European countries should list Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorists even though this might scupper negotiations on a nuclear arms deal, a senior German politician has said.
Norbert Roettgen is one of several prominent backers of such a move in Europe, including the institute run by Britain’s former prime minister Tony Blair.
The UK and EU have not yet made decisions on the matter, with the EU debate in response to the clampdown on Iranian protests becoming mired in legal wrangling.
Mr Roettgen, a German opposition figure and former foreign affairs committee chair, accused the EU of “waiting to see how the revolution will play out” before it is willing to take a harder line on the Iranian regime.
“It’s not enough to offer condolences every other week after yet another execution,” he wrote in an article for the European Council on Foreign Relations.
“Putting the IRGC on the EU’s terror list is one of the main demands by the people in Iran and the diaspora towards the EU.
“The IRGC is the regime’s centre of power. It controls almost everything in Iran. Putting it on the EU’s terror list would therefore assign responsibility for the terror conducted in Iran and around the globe to the regime and would help block financial flows to a criminal organisation.”
Protests in Europe demand end to Iranian executions - in pictures
Mr Roettgen said a terror listing would be seen by Tehran as crossing a red line and therefore make the nuclear talks “close to impossible”.
However, he said it was an illusion to think the 2015 deal had a future “while the current Iranian regime remains in place”.
Negotiations on reviving the deal, after the US pulled out in 2018, have been at an impasse for months and been put on the back burner by Washington since the protests broke out in Iran.
The US listed the IRGC as a terror group in 2019, and the violence against protesters in recent months has prompted calls for the UK and Europe to follow suit.
The German government says this is legally complex because European law requires the IRGC to have been the subject of criminal proceedings.
Mr Roettgen says this is wrong and that Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government is making excuses.
In Britain, there have been reports of a split in the government, with Foreign Office diplomats said to be keen to keep channels of communication open with Tehran.
Mr Blair’s institute said in a recent report that the IRGC was a violent, extremist group that “operates no differently” to banned groups such as ISIS and Al Qaeda.
It argued that diplomacy with Iran was still possible, citing the example of continued engagement with Lebanon after Hezbollah, a powerful political force in the country, was blacklisted by Britain in 2019.
“Formally banning or proscribing the IRGC as a terrorist organisation will send a clear message to the clerical regime in Iran that the terrorism and militancy pursued through the Guard will not be tolerated,” the report said.
“The move will also provide the UK government, civil-society groups and technology companies with a clear mandate to more effectively protect against homegrown IRGC and Shia-Islamist extremism and radicalisation through outright bans on activities linked to the Guard in the UK.”
Manchester United v Liverpool
Premier League, kick off 7.30pm (UAE)
Other key dates
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Finals draw: December 2
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Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
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Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
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
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Levante v Real Mallorca (12am)
Leganes v Barcelona (4pm)
Real Betis v Valencia (7pm)
Granada v Atletico Madrid (9.30pm)
Sunday
Real Madrid v Real Sociedad (12am)
Espanyol v Getafe (3pm)
Osasuna v Athletic Bilbao (5pm)
Eibar v Alaves (7pm)
Villarreal v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)
Monday
Real Valladolid v Sevilla (12am)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
