An agreement between world powers and Iran to restore the 2015 nuclear deal is expected within days, US officials and experts say, barring any last-minute miscalculations from either side.
“We can and should reach an understanding on a mutual return to full implementation of the JCPOA in the coming days,” a US State Department official told The National, referring to the deal's official name of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
An agreement, or an agreement in principle, would cap 11 months of negotiations that President Joe Biden's administration pursued indirectly with Iran, in a bid to revive the major deal that former president Donald Trump withdrew from in 2018.
The US official stressed the urgency of reaching an agreement, saying that the pace of Iran’s nuclear advances leaves “very little time” before Tehran reaches “breakout” capability to build a nuclear weapon.
US officials have put that time window at matter of “weeks” and not months.
Washington has also intensified regional diplomacy in anticipation of a deal.
The White House co-ordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, Brett McGurk, recently returned from a trip to the Gulf in which he discussed Iran with regional leaders.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has held calls with his Qatari, Turkish, Emirati and Saudi counterparts in the last two weeks and is planning a trip to the region following an agreement, The National confirmed.
An important hurdle was cleared this week as Russia stepped back from its opposition, following US guarantees that Moscow's nuclear projects with Iran will not be subject to sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine.
“We would of course not sanction Russian participation in nuclear projects that are part of resuming full implementation of the JCPOA,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
Russia was one of the original signatories to the Iran deal, along with the US, UK, France, China and Germany.
In another sign of progress, Tehran on Wednesday freed two British Iranians from years of detention after the UK government confirmed it had paid a long-standing debt over a cancelled defence contract.
At least five US citizens remain detained in Iran and the US official called for their immediate release.
“Securing their release is one of our utmost priorities. We call upon Iran to make urgent progress towards the release of wrongfully detained US citizens,” the State Department official said.
Ali Vaez, director of the Iran programme at the International Crisis Group, said negotiations are at a critical juncture, with several important issues still needing to be finalised.
“Each side is hoping that the other would blink on the remaining issues,” Mr Vaez, who travelled to Vienna in recent months to follow the talks, told The National.
The outstanding issues relate to the scope of sanctions relief and economic guarantees.
Mr Vaez predicted a deal would be done, saying it was “too big to fail”, but said that “both sides are also prone to miscalculation at the 11th hour".
Analyst Henry Rome of the Eurasia group said the remaining issues are unlikely to be deal-breakers.
“The remaining disputes are between Washington and Tehran and pertain mostly to sanctions-related issues, such as the final decision regarding whether the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remains on the Foreign Terrorist Organisation list. But these are unlikely to prove insurmountable,” Mr Rome wrote.
“Both the US and Iran want a deal,” he added, putting the chances of reaching an agreement at 80 per cent.
Any agreement, however, would face criticism from Congress.
A bipartisan group of 21 House members, including 11 Democrats, sent a letter to Mr Biden voicing concerns about a potential deal.
“Without adequately addressing Iran’s role as the world’s leading state sponsor of terror — which was noticeably absent from the 2015 JCPOA — and simultaneously providing billions of dollars in sanctions relief, the United States would be providing a clear path for Iranian proxies to continue fuelling terrorism,” the letter said.
EA%20Sports%20FC%2024
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THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
More coverage from the Future Forum
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Retail gloom
Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.
It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.
The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
Frida%20
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
The%20specs
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
