A visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to Germany has been abruptly cancelled amid condemnation of Tehran’s execution of a wrestler who had joined anti-government protests.
Mr Zarif had been due to meet with his counterparts from Germany, France and Britain on Monday. However, according to the German press, the meeting has been postponed because of the execution of 27-year-old Navid Afkari on Saturday.
Iran’s foreign ministry has cited “logistical problems” over the cancellation of the trip.
In a statement on Monday, the German government hit out at Tehran once again over its treatment of Afkari, who was accused of murdering a man during the unrest which gripped Iran in 2018.
“The federal government strongly condemns this execution, which was carried out despite international protests and requests for suspension,” the German foreign ministry said in a statement.
“There were serious doubts about the rule of law of the procedure and we also take the allegations that Navid Afkari only made a confession using torture very seriously.
“The German government has campaigned several times and at a very high diplomatic level in Tehran for the suspension of the death sentence against Navid Afkari,” it added.
In Iran, also on Monday, the country's foreign ministry summoned Germany's ambassador over tweets condemning the execution of the wrestler.
The ministry "strongly condemned" the tweets and told German envoy Hans-Udo Muzel that the reaction was considered to be an "interference in the internal affairs" of Iran, an official statement read.
It called on the German embassy to "recognise the limits of its diplomatic duties and not go beyond them."
"Interference in the laws, regulations and judicial procedures of the Islamic Republic of Iran is not tolerable in any way," the statement added.
The German embassy condemned Afkari's death in a message written in Farsi posted on its official Twitter account on Sunday.
"We were deeply shocked by the execution of Navid Afkari," the message read.
"It is not acceptable that basic legal rights be ignored in order to silence opposing voices," it added.
Iranian state media on Saturday announced that Tehran had carried out the execution of the prominent wrestler in retaliation for the death of water supply company employee Hassan Torkaman in the southern city of Shiraz amid the 2018 protests.
Afkari was purported to have admitted to the murder in a confession broadcast by the Iranian state television.
However, the admission was broadly interpreted as forced, likely under torture, as it resembled hundreds of grim, coerced confessions aired in the Islamic republic in recent years.
Both inside and outside of Iran, there had been calls for Afkari’s life to be spared.
US President Donald Trump called for a stay of execution for the championship wrestler
On social media, a campaign portrayed him and his brothers as victims targeted over their participation in the 2018 demonstrations, and the case revived a demand inside the country for Iran to stop carrying out the death penalty.
Imprisoned Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, herself nearly a month into a hunger strike over conditions at Tehran's Evin prison amid the coronavirus pandemic, passed word that she supported Afkari.
The EU has also condemned Iran in the wake of Saturday's execution.
"The European Union is opposed to the death penalty under all circumstances and cases with no exception," a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.
"Human rights remain a central feature of our engagement with Iran. We will continue to engage with Iranian authorities on this issue including through the local EU representation in Tehran and also on individual cases such as this recent execution," he said.
The Iranian foreign minister’s meeting with counterparts from the three European nations was to coincide with a meeting of the UN atomic energy watchdog’s board of governors also on Monday.
The ministers from the three European nations have sought to salvage what remains of a 2015 accord in which world powers agreed to lift economic sanctions on Tehran in exchange for Iran giving up its nuclear weapons programme.
The agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has been on life support since Mr Trump withdrew the US from the deal in 2018 and began ratcheting up sanctions.
Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had in August promised closer cooperation after Tehran agreed to allow access to one of two suspected former nuclear sites.
However, the watchdog has warned Iran now has more than ten times the amount of enriched uranium permitted under an 2015 agreement with a stockpile of 2,105 kg.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Fixtures
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWednesday%2C%20April%203%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EArsenal%20v%20Luton%20Town%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EManchester%20City%20v%20Aston%20Villa%2C%2011.15pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EThursday%2C%20April%204%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ELiverpool%20v%20Sheffield%20United%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)
- Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave.
- Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
- Help out around the house.
- Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
- Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
- Offer to strip the bed before you go.
DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 171 points
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP) 151
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP) 136
4. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing) 107
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 83
6. Sergio Perez (Force India) 50
7. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) 45
8. Esteban Ocon (Force India) 39
9. Carlos Sainz (Torro Rosso) 29
10. Felipe Massa (Williams) 22
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
