A Lebanese man convicted of financing Hezbollah was freed from jail in the US last month as a result of indirect contacts between Tehran and Washington that are expected to yield more releases, three senior Middle East officials told Reuters news agency.
Kassim Tajideen was released on June 11 and arrived in Lebanon last week. Two of the sources told said his release was part of the same track of talks that last year yielded the release by Iran of Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese businessman with US permanent residency, and Syria's release of Sam Goodwin, a US citizen.
A State Department representative dismissed the claim and insisted Tajideen was released because of health concerns.
Tajideen's lawyer, Chibli Mallat, also denied that the release had anything to do with the release of other prisoners. "It was a purely judicial operation", he said.
Tajideen, 65, pleaded guilty in 2018 to charges linked to breaching US sanctions imposed on him. He was sentenced to five years in prison and fined $50 million (Dh183.6m).
In 2009, the US designated Tajideen an important financial supporter of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite group that is classified as a terrorist group by Washington. He was extradited to the US after being arrested as he entered Morocco in 2017.
Tajideen has denied supporting Hezbollah and disputed his designation as a terrorist financier, said Mr Mallat.
A judge ordered Tajideen's release on May 27 pending a 14-day quarantine on the basis of a petition that sought his release because of the risks of Covid-19 in jail, Mr Mallat said. He was being held in Maryland.
The reasons for his release are under seal in the US and therefore confidential.
The US government had opposed the release but would abide by the court's decision, said the State Department representative.
"The fact that he was released early due to health concerns and removed from the United States does not diminish the severity of his crime," the representative told Reuters.
But the sources – a senior official in the Middle East, a senior Lebanese official and a regional diplomat – said the release was the result of "indirect understandings" between Tehran and Washington.
"The release of Tajideen comes within a long path of exchange operations that will happen later on a wide level. There are still those who will be released by the two sides. This operation will continue," the Middle Eastern official said.
The regional diplomat also described Tajideen's release as a prelude to further possible deals involving about 20 people. "All parties involved are testing each other as there is zero trust," he said.
Maj Gen Abbas Ibrahim, the head of Lebanon's General Security agency, is acting as the main mediator in the process, two of the sources said. General Security declined to comment.
Maj Gen Ibrahim is a well-known negotiator having been involved in talks with ISIS fighters on the Syrian border for the recovery of remains of Lebanese soldiers in 2017 as well as several deals with Palestinian factions in the restive Ain El Hilweh refugee camp in south Lebanon.
The senior Lebanese official said the process had been going on in complete secrecy and had started with the handing over of Mr Goodwin and other foreigners held by Syria, whose government is allied to Iran and Hezbollah.
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
Volvo ES90 Specs
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PROVISIONAL FIXTURE LIST
Premier League
Wednesday, June 17 (Kick-offs uae times) Aston Villa v Sheffield United 9pm; Manchester City v Arsenal 11pm
Friday, June 19 Norwich v Southampton 9pm; Tottenham v Manchester United 11pm
Saturday, June 20 Watford v Leicester 3.30pm; Brighton v Arsenal 6pm; West Ham v Wolves 8.30pm; Bournemouth v Crystal Palace 10.45pm
Sunday, June 21 Newcastle v Sheffield United 2pm; Aston Villa v Chelsea 7.30pm; Everton v Liverpool 10pm
Monday, June 22 Manchester City v Burnley 11pm (Sky)
Tuesday, June 23 Southampton v Arsenal 9pm; Tottenham v West Ham 11.15pm
Wednesday, June 24 Manchester United v Sheffield United 9pm; Newcastle v Aston Villa 9pm; Norwich v Everton 9pm; Liverpool v Crystal Palace 11.15pm
Thursday, June 25 Burnley v Watford 9pm; Leicester v Brighton 9pm; Chelsea v Manchester City 11.15pm; Wolves v Bournemouth 11.15pm
Sunday June 28 Aston Villa vs Wolves 3pm; Watford vs Southampton 7.30pm
Monday June 29 Crystal Palace vs Burnley 11pm
Tuesday June 30 Brighton vs Manchester United 9pm; Sheffield United vs Tottenham 11.15pm
Wednesday July 1 Bournemouth vs Newcastle 9pm; Everton vs Leicester 9pm; West Ham vs Chelsea 11.15pm
Thursday July 2 Arsenal vs Norwich 9pm; Manchester City vs Liverpool 11.15pm
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
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Price: From Dh1,700,000
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