UAE's Head of Interpol: French Investigation Looks at United Arab Emirates Official As Responsible For Torture of British Citizens
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France is investigating Ahmed Nasser al-Raisi, a senior official of the United Arab Emirates who is now president of Interpol, to determine whether he is responsible for torturing and imprisoning two Britons. One of the British nationals is an academic researcher, the other a football fan who says he was arrested because he supported the wrong team. If an investigating magistrate agrees with their allegations, al-Raisi could be arrested if he visits France, which he has done frequently.
Iran's satellite photographs the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, Iran raised the prices of supermarket goods by as much as 300%, panicking consumers, and four U.S. families are appealing to President Joe Biden to get their family members out of Iranian jails. France protests the arrest of two of its citizens in Iran. A Swedish-Iranian national of Sweden is set to be executed in Iran, believed in retaliation for a war crimes trial of an Iranian figure in Stockholm.
Qatar's emir is in Iran and Jordan's king is in Washington, and news about Saudi Aramco, Iran's electricity, OPEC's oil production lag, the Tunisian president who doesn't want foreign observers at an election, and More.
France will investigate suspected complicity in torture by a top United Arab Emirates official, now the head of Interpol. Two Britons alleged that Ahmed Nasser al-Raisi had ultimate responsibility for torture and arbitrary detention they suffered in the UAE. Al-Raisi was a senior official of the UAE's interior ministry at the time when British citizens Matthew Hedges and Ali Issa Ahmad were jailed in the UAE.
French anti-terror prosecutors sent the case to an investigating magistrate, who will decide whether to press charges. The magistrate also will decide if al-Raisi has diplomatic immunity from prosecution in France; he was elected president of Interpol in November. The Britons filed the complaint against al-Raisi on the basis of universal jurisdiction, which allows states to prosecute serious crimes even if they were committed on foreign soil. Hedges was arrested in the UAE in 2018 while on a study trip and said he was the victim of false espionage charges. He was sentenced to life imprisonment but later released after an international campaign led by the United Kingdom. Ahmad said he was arrested, beaten and stabbed for supporting Qatar, a rival of the UAE, at a football match.
France 24, France opens case against Interpol president over Britons detained in UAE.
The Guardian, Two Britons testify against Interpol chief in UAE torture claim.
The long-ailing president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, died at age 73. He had seen much of the UAE’s economic growth and bailed out Dubai during a financial crisis, and his name is on the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. He had long ceased involvement in day-to-day affairs of the emirates after a stroke in 2014, ten years after becoming president. His half-brother, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed, has been the country’s de facto ruler. There was no immediate announcement about succession, but Mohammed bin Zayed is expected to become president.
Associated Press, UAE’s long-ailing leader Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed dies at 73.
An Iranian satellite has photographed the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. The home-grown satellite, Noor 2, took the pictures in March, along with photos of Iran's southern provinces. Color images came from the satellite in orbit 311 miles high, after some U.S. military had disparaged Iran's capabilities.
Fox News, Iranian-made satellite photographs US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
The new U.S. Central Command chief said "concerns about Iran go beyond its nuclear capability." US Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said Iran's ballistic missile program and its support for proxy wars in the region are concerns, and that "the Iranian threat requires a firm effort from us and our security partners in the region."
Al Arabiya, CENTCOM chief hits out at Iran, says US committed to Middle East partners.
Iran abruptly raised prices as much as 300% and scores of Iranians emptied supermarket shelves before the price hike took effect. The increases will affect a range of staples including cooking oil, chicken, eggs, and milk. Iran's currency dropped to a low of 300,000 rial to the dollar.
Associated Press, Iran raises prices of food staples, stirring panic and anger.
The European Union says the Iran nuclear talks, deadlocked for two months, have been reopened. EU policy chief Josep Borrell said there are positive signs from Tehran and that negotiations “have been unblocked, and that means thee is the prospective of reaching a final agreement.”
Deutsche Welle, EU: Iran nuclear deal talks have been ‘unblocked.’
Four families are appealing to President Joe Biden to get the release of their U.S. citizens held in Iran. The families had looked to a nuclear agreement with Iran to include release of the four, but prospects for an early agreement are now considered dim. Two British citizens were released in March.
Wall Street Journal, Iran prisoners' families ask Biden to push for their release as chances of a deal dim.
France said two of its citizens were arrested in Iran and called "for the immediate release of these two French nationals" Iran's intelligence ministry said earlier it had arrested two Europeans for allegedly fomenting "insecurity," but did not reveal their nationalities. An official of a French education union said he suspected that a member of the union's staff and her husband, missing on a holiday in Iran, were the two who were arrested. She was identified as Cecile Kohler.
Reuters, France says two citizens arrested in Iran, demands they be freed immediately.
Iran's threat to execute a citizen of Sweden is seen as retribution for a war crimes trial in Stockholm. Scientist Ahmadreza Djalali is scheduled to be executed on May 21 after being held in jail in Iran for six years. In Sweden, a trial is underway for Hamid Nouri, accused of war crimes and murder in the Iraq-Iran war of the 1980s. Iran says the two cases are not related and that Djalali's death sentence won't be rescinded.
The Guardian, Iran arrests French couple and threatens to execute Swedish-Iranian.
Iraq struck a deal with Iran to get a steady gas supply for the summer. Iraq will pay $1.6 billion by June 1 to assure shipments that will generate electric power, which is cut across the country as temperatures rise. Iraq depends on Iran for a third of its gas needs, and the arrangement has been complicated by U.S. sanctions on Iran, which responds by periodically stopping deliveries.
AFP, Iraq strikes deal with Iran to secure summer gas imports.
Saudi Aramco briefly became the world's biggest company this week with a market value of $2.464 trillion, surpassing Apple's $2.461 trillion. Share prices later retreated, and the Saudi company became the second-largest firm.
Saudi Gazette, Saudi Aramco briefly becomes world's most valuable firm.
OPEC oil production continues to fall as countries fail to meet their own targets. OPEC+ missed its goal by 2.7 million barrels a day. Ten of the 13 OPEC countries in a production agreement saw their April production fall short by more than 800,000 barrels a day. One of the countries not counted, Libya, has its oil fields blockaded, and two countries, Iran and Venezuela, are not bound by the agreement.
OilPrice, OPEC+ misses production target by whopping 2.7 million bpd.
Yemen's warring sides reached agreement on allowing commercial flights from the Sanaa airport. Yemen's government agreed to allow holders of Houthi-issued passports to travel, removing an obstacle that had stopped flights from the Houthi-controlled capital. The agreement came as a two-month truce between the government and the rebel Houthis continued.
Reuters, Yemen's warring sides reach deal on stalled Sanaa flights, officials say.
A United Nations pledging conference raised only $33 million of the $144 million needed to salvage a decaying oil tanker off the coast of Yemen. The UN wanted most of the money sought, $80 million, to be used to transfer more than a million barrels of oil from the ship, the FSO Safer, with the first phase of salvage planned to end in September before turbulent winds start.
"We need to work quickly to get the remaining funds to start the four-month operation in the weather window we have ahead of us," David Gressly, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, said
Associated Press, UN raises $33M, far short of target to salvage Yemen tanker.
Qatar's emir was in Iran to try to help revive the 2015 nuclear deal and end a dispute between Iran and the United States. A source briefed on the visit by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said the emir's trip was aimed to bring the parties to the Iran nuclear pact to "a new middle ground."
Reuters, Qatar's emir in Iran in bid to help salvage 2015 nuclear pact.
Jordan's King Abdullah II held talks at the Pentagon with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. "Our partnership with Jordan is more important than ever," Austin said. He cited Iran's support for terrorism, drug smuggling, and threats from extremist organizations including the Islamic State. King Abdullah said the Covid 19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine are factors adding to Middle East challenges. Abdullah is scheduled to meet at the White House with President Joe Biden.
Associated Press, Austin hosts Jordan's King Abdullah at Pentagon for talks.
Tunisia's President Kais Saied indicated he won't allow foreign observers at this year's planned elections. Democratic countries have previously sent observers to help guarantee the credibility of Tunisian elections, but Saied said: "They proposed sending observers. Why? We are not an occupied country."
Reuters, Tunisian president hints he will not accept foreign observers in next elections.
Kuwait's 85-year-old emir is in Italy on a private visit. Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah's trip was announced by state news media, with no further details. He has handed over most of his responsibilities to Kuwait's crown prince, his designated heir, and has appeared pale in recent appearances.
Reuters, Kuwait's octogenarian emir departs to Italy on private visit.
MORE: Joey Hood set to be named new US ambassador to Tunisia: sources, Al Arabiya... Lebanon bank chief's brother freed on record bail, AFP... Spain, Morocco to open land borders next week after 2 years, Associated Press... Egypt says officer, 4 troops killed in fighting in Sinai, Associated Press... 2 more fuel ships allowed into Yemen's Hodeidah port as part of truce: Houthi TV, Xinhua... Gaetz asks Navy to provide documents in lawsuit against Saudi Arabia over terror attack, MSN.
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MIddle East Eye, Lebanon elections: Why hopes for change may be dashed.
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Reuters, From the Maldives to Venezuela: how Iran gets oil to an ally.