Three years ago, a US air strike on Baghdad killed Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, head of the Quds Force, an elite branch within Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis, one of the most powerful Iranian-backed militia leaders in Iraq, was killed alongside him. Both men had been emboldened by American co-operation in fighting ISIS.
Gen Suleimani’s sudden demise shocked the region, if only because Tehran had long portrayed him as an untouchable figure. But it also demonstrated for the first time that the Quds Force – which supports militant groups in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan and elsewhere – couldn’t continue its campaign of destabilisation across the region without consequence.
January 8 will mark three years since Iran's downing of a civilian plane in the aftermath of Gen Suleimani’s killing. All 167 passengers of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 – who hailed from Iran, Afghanistan, Canada, Ukraine and Sweden – as well as nine crew members, were killed. After initial attempts to blame mechanical issues, Iran later admitted that an IRGC missile operator killed the passengers by "accident", believing the plane to be a hostile target.
In all of these places, the common thread is institutional weakness
There are many lessons to be drawn from the legacy of the events of January 2020. Chief among them today, as Iran finds itself in the throes of a mass protest movement, is that what Gen Suleimani stood for – a belligerent, meddlesome and militaristic approach to both domestic and regional affairs – is increasingly unsustainable.
Iran’s protests were triggered in September by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a woman who was detained by police after allegedly failing to wear her headscarf properly. The initial outpouring of support for Ms Amini and her grieving family has since morphed into a broader movement that showcases popular discontent with harsh laws, gender discrimination, endemic corruption and worsening isolation on the global stage. The Iranian economy, already in a woeful state because of western sanctions, has suffered further since demonstrations began. Since September, the rial has lost a fifth of its value.
The protesters’ sense of hopelessness is exacerbated by a widespread suspicion that their concerns are falling upon deaf ears. This week, in particular, as much of the machinery of the state is geared towards staging large public gatherings to mourn Gen Suleimani’s death, coupled with rallies calling for vengeful retaliation against the West, the distance between the immediate needs of the people and efforts to address them feels very far.
It feels far elsewhere in the Middle East, too, where Iran-backed militant groups continue to stall political, economic and social progress. In Lebanon, Hezbollah’s hold-up of the appointment of a president and desire to engineer a so-called “resistance economy” has left ordinary citizens stuck in a failing state. The country’s paralysis presents a cautionary tale for Iraq, where other militia groups draw inspiration from Hezbollah’s influence.
In all of these places, the common threads are institutional weakness and a militant mindset. People in Iran, and the region at large, deserve more than this from their leaders. Gen Suleimani’s death was such a profound moment in Iran because it represented a diminishment, in a very particular sense, of militant power. But what large numbers of ordinary people know is that their countries’ greatest power will not be derived from their ability to project force. Rather, it will be from their ability to project a vision that provides stability, prosperity and well-being for their citizens.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
The Laughing Apple
Yusuf/Cat Stevens
(Verve Decca Crossover)
Company%C2%A0profile
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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
THURSDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
Starting at 10am:
Lucrezia Stefanini v Elena Rybakina (6)
Aryna Sabalenka (4) v Polona Hercog
Sofia Kenin (1) v Zhaoxuan Yan
Kristina Mladenovic v Garbine Muguruza (5)
Sorana Cirstea v Karolina Pliskova (3)
Jessica Pegula v Elina Svitolina (2)
Court 1
Starting at 10am:
Sara Sorribes Tormo v Nadia Podoroska
Marketa Vondrousova v Su-Wei Hsieh
Elise Mertens (7) v Alize Cornet
Tamara Zidansek v Jennifer Brady (11)
Heather Watson v Jodie Burrage
Vera Zvonareva v Amandine Hesse
Court 2
Starting at 10am:
Arantxa Rus v Xiyu Wang
Maria Kostyuk v Lucie Hradecka
Karolina Muchova v Danka Kovinic
Cori Gauff v Ulrikke Eikeri
Mona Barthel v Anastasia Gasanova
Court 3
Starting at 10am:
Kateryna Bondarenko v Yafan Wang
Aliaksandra Sasnovich v Anna Bondar
Bianca Turati v Yaroslava Shvedova
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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SPECS
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Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
All Black 39-12 British & Irish Lions
Rooney's club record
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
RESULT
Valencia 3
Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'
Ferran Torres 67'
Atlanta 4
Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'
Results
57kg quarter-finals
Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Hamed Al Matari (YEM) by points 3-0.
60kg quarter-finals
Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) beat Hyan Aljmyah (SYR) RSC round 2.
63.5kg quarter-finals
Nouredine Samir (UAE) beat Shamlan A Othman (KUW) by points 3-0.
67kg quarter-finals
Mohammed Mardi (UAE) beat Ahmad Ondash (LBN) by points 2-1.
71kg quarter-finals
Ahmad Bahman (UAE) defeated Lalthasanga Lelhchhun (IND) by points 3-0.
Amine El Moatassime (UAE) beat Seyed Kaveh Safakhaneh (IRI) by points 3-0.
81kg quarter-finals
Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Ahmad Hilal (PLE) by points 3-0
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
FA Cup fifth round
Chelsea v Manchester United, Monday, 11.30pm (UAE), BeIN Sports
MATCH RESULT
Al Jazira 3 Persepolis 2
Jazira: Mabkhout (52'), Romarinho (77'), Al Hammadi (90' 6)
Persepolis: Alipour (42'), Mensha (84')
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5