Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan meets with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department in Washington on Thursday. AP
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan meets with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department in Washington on Thursday. AP
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan meets with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department in Washington on Thursday. AP
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan meets with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department in Washington on Thursday. AP

Iran talks 'cordial' but no 'substantial progress', Saudi foreign minister says


Joyce Karam
  • English
  • Arabic

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Friday that Riyadh has held four rounds of talks with Iran, describing them as “cordial” but lacking significant progress at a time when Tehran's nuclear activities have put the region in “a very dangerous place.”

Speaking to reporters in Washington a day after meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Prince Faisal called for a "quick suspension" of Iranian activities breaching the 2015 nuclear agreement and said there should be a "quick resumption" of indirect talks between the US and Iran.

He said Riyadh has spoken with Tehran.

“These interactions have been [of] an exploratory nature, and have not reached a state where we can say we made substantial progress,” said Prince Faisal.

Iran topped Prince Faisal's agenda as he met Mr Blinken and argued that increased pressure on Tehran is inevitable if stalled talks don't make headway.

“You will have to put on the table enough tools that encourage Iran to come to the table. I wish that we wouldn't have to talk about pressure," the prince said.

"I wish that the government of Iran would see that it's in the real interest of the region and its own interest and in the interest of the people or Iran that it’s focused on discovering prosperity… rather than having this excessive focus on trying to expand its influence in the region."

On Lebanon, Prince Faisal described this week's violence in Beirut as “very concerning”, saying Riyadh hopes to see structural changes and a leadership that can address the country's economic and political problems.

Asked if Saudi Arabia plans to invite the new Prime Minister Najib Mikati to Riyadh, Prince Faisal did not give a direct answer.

The Saudi foreign minister welcomed the recent electoral progress in Iraq.

“We are encouraged that the political process in Iraq is healthy,” he said in response to questions from The National.

Prince Faisal expressed openness to work with parties in Baghdad, and said his country is “very engaged and we were very active, especially in the last year.”

On Afghanistan, Prince Faisal said Riyadh has had no contacts with the Taliban, and urged the hardline group to seek a path of reconciliation.

“We would certainly encourage different types of national reconciliation, focused on finding stability, financial security, finding a path to prosperity, that will lead to bring in all the elements of Afghan society," he said.

Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat reiterated his praise for the Abraham Accords, but said Riyadh is not ready to normalise relations with Israel before the establishment of a Palestinian state.

"We are very much convinced that the only way we can have lasting stability is if we find a way to address the issue of Palestine and the issue of a Palestinian state,” he said.

Prince Faisal said Saudi Arabia’s relations with China, which have grown in the last three years, did not come up in the meeting with Mr Blinken.

On his trip to Washington, Prince Faisal also met Robert Malley, the US special envoy for Iran affairs who is due to visit the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the near future.

Mr Malley has said he would co-ordinate with US security partners in the region on Iran to prepare for all contingencies, as the indirect talks to revive the nuclear accord remain at a standstill.

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Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6

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Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Kerb weight: 1580kg

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The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
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Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

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The finalists

Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho

Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson

Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)

Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid

Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola

Dubai Rugby Sevens

November 30-December 2, at The Sevens, Dubai

Gulf Under 19

Pool A – Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jumeirah College Tigers, Dubai English Speaking School 1, Gems World Academy

Pool B – British School Al Khubairat, Bahrain Colts, Jumeirah College Lions, Dubai English Speaking School 2

Pool C - Dubai College A, Dubai Sharks, Jumeirah English Speaking School, Al Yasmina

Pool D – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Deira International School

The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont

Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950

Engine 3.6-litre V6

Gearbox Eight-speed automatic

Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm

Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm

Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km

While you're here
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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

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Teachers' pay - what you need to know

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

THE SPECS

Engine: 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 626bhp

Torque: 900Nm

Price: Dh1,050,000

On sale: now

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
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UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

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Brolliology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature
By Marion Rankine
Melville House

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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
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  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
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Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D 
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India

Updated: October 15, 2021, 8:16 PM`