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Arab Leaders Tout Riyadh Agreement As Path to Peace in War-Torn Yemen

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Arab Leaders Tout Riyadh Agreement As Path to Peace in War-Torn Yemen UK £2 Issue 230, Year 5 EU €2.50 November 10, 2019 www.thearabweekly.com Hope on Iraq, the Egypt- Lebanon Ethiopia front unrest Pages 3,12 Pages 2,8-9 Arab leaders tout Riyadh Agreement as path to peace in war-torn Yemen ►The agreement was signed November 5 by Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and STC President Aidarus al-Zoubaidi. The Arab Weekly staff ports this document as an impor- tant step to reach a comprehensive political solution in Yemen.” London Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said the Riyadh Agreement he signing of the Riyadh is “a great step towards resolving Agreement was received the Yemeni crisis.” positively by Arab leaders “I have followed with great and key international play- pleasure the signing of the deal Hard-line politics. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attends the graduation of military T ers, including the United States between the Yemeni government cadets in Tehran, November 4. (AFP) and the United Nations. and the Southern Transitional The power-sharing deal be- Council under the generous aus- tween the internationally recog- pices of King Salman [bin Ab- nised Yemeni government and dulaziz Al Saud] and attendance Iran seeks to pressure Europe the Southern Transitional Council of Crown Prince Mohammed bin (STC) was expected to open the Salman [bin Abdulaziz] and UAE path for an end to infighting in Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed through ‘nuclear extortion’ southern Yemen and prepare for bin Zayed al-Nahyan,” Sisi posted a comprehensive political solu- on Twitter. Thomas Seibert an President Hassan Rohani, co-ar- that Tehran gets some of the eco- tion that may include the Houthi Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Ah- chitect of the Joint Comprehensive nomic advantages promised under rebels and move Yemen out of the mad al-Jaber al-Sabah hailed the Plan (JCPOA) gave European powers the deal. war that has engulfed the country pact in a message to King Salman, Istanbul until January to find ways for Teh- For Iran, “perhaps the best option since 2015. saying it would “contribute to uni- ran to sell oil despite US sanctions. is to do as much trade as it can with fying ranks to solve differences he international accord to However, an EU spokeswoman the Eastern bloc and try to see if [US and preserve brotherly Yemen’s prevent Iran from develop- said it was becoming “increasingly President Donald] Trump will win a UN Special Envoy for security and stability.” ing nuclear weapons is un- difficult” to save the JCPOA. French second term or not,” he wrote. Yemen Martin Griffiths UN Special Envoy for Yemen T ravelling as European pow- President Emmanuel Macron also The possibility of US compromises said the deal would drive Martin Griffiths congratulated the ers question whether the pact can voiced frustration. He said Iran’s lat- remains low because there are no efforts to end the civil two sides on the deal, which he be saved following new violations est actions were a “profound shift” signs that Iran is willing to step back war that has devastated said would drive efforts to end by Tehran. from the nuclear deal. “I think that, from JCPOA violations or limit its re- the country. the civil war that has devastated The development could cost for the first time, Iran has decided gional ambitions. A study by London the country. “The signing of this Iran vital support from Europe in in an explicit and blunt manner to think-tank International Institute for “Signing the agreement, which agreement is an important step for its confrontation with the United leave the JCPOA,” he said. Strategic Studies (IISS) said Iran was is the fruit of long and relentless our collective efforts to advance a States and comes as public unrest in Without continued European expanding its proxy and asymmetri- efforts exerted by our brothers in peaceful settlement to the conflict Lebanon and Iraq challenges Iran’s backing for the agreement, the cal warfare strategy in a regional Saudi Arabia and the United Arab in Yemen,” Griffiths said. proxy-based strategy to widen its in- JCPOA would collapse. The United power struggle against US-backed Emirates, will be a turning point in Yemeni Minister of Information fluence in the Middle East. States says the agreement is not countries such as Saudi Arabia. the battle against the Houthi militia Muammar al-Eryani praised Saudi Iran said it had resumed uranium strong enough to rein in Iran’s nu- “While the conventional military and a new stage towards strength- Arabia’s role in reaching the deal. enrichment at its underground For- clear ambitions and aggressive re- balance remains heavily in favour ening relations between the Arab “We highly appreciate the re- dow nuclear plant, stepping further gional policies in the Middle East of the US and its allies, Iran has coalition and the STC,” said STC lentless efforts of our brothers in from the 2015 nuclear deal with and is calling on its European part- tipped the balance of effective force spokesman Nizar Haitham. KSA to accomplish the agreement world powers after the United States ners to join Washington’s hard-line in the Middle East to its advantage US President Donald Trump, and work to unite the Yemenis pulled out of it last year. Adding to stance. by developing a sovereign capa- who rarely comments on the war against challenges, especially the the rising tensions, the International “It is now time for all nations to re- bility to conduct warfare through in Yemen, wrote on Twitter that Iranian threat and its proxy Hou- Atomic Energy Agency, a UN agency, ject this regime’s nuclear extortion third parties,” IISS Director-General the agreement was a “very good” this,” Eryani wrote on Twitter. said Iran detained one of its nuclear and take serious steps to increase and Chief Executive John Chipman start, calling on all parties to con- The agreement was signed No- inspectors at another site and pre- pressure,” US Secretary of State wrote on the institute’s website. tinue to exert efforts to reach a fi- vember 5 by Yemeni President vented her from leaving the country. Mike Pompeo said in a statement. nal deal. Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi and STC Tehran says efforts by France, Farhang Jahanpour, a British aca- Thomas Seibert is an Arab Weekly A British Foreign Office state- President Aidarus al-Zoubaidi. Abu Germany and the United Kingdom demic of Iranian descent, said it was correspondent. ment read: “The British govern- Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed to keep trade routes open despite understandable that Iran was exas- Full version of this article appears on ment welcomes the signing of the and Saudi Crown Prince Moham- US sanctions have been insufficient. perated by the United States’ with- www.thearabweekly.com Riyadh Agreement between the med attended the signing ceremo- Iran’s oil exports have fallen at least drawal from the nuclear agreement Yemeni legitimacy and the South- ny in Riyadh. 80% because of the sanctions. Irani- and Europe’s inability to make sure P17 ern Transitional Council and sup- P4 Mawlid holiday brings joy, festivities to Muslim countries Iman Zayat butter or olive oil and sugar rather figurine made of sugary paste that is took place throughout Morocco. Fez, It allows us, particularly through than the more expensive zgougou dressed in paper skirts, sparkles and known as Morocco’s spiritual capi- the Islamic faith, to attain a state of (pine cone) or hazelnuts variations fabric flowers. The dolls are tradi- tal, drew thousands of visitors from enjoyment in which we find inner Tunis that are traditional Mawlid treats. tionally offered by young men around the world for the celebra- peace, whether by means of dhikr Mawlid is celebrated by all major to their betrothed along with tions. (devotional prayer), tasbih (a repeti- uslims throughout the denominations of Islam, includ- other sweets made of dried In war-hit Libya, Sufis dressed in tive praise of Allah), music or Quran world celebrated the ing Sunnis who have ceremonies at fruit, nuts and nougat. traditional robes took part in pro- recitals,” he said. Mawlid holiday even as shrines to honour the Prophet Mo- In Lebanon, where anti- cessions across neighbourhoods, Historians say Mawlid was first M protests continued in Al- hammad’s legacy with festivities and corruption demonstra- chanting hymns to the beat of practised by the Fatimids, who intro- geria, Lebanon, Iraq and other loca- songs. tions raged, mosques drums and cymbals. duced the celebration to the Maghreb tions. Some of the largest ceremonies in were decorated with The centuries-old tradition in the early 12th century. The centuries-old holiday marking Tunisia took place November 2-10 in lights and crescents of Sufism “is in vogue,” said Mawlid is commemorated in Rabi I, the birth of Mohammad, the Prophet the central city of Kairouan, drawing to mark the holiday Slim Bacouche, a Sufi song- the third month in the Islamic calen- of Islam, brought people together for about 1 million visitors from around while people dis- writer and psycho- dar. The 12th of Rabi I is the accepted sweets and festivities but economic the country, said Ali Ben Saied, presi- tributed sweets. phonist. date among most of the Sunni schol- hardship made it difficult for some dent of the Association of the Proph- Cultural “Sufism is ars while Shia scholars regard the 17th families to celebrate with traditional et’s Birthday. events and reli- about a desire of Rabi I as the accepted date. treats. In Egypt, where many live in poor gious ceremo- to return to the In Tunisia, some families opted to conditions, sweets shops prepared nies, including source.
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