TEHRAN // Mohammed Khatami's announcement of his candidacy in June's presidential elections has livened up the political scene and is stirring up hopes of economic improvement and rapprochement with the West. Yet it is also causing worries in the Principlist camp, whose most likely candidate will be the incumbent president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"I am very excited about Mr Khatami's candidacy. With all the talk about his hesitations, we had almost lost all hope that he would stand in the race on behalf of reformists," said Naser Taghavi, 39, a civil servant.
"Mr Ahmadinejad has unfortunately not been able to deliver his election promises, as everybody admits. I think we should give Khatami another chance to implement the changes the country desperately needs now, economically and in other respects," he said.
The economic policies of Mr Ahmadinejad's administration are blamed by reformists, conservatives and hardliners alike for the doubling of the annual inflation rate in less than four years despite the country's sizeable oil revenues.
"The economy was doing really well during Mr Khatami's tenure although Principlists always accused him of granting a higher place to political development than to economic matters. Even many Principlist businessmen now admit that things were much better economy-wise during his two terms in office," said Mohsen Safaie Farahani, deputy secretary general of the reformist Islamic Iranian Participation Front (Mosharekat).
Conservatives and hardliners consider themselves "Principlists" because they say they are bound by Islamic principles.
Mr Ahmadinejad's critics blame him for failing to proceed with the country's economic liberalisation plans as set forth in the Twenty Year Vision Document. "Mr Ahmadinejad has now realised the need for economic liberalisation, but very belatedly," said Saeed Laylaz, a political and economic analyst and editor of Sarmayeh, a reformist newspaper.
"He doesn't believe in the science of economy so he is not making progress, but Mr Khatami has great economic discipline and he will definitely be able to introduce positive changes if he is given the chance."
Mr Khatami's popularity has recently increased considerably against Mr Ahmadinejad. A recent poll conducted by the intelligence ministry, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting and Azad University found Mr Khatami three times as popular as Mr Ahmadinejad in Tehran and twice as popular in other cities, Farda, the conservative news portal, which is affiliated with the Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, reported three weeks ago.
Since Aug 2005 when he was elected president, Mr Ahmadinejad has travelled to many provinces and rural areas and enjoys more popularity in rural areas than in bigger cities but 70 per cent of Iran's population live in urban places.
Some Khatami supporters say his candidacy will help strengthen the position of reformists on the Iranian political chessboard even if he does not win against Mr Ahmadinejad.
"Khatami's candidacy will have serious consequences for the Principlist camp. The potency of reformists will significantly increase if Khatami wins in the elections with an overwhelming popular mandate," said Naser Afshani, 28, a student of political science.
"In the quite unlikely situation of losing against Mr Ahmadinejad for any reason, or against any other candidate that Principlists choose, reformists who had lost all ground to Principlists in the previous elections can turn into a strong opposition group, no longer possible to ignore by the establishment, if Mr Khatami can attract a considerable number of votes from the electorate," he said.
Most reformists believe Mr Khatami's candidacy will polarise the presidential elections, reformists and liberals against Principlists. Mr Khatami and Mr Ahmadinejad will be the main contenders, they said, despite the nomination of another reformist, Mehdi Karrubi, a former parliament speaker and leader of the reformist National Confidence Party (Etemad Melli).
To win against Mr Khatami, Mr Ahmadinejad will need the Principlist parties to unite in his support and the Principlists will also need him, analysts say.
Hamidreza Taraghi, spokesman of the conservative Islamic Coalition (Motalefeh), said his party is working towards the unification of Principlists. It is very possible that Mr Ahmadinejad will be chosen by Principlists as their sole candidate in the elections and a decision will most probably be made by mid-March, Mr Taraghi said.
"Mr Ahmadinejad has a huge potential for attracting the votes of the electorate and he is superior to most other possible Principlist candidates," Mr Taraghi said.
The prospect of Mr Khatami's third term in office has stirred up hope among reformists and many in the general public who say a soft-spoken and charismatic figure like Mr Khatami can help thaw the ice in relations with the West.
"Not talking and just hurling accusations against each other has not helped either us or the US in the past 30 years. Khatami seems just the right man on our side to help heal the wounds," said Afshin Salehi, 38, a telecommunications engineer.
Sadegh Zibakalam, a professor of political science of Tehran University, said: "During his tenure he would have been accused and attacked by Principlists if he wanted, or consented, to talk to the Americans. Mr Ahmadinejad has broken that taboo by openly announcing he was ready to talk to the US president."
msinaiee@thenational.ae
THE DETAILS
Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5
RESULTS
Bantamweight: Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) beat Hamza Bougamza (MAR)
Catchweight 67kg: Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) beat Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) beat Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg: Mosatafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) beat Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight: Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) beat Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78KG: Rashed Dawood (UAE) beat Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight: Sallah-Eddine Dekhissi (MAR) beat Abdel Enam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg: Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG) beat Rachid Hazoume (MAR)
Lightweight: Mohammed Yahya (UAE) beat Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg: Souhil Tahiri (ALG) beat Omar Hussein (PAL)
Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
2024%20Dubai%20Marathon%20Results
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Company%20profile%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYodawy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarim%20Khashaba%2C%20Sherief%20El-Feky%20and%20Yasser%20AbdelGawad%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2424.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlgebra%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20MEVP%20and%20Delivery%20Hero%20Ventures%2C%20among%20others%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20500%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
FIGHT%20CARD
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Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELeap%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ziad%20Toqan%20and%20Jamil%20Khammu%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MADAME%20WEB
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20S.J.%20Clarkson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Dakota%20Johnson%2C%20Tahar%20Rahim%2C%20Sydney%20Sweeney%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
Tomb%20Raider%20I%E2%80%93III%20Remastered
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Aspyr%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Aspyr%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20series%20X%2FS%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight (Wednesday), BeIN Sports
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
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
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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
