won't be any reasons for threats of war and destruction", the group said.
Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council, cautioned against underestimating Iranian nationalism.
"There's no doubt that this is a regime that is tremendously unpopular among the population, but that doesn't cancel out the forces of Iranian nationalism in the situation of an attack," he said in an interview.
Activists backing the Green Movement, battered by a crackdown after protests in 2009, also oppose military action. "Such an attack would cause instability both in Iran and the region and stop the normal trends towards democracy," said Ardeshir Amir Arjomand, an adviser to Iran's main opposition leader, Mirhossein Mousavi, who is under house arrest in Tehran.
Speaking to Reuters from France, he added: "Democracy cannot be manufactured abroad and exported."
mtheodoulou@thenational.ae
* With additional reporting by Reuters
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UNpaid bills:
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019
USA – $1.055 billion
Brazil – $143 million
Argentina – $52 million
Mexico – $36 million
Iran – $27 million
Israel – $18 million
Venezuela – $17 million
Korea – $10 million
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN peacekeeping operations in 2019
USA – $2.38 billion
Brazil – $287 million
Spain – $110 million
France – $103 million
Ukraine – $100 million
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Ahmed Raza
UAE cricket captain
Age: 31
Born: Sharjah
Role: Left-arm spinner
One-day internationals: 31 matches, 35 wickets, average 31.4, economy rate 3.95
T20 internationals: 41 matches, 29 wickets, average 30.3, economy rate 6.28
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
UPI facts
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 BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Brief scores:
Toss: Kerala Knights, opted to fielf
Pakhtoons 109-5 (10 ov)
Fletcher 32; Lamichhane 3-17
Kerala Knights 110-2 (7.5 ov)
Morgan 46 not out, Stirling 40
More Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions:
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
