MANAMA // Iran sought to reassure its regional neighbours yesterday that it would not use force against them, because they are Muslims.
"We have never used our force against our neighbours and never will because our neighbours are Muslims," said Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, at a regional security conference in Bahrain's capital, organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, that was attended by many Gulf and western leaders.
Highlighting the ties between Iran and the Arab world, Mr Mottaki said the Islamic Republic had a "special role" to play in guaranteeing international security in the field of energy, but insisted that Iran would not stop enriching nuclear fuel.
Mr Mottaki's reiteration of Iran's longstanding position that it has a right to develop peaceful nuclear energy came two days before the start of talks in Geneva on its nuclear programme with the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.
Amid the intense diplomacy at the meeting, there was also time for celebration and reflections on the significance of Qatar's stunning victory last week in winning the bid to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the UAE's Foreign Minister, told the conference that Qatar's win of the 2022 World Cup bid, the first for the GCC, showed that national and regional security consists of more than just military defence: "Qatar's win shows that security comes not from erecting fences or walls." Sheikh Abdullah continued that "openness and engagement with the international community is beneficial to everyone's security," whether through sport, diplomacy or trade.
"Qatar's victory shows that nothing is impossible when a country is forward looking and focused on development," he added.
There was also reflection on a problem that has nagged the region for decades: the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Jordan's King Abdullah II said Palestinian-Israeli peace talks must be revived to ensure stability in the region and around the world. "Our region will not enjoy security and stability unless we solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and Arabs, Muslims and Israelis find peace," the king said.
However, it was Iran's controversial nuclear programme that dominated the first two days of the conference.
Mr Motakki reached out to Iran's Arab neighbours, scorning the efforts of powers outside the Middle East to address the region's troubles one day after the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton called on Iran to live up to its security obligations on behalf of both her nation and the nations of the Middle East.
"The presence of foreign powers will not help to establish security in the region," said the foreign minister, calling on GCC to "indigenise" the task of dealing with conflicts.
Mrs Clinton said on Friday that US concerns over Tehran's nuclear programme are shared by Iran's neighbours in the Gulf.
Other ministers, including the UK's secretary of defence, Liam Fox, joined Mrs Clinton in pushing Iran on its obligations under international treaties to be transparent over the aims of its nuclear programme.
In his remarks, Sheikh Abdullah also called for an end to conflicts in Yemen and Afghanistan as a way of protecting the region against extremism, saying that extremism was the biggest threat to the GCC.
"Extremism feeds on a lack of hope and opportunity," he said, and called on Gulf countries to cooperate in pursuing economic development as a way to thwart its growth.
These discussions are likely to continue this week, as the UAE prepares to host the annual GCC summit, where security is likely again to top the agenda.
* With additional reporting from Agence France-Presse
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Monster Hunter: World
Capcom
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 1', Kane 8' & 16') West Ham United 3 (Balbuena 82', Sanchez og 85', Lanzini 90' 4)
Man of the match Harry Kane
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
57%20Seconds
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
CREW
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MATCH INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
UAE v Oman - abandoned
Oman v Namibia - abandoned
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Selected fixtures
All times UAE
Wednesday
Poland v Portugal 10.45pm
Russia v Sweden 10.45pm
Friday
Belgium v Switzerland 10.45pm
Croatia v England 10.45pm
Saturday
Netherlands v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Denmark 10.45pm
Sunday
Poland v Italy 10.45pm
Monday
Spain v England 10.45pm
Tuesday
France v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Wales 10.45pm
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
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The specs
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Torque: 850Nm
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Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
