Iran sentences ex-official to death over alleged UK spying

Iran sentences ex-official to death over alleged UK spying
Ali Reza Akbari had previously led the implementation of a 1988 cease-fire between Iran and Iraq following their devastating eight-year war. (Social media)
Short Url
Updated 11 January 2023

Iran sentences ex-official to death over alleged UK spying

Iran sentences ex-official to death over alleged UK spying
  • The judiciary said Ali Reza Akbari, who was deputy defense minister until 2001, was a “key spy” for British intelligence
  • Britain urged Iran to release Alireza Akbari on Wednesday

DUBAI: Iran has sentenced a former senior defense official to death after convicting him on charges of spying for Britain, state-linked media reported on Wednesday.
The judiciary said Ali Reza Akbari, who was deputy defense minister until 2001, was a “key spy” for British intelligence, the semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported. It said Iranian intelligence unmasked the spying by feeding him false information.
Tasnim also reported that he had spied on past nuclear talks between Iran and Western powers. Akbari had served as deputy defense minister under President Mohammad Khatami, a reformist who had pushed for improved relations with the West.

Britain urged Iran to release Alireza Akbari on Wednesday.
“We are supporting the family of Mr. Akbari and have repeatedly raised his case with the Iranian authorities,” a British foreign office spokesperson said in a statement.
“Our priority is securing his immediate release and we have reiterated our request for urgent consular access.”
For several years, Iran has been locked in a shadow war with the United States and Israel, marked by covert attacks on its disputed nuclear program. The killing of Iran’s top nuclear scientist in 2020, which Iran blamed on Israel, indicated foreign intelligence services had made major inroads.
Akbari, who ran a private think tank, has not been seen in public since 2019, when he was apparently arrested.
Authorities have not released any details about his trial. Those accused of espionage and other crimes related to national security are usually tried behind closed doors, where rights groups say they do not choose their own lawyers and are not allowed to see evidence against them.
Tasnim said the Supreme Court upheld his sentence and that he had access to an attorney. There was no word on when the execution might be carried out.
Akbari had previously led the implementation of a 1988 cease-fire between Iran and Iraq following their devastating eight-year war, working closely with UN observers.


Blast at Palestinian base in Lebanon kills five: security source

Blast at Palestinian base in Lebanon kills five: security source
Updated 11 min 20 sec ago

Blast at Palestinian base in Lebanon kills five: security source

Blast at Palestinian base in Lebanon kills five: security source
  • Palestinian group accused accused Israel of carrying out “overnight raids” at the base in Qusaya
  • Israel denied any involvement

BEIRUT: Five fighters from a pro-Syrian Palestinian militant group were killed in an accidental explosion at a base in eastern Lebanon, a Lebanese security source said Wednesday.
A spokesman for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) instead accused Israel of carrying out “overnight raids” at the base in Qusaya, near the Syrian border. Israel denied any involvement.
“An old rocket exploded in an arms depot on the base and five fighters were killed,” the security source said, requesting anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media.
The Damascus-based group has close ties with the Syrian government and its main Lebanese ally Hezbollah, and has bases in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley.
PFLP-GC spokesman Anwar Raja said Israel had carried out “overnight raids” on the base.
“Five fighters were killed,” he told AFP, adding that “for now we do not have more detailed information on the operation.”
The Israeli military, however, denied any involvement in the deadly blast.
“This is not IDF (Israeli army) activity,” a spokeswoman told AFP.
In August 2019, suspected Israeli strikes targeted the PFLP-GC in Qusaya.
In July 2015, a security official said a blast at a PFLP-GC base in Qusaya wounded seven people, while the Palestinian group blamed it on an Israeli strike.


Sudanese army suspends talks over cease-fire — diplomatic source

Sudanese army suspends talks over cease-fire — diplomatic source
Updated 31 May 2023

Sudanese army suspends talks over cease-fire — diplomatic source

Sudanese army suspends talks over cease-fire — diplomatic source

DUBAI: Sudan’s army has suspended talks over a cease-fire and enabling humanitarian access, according to a Sudanese diplomatic source, raising fears of fresh bloodshed.
The talks with the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in early May and had produced a declaration of commitments to protecting civilians and two short-term cease-fire deals that had been repeatedly violated.
The army and the RSF had agreed to extend a week-long cease-fire deal by five days just before it was due to expire late on Monday.
The truce was brokered and is being remotely monitored by Saudi Arabia and the United States, which say it has been violated by both sides but has still allowed for the delivery of aid to an estimated 2 million people.
The war has forced nearly 1.4 million people to flee their homes, including more than 350,000 that have crossed into neighboring countries.
Areas of the capital have been hit by widespread looting and frequent cuts to power and water supplies. Most hospitals have been put out of service.
The United Nations, some aid agencies, embassies and parts of Sudan’s central government have moved operations to Port Sudan, in Sudan’s Red Sea state, the main shipping hub which has seen little unrest.
Leaders of the army and the RSF had held the top positions on Sudan’s ruling council since former leader Omar Al-Bashir was toppled during a popular uprising in 2019. They staged a coup in 2021 as they were due to hand leadership of the council to civilians, before falling out over the chain of command and restructuring of the RSF under the planned transition.


UN says new dynamic on Syria could create ‘much-needed momentum’ for progress

UN says new dynamic on Syria could create ‘much-needed momentum’ for progress
Updated 31 May 2023

UN says new dynamic on Syria could create ‘much-needed momentum’ for progress

UN says new dynamic on Syria could create ‘much-needed momentum’ for progress
  • Real action must now match recent diplomacy, urges envoy Geir Pedersen
  • Safe return of refugees and fate of missing, detainees remain critical issues

NEW YORK: The recent diplomatic moves on Syria need to be matched with real action, the UN special envoy for Syria told a Security Council meeting on Tuesday.

Geir Pedersen said the Syrian people continue to suffer “on a massive scale,” and “while they have observed recent diplomatic developments, they have not yet seen any improvement in the reality of their lives, whether they live inside Syria or outside Syria.”

Only “confidence building (measures) on the ground” and the resumption of the political process to end the war would signal that “the current opportunity has been seized.”

Pedersen welcomed the recent dialogues with the Syrian government that took place in Amman, Jeddah and Moscow, which focused on several key issues. These include the humanitarian situation and safe access for aid delivery, a dignified and voluntary return of refugees, reconstruction, restoring Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and countering terrorist groups.

He said these were all concerns at the heart of UN Resolution 2254 and “common attention to these themes and points could present a real opportunity to move forward.”

If such issues begin to be addressed, even if incrementally, Pedersen said this new dynamic could create a “much-needed momentum.”

He said he “can only welcome” the recent intensified regional consultations and work in the direction of finding ways in which to unblock progress on Syria.

“After all, even minimal progress on some issues of resolution 2254 would require the confidence and resources of many different players and serious actions too.”

This month has seen the Arab League officially welcome Syria’s government back into its fold. This ended over a decade of exile from the pan-Arab body over President Bashar Assad’s crackdown on protests which spiraled into a war that killed more than 500,000 people and displaced millions.

Pedersen said that he reiterated, during his engagements with Syrian, regional and international interlocutors, his appreciation of “the dangers of the status quo, both for the Syrian people and for regional and other actors, who want to curb instability emanating across Syrian borders, including from narcotics, and who continue to host millions of Syrian refugees.”

In order for there to be real confidence building and a serious resumption of the political process, however, Pedersen emphasized the importance of work toward a safe and dignified return of Syrian refugees, that takes into account their security and economic fears.

Attention to this issue is important “because it tells us that if the Syrian government were to start to address in a more systematic manner the protection concerns of the displaced, working closely with the United Nations, and if donors were to help the United Nations to do more to address the concerns all Syrians have about livelihoods, then this could help to do what we all say we want to do — build confidence, and begin to change realities on the ground for all Syrians — not only the displaced.

“It could help bring about movement towards a more safe, calm and neutral environment in Syria, and it could help alleviate hardship inside the country.”

The UN envoy also emphasized that addressing the fate of over 130,000 missing people and detainees in Syria’s prisons remains a “core issue for moving forward in Syria.”

“It is hard to see how there could be genuine confidence-building without some progress on this issue, which impacts nearly all Syrians and is fundamental to families, communities, and repairing Syria’s social fabric.”

He urged countries to support the UN’s efforts toward the establishment of an institution dedicated to the search for missing Syrians.

Ghada Eltahir Mudawi, deputy director of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told the Security Council that Syria must remain a “global priority.”

Over 70 percent of Syria’s population is now in need of humanitarian assistance. For the first time in the history of the conflict, 15.3 million people, across every sub-district in Syria, are experiencing some degree of humanitarian stress, Mudawi said.

The twin earthquakes earlier this year have added to this dire humanitarian situation, displacing more than 330,000 people and leaving thousands more without access to basic services and livelihoods.

She called for greater solidarity and urged countries to increase humanitarian funding, adding that while efforts are ongoing to reach a political solution “we must ensure that the urgent needs of women, men and children of Syria — life-saving aid and early recovery — are prioritized and adequately resourced.”

“They are counting on your support to stay the course,” she told council members.


UAE left Combined Maritime Forces two months ago, foreign affairs ministry says

UAE left Combined Maritime Forces two months ago, foreign affairs ministry says
Updated 31 May 2023

UAE left Combined Maritime Forces two months ago, foreign affairs ministry says

UAE left Combined Maritime Forces two months ago, foreign affairs ministry says

DUBAI: The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) says the country is committed to peaceful dialogue and diplomatic engagement as a means of advancing the shared goals of regional security and stability, state news agency WAM reported on Wednesday.

The statement came as the ministry revealed it had withdrawn its participation in the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).

“As a result of our ongoing evaluation of effective security cooperation with all partners, two months ago, the UAE withdrew its participation in the Combined Maritime Forces,” the statement explained.

According to the CMF website, the organization is a “multinational maritime partnership which exists to uphold the Rules-Based International Order (RBIO) by countering illicit non-state actors on the high seas and promoting security, stability, and prosperity across international waters.”

The UAE’s MoFA statement concluded that the UAE remained committed to responsibly ensuring the safety of navigation in its seas, in accordance with international law.

 

Joint land exercises have been taking place between the UAE and US. (WAM)

The news of the UAE’s withdrawal broke as its military took part in join exercises with the US, dubbed ‘Iron Union 19.’

The joint exercise, staged in the UAE, featured military scenarios aimed at strengthening joint coordination and to build combat readiness, as well as tactical proficiency.


UK minister praises Qatar as a leader in directing investments

UK minister praises Qatar as a leader in directing investments
Updated 30 May 2023

UK minister praises Qatar as a leader in directing investments

UK minister praises Qatar as a leader in directing investments
  • Badenoch praised Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup in 2022 and reflected on what the region can provide to the global economy and growth

DOHA: UK Secretary of State for the Department for Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch has praised Qatar for providing an example in directing investments and bringing about effective economic development.

In an interview with the Qatar News Agency during the country’s Economic Forum 2023, Badenoch said that her visit to Qatar was to support the negotiation process with the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council to sign a free trade agreement with the UK.

She explained that a deal between the two sides would aim at investment in environmentally beneficial and climate-friendly goods and services.

Badenoch said: “Exports of UK wind turbine parts currently face tariffs of up to 15 percent. An agreement with the GCC would create opportunities for other parts of the UK’s green technology industries including solar power, hydrogen power, electric vehicles and smart energy systems.”

Badenoch praised Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup in 2022 and reflected on what the region can provide to the global economy and growth.

She said that the forum, which is in its third edition, had brought together global leaders in the fields of business, investment, and finance dedicated to discussing challenges, exchanging perspectives, and celebrating achievements.

She added that one of the UK’s priorities was to increase sustainable energy supplies, emphasizing the importance of continuing cooperation with Qatar on this front.