Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, right, meets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the Presidential Palace in Cairo on Thursday. AP
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, right, meets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the Presidential Palace in Cairo on Thursday. AP
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, right, meets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the Presidential Palace in Cairo on Thursday. AP
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, right, meets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the Presidential Palace in Cairo on Thursday. AP

Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi in Egypt to seek support against Israeli retaliation


Hamza Hendawi
  • English
  • Arabic

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in Cairo on Thursday as part of a Middle East tour to persuade regional US allies to put pressure on Washington to limit the scope of Israel's possible retaliatory attack.

Mr Sisi's meeting with Mr Araghchi focused on regional developments, with the Egyptian president emphasising the need to prevent the wars in Gaza and Lebanon from broadening into a region-wide conflict, according to a statement from the Egypt's presidency.

“A comprehensive region-wide war will have grave consequences for the security and future of every nation and every people in the area,” the statement quoted Mr El Sisi as saying.

Mr Araghchi, who also met Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, is the first Iranian foreign minister to visit Egypt since January 2013.

Mr Abdelatty delivered a message to the Iranian minister similar to the Egyptian leader's, according to a foreign ministry statement. “It's important that the region avoids being dragged into a calamitous confrontation that will lead to a large-scale regional war with destructive consequences for all parties,” the statement quoted the Egyptian minister as saying. “No country will be immune to the fallout from such a war.”

Mr Araghchi flew to Cairo late on Wednesday from Amman where Jordan's King Abdullah told him his US-allied country “will not be a theatre for regional conflicts” and emphasised the need for de-escalation.

Mr Araghchi's tour – he will next visit Turkey, another US ally – was aimed at persuading the three countries to not allow Israel or the US to use their airspace to launch an attack on Iran, sources told The National.

He is also cautioning the region's US allies that Washington's interests in the region would be a legitimate target if Israel attacks Iran's oil or nuclear facilities, according to the sources.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to limit his country’s response after Iran's missile attack two weeks ago, sparing its oil infrastructure, the backbone of its economy, according to US reports.

Both Egypt and Jordan have peace treaties with Israel, but their relations with Mr Netanyahu and his right-wing government have been fraught with tension since the Gaza war broke out a year ago.

Jordan played a role in shooting down some of the Iranian missiles fired at Israel on October 1. Jordanian officials have said the military would also not allow Israel to use its airspace.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said 'no country will be immune to the fallout' from a wider Middle East war. EPA
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said 'no country will be immune to the fallout' from a wider Middle East war. EPA

Jordan is among the Arab countries Iran has threatened if they help Israel in the widely anticipated strike, The Wall Street Journal reported last week. Although Jordan and Iran have diplomatic relations, the kingdom has not had an ambassador in Tehran for years because of Amman's objections to Iranian policies in the region.

Egypt's relations with Iran have been strained for decades, primarily over Cairo's decision to provide the shah of Iran sanctuary in the wake of his ousting in the country's 1979 revolution. While the two nations have sought to normalise relations in recent years, the process was halted when its architect on the Iranian side, president Ebrahim Raisi, died in May in a helicopter crash.

Iranian-Egyptian relations have soured since the outbreak of the Gaza war, with Cairo voicing its disappointment to Tehran over its reluctance to prevent attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. In a wider context, Egypt has also been dismayed by what the sources described as Iran's use of its proxies in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq to fuel tension conflict in the region and bring closer the prospect of a wider war.

The attacks on Red Sea shipping have significantly hit Egypt's revenue from the Suez Canal, a strategic waterway that links the Red and Mediterranean seas and a major source of foreign currency to the cash-strapped Cairo government.

Mr Abdelatty, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry statement, discussed with his Iranian counterpart the “dangerous developments in the Middle East, including the Red Sea”. It did not elaborate.

Rocketman

Director: Dexter Fletcher

Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars 

2024%20Dubai%20Marathon%20Results
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWomen%E2%80%99s%20race%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E1.%20Tigist%20Ketema%20(ETH)%202hrs%2016min%207sec%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Ruti%20Aga%20(ETH)%202%3A18%3A09%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Dera%20Dida%20(ETH)%202%3A19%3A29%0D%3Cbr%3EMen's%20race%3A%0D%3Cbr%3E1.%20Addisu%20Gobena%20(ETH)%202%3A05%3A01%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Lemi%20Dumicha%20(ETH)%202%3A05%3A20%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20DejeneMegersa%20(ETH)%202%3A05%3A42%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Scoreline

Man Utd 2 Pogba 27', Martial 49'

Everton 1 Sigurdsson 77'

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

The biog

Most memorable achievement: Leading my first city-wide charity campaign in Toronto holds a special place in my heart. It was for Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women program and showed me the power of how communities can come together in the smallest ways to have such wide impact.

Favourite film: Childhood favourite would be Disney’s Jungle Book and classic favourite Gone With The Wind.

Favourite book: To Kill A Mockingbird for a timeless story on justice and courage and Harry Potters for my love of all things magical.

Favourite quote: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill

Favourite food: Dim sum

Favourite place to travel to: Anywhere with natural beauty, wildlife and awe-inspiring sunsets.

Jetour T1 specs

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MATCH INFO

Champions League quarter-final, first leg

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)

Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports

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
The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

Updated: October 17, 2024, 12:10 PM