Baghdad hosts Arab Economic and Social Development Summit's first meeting
The 34th Arab Summit and the 5th Arab Economic and Social Development Summit will be held in Baghdad on May 17 to discuss different challenges facing the Arab world, particularly the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict.
During the meeting, which was attended by senior officials from Arab countries, Iraq assumed the presidency of the summit from Lebanon. The 4th Arab Economic and Social Development Summit was held in the capital, Beirut, in 2019.
The meeting discussed the Arab League Secretary-General's initiative, 'The Arab Artificial Intelligence Initiative: Towards Technological Leadership and Sustainable Development.'
The meeting addressed the execution of the decisions from the last summit in Beirut, as well as cooperative Arab economic, social, and development efforts.
Additionally, the meeting addressed the Arab Strategy for Food Security 2025-2035, the Greater Arab Free Trade Area, and the fulfillment of the prerequisites for the creation of the Arab Customs Union.
The meeting's outcomes will be presented to Arab leaders on May 17 after being submitted to the preliminary meeting of Arab trade and economic ministers on Tuesday.
In anticipation of the summit day on May 17, preparatory discussions will continue on Wednesday with the gathering of top officials and permanent representatives, and on Thursday, the Arab foreign ministers will convene.
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Memri
15 minutes ago
- Memri
Article On Website Of Qatar-Backed International Union For Muslim Scholars (IUMS), Supported By Qatar And Turkey: Iran's Victory Is The Defeat Of The U.S. And Its European Allies, Who Are The Cause Of
On June 18, 2025, during the war between Israel and Iran, the Qatar-backed International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS) posted on its website an article by a member of the union, Abderrazak Makri, in which he called on all Muslims to support Iran in this war despite its aggression against Sunnis in many Arab countries such as Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Makri explained that the war between Israel and Iran was 'fateful' not only for Iran but also for Palestine and the entire Islamic nation. He added that this 'blessed' war was a direct continuation of the Al-Aqsa Flood (i.e., Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel) and was sure to end in a victory for all the Muslims, no matter what losses Iran would sustain. Makri, an Algerian Islamist politician known for his ties with Hamas, stressed that all Muslims, both Sunnis and Shi'ites, must support Iran in the war, for this is a religious duty that supersedes any sectarian conflicts. Iran's crimes against the Sunnis in the Arab countries, he emphasized, should not prevent them from supporting it, for these are merely political crimes no different from the crimes of the 'tyrannical Sunni rulers.' He added that an Iranian victory in the war would be 'a defeat for the U.S. and its European allies, who are the cause of all our troubles.' This victory would help to create a multipolar world, which would facilitate the revival of the Islamic world, he argued. It should be noted that the IUMS, which is headquartered in Doha, is one of the tools of the Qatari regime to disseminate extremist anti-Western Islamist ideology, and routinely incites jihad, terrorism and antisemitism.[1] Abderrazak Makri with Hamas senior officials Khalil Al-Hayya, Isma'il Haniya, Hussam Badran and Muhammad Nazzal (Image: March 17, 2023) The following are translated excerpts from Makri's article:[2] '...Anyone who examines the unfolding of the Iranian-Zionist war in depth easily understands that it is fateful not only for the [Zionist] entity but also for Iran, Palestine, the entire Islamic nation and even the whole world. Some of the leaders of the resistance and of the Islamic stream know that I was not among those who were surprised by the Al-Aqsa Flood [i.e., Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel], since a week before it happened I already described it to them accurately and advocated for it, without naming it and without knowing what exactly would happen... I used to tell them that the [Islamic] nation and its reformist movements had already lost everything in their cultural project, that all the Palestinian issues were headed for perdition and that the revival movements were out of action… Therefore, [I said], there was need for a complete overhaul in order to rebuild the balances [of power]. This would only be achieved by means of an unprecedented resistance operation in Palestine that would thwart the plans to eliminate the [Palestinian] cause, mobilize the Arab and Islamic world, revive the project of cultural awakening, and undermine the oppressive American-Western hegemony… 'The Iranian-Zionist war is the result of the [Al-Aqsa] Flood and its repercussions, as are the events in Syria, the deep shifts taking place in global public opinion, and the political, ideological and social changes in the world, as well as the inconceivable steadfastness of the Gazan people and the remarkable heroic acts of the resistance. 'The Al-Aqsa Flood did not emerge as an ordinary war with the [Zionist] entity. It became a divine [war] that drives major events in Palestine, the region and the world toward the perdition of the [Zionist] entity and the revival of the Islamic nation. It is in this context that the war between Iran and the [Zionist] entity should be understood. This is a blessed war... that cannot end except in a victory for the Muslims – all Muslims, of all Islamic streams, regardless of the losses the Iranians may sustain... "There is no doubt Iran will suffer painful blows and sustain immense losses in the current war, from which it will not easily recover. However, it must thwart the objectives of the aggression, which are: halting its nuclear program, destroying its ballistic missiles, devastating the [Iranian] state and ultimately handing it over to the secular elites acting on behalf of the Americans and the Zionists. [These elites] will be even harsher toward the Arabs and Muslims and toward Palestine than the Arab regimes which have betrayed Allah, His Messenger and the believers, and which are participating in the siege on Gaza and in the conspiracy against the resistance. "Cooperation and mutual support among Muslims is a religious duty that no heretical sectarian inclinations can override. The Shi'ites in Iran are Muslims according to all religious scholars, and the extremist Shi'ites who have rebelled against the faith should be disregarded, [for] they are a minority, just like the minority of extremist Sunni apostates among us. The Iranian injustice and aggression that harmed our brothers in Syria, Iraq and Yemen are political crimes, similar to those that have been committed throughout history by all [Islamic] streams, and like those being committed in our modern era by tyrannical Sunni rulers. Both use religion and sectarianism for political purposes. "Although we understand the positions of those who were harmed by the [Iranian] aggression in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, and understand the need to lift their spirits and ensure their rights, the leaders and scholars of the [Islamic] nation must not dwell on these events in a way that will lead us to destroy one another from within while facing a [common] foe – an enemy that seeks to harm us all, regardless of stream, and aims to impose its sovereignty and will upon all of us and to eliminate our religion and our culture forever. "An Iranian victory in the current war, or at least its emergence from it unharmed, is a victory for Palestine that saves our brothers in Gaza from the immense injustice inflicted upon them and from the [Israeli] aggression whose barbarity has reached unprecedented heights. 'An Iranian victory is a defeat for the tyranny in our Arab and Islamic world that supports the [Zionist] entity and takes part in the siege on Gaza. "An Iranian victory is a defeat for the U.S. and its European allies, who are the cause of all our troubles. It will also facilitate the world's transition to multipolarity, which will grant us broader margins for the revival of our Islamic world…"
Memri
16 minutes ago
- Memri
The Qatar Air Force Monitor (QAFM) Project
The Qatar Air Force Monitor (QAFM) Project aims to present current trends in the development of Qatari air power, acquisitions, training and global cooperation. The project will expose the potential regional implications of a jihadi terror-sponsoring state – the emirate of Qatar – that is armed with the latest and most advanced American, European and Israeli combat aviation technology. The following is a preliminary background report on the Qatari Emiri Air Force. The Qatar Air Force Monitor Project The Qatari Emiri Air Force is one of the most rapidly evolving air forces in the world. Up until 2014, its operational backbone numbered only nine Mirage 2000-5EDA defense fighters. In a leap of military transformation that began around 2014 – focusing on enhancing airpower capabilities through acquisition of the most advanced non-stealth and stealth-enhanced fighters – Qatar was able to build one of the most powerful air fleets in the Middle East. Qatari Emiri Air Force badge. On April 11, 2025, Qatar participated in a multinational drill hosted by Greece, alongside France, India, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Israel, Slovenia, Spain, UAE, and the U.S. The Qatari air force demonstrated the capabilities of its F-15QA fighter squadron.[1] The Qatari Emiri Air Force Active Fleet (2025) Source: The Three-Pronged Acquisition Model: Defense Relations Through Purchase In its expansion process, the Qatari air force had opted to purchase fighter jets from three different companies: The F-15QA, manufactured by the Boeing company The Rafale , manufactured by French Dassault Aviation The Typhoon Eurofighter, a combined multinational development of the UK, Germany, Italy, France and Spain. Each of these acquisitions came with complete maintenance and pilot training, thus enhancing and solidifying Qatari relations with the USAF, the French Air Force and the UK's RAF.[2] The photo above shows Boeing's state of the art F-15QA "Ababil," on its pre-delivery fueling mission before flying to Qatar, April 10, 2025. The "Ababil" (ابابيل), named after a mythical Quranic bird that protected the Kaaba by pelting the invading armies with stones, is currently one of the most advanced "stealth-enhanced" fighter jets.[3] According to the website of the Israeli company Elbit Systems, the F-15 is equipped with Elbit components, including "fuel tanks, pylons, horizontal stabilizers and adapters."[4] According to other media reports, Boeing's Qatari F-15QA is equipped with an Elbit "anti-jamming" system,[5] as well as the Israeli Rafael Sky Shield electronic warfare system.[6] Dassault "Rafale". The Qatari model could be also equipped with an optional Elbit component: the TARGO-II helmet-mounted target designation system. The Typhoon Eurofighter. The Qataris have formed a joint squadron of Typhoons with the RAF - the 12 squadron based in Coningsby. The 11 joint squadron of the RAF and Qatari air force, flying the "Hawk" training aircraft (see below), is based in Leeming airbase in North Yorkshire [7]. The Al-Zaeem Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al-Attiyah Air Academy In Al-Udeid Since 2009, the Qatari air force has been running its own pilot training program at the Al-Zaeem Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al-Attiyah Air Academy,[8] which is named after the former head of the Qatari armed forces, who later served also as chief of police.[9] The academy is located at the Al-Udeid airbase. The 12th class of the academy graduated on January 22, 2025. Training a cohort of cadets – among them female cadets – takes up to 4 years, including advanced training in the UK and Italy for pilots trained to fly the F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets. One hundred and nineteen graduates qualified as pilots and drone operators in the latest class of the Academy – 100 men and 19 women – among them 14 from "neighboring and friendly countries": Jordan, Tunisia, Somalia,. and Rwanda.[10] The Al-Zaeem Academy badge. Qatari basic flight training aircraft below include (left to right) the PC21, H125 (Helicopter), and the BAE Systems "Hawk." The academy also trains pilots to fly the Pilatus PC-24 (down), a Swiss-made light business jet (below). Classes in jet engine mechanics, like the one below, are conducted in English. In this class, cadets are expected to understand and be able to explain the mechanics of a gas turbine engine. A control tower simulator is used for training airfield personnel. Air traffic control training is conducted. The Qatari air force trains personnel in both ATC (Air Traffic Control) and DCI (Data Communications Infrastructure). Training for done operators is conducted. Below is a Qatari training drone. Lately, Qatar has opted to purchase eight MQ-9B "Skyguardian" UAVs , one of the most advanced UAV's in current manufacture in the U.S.[11] Skyguardian by General Atomics. Below, the Emir of Qatar, commander in chief of the Qatari armed forces, surveys the guard of the 12th class of cadets graduating from the Al-Zaeem Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al-Attiyah Air Academy,[12] on January 22, 2025. Qatar In The Sky – With American Technology Qatar is the foremost sponsor of Islamist terrorism worldwide, followed by its close ally, Iran. Israel and the U.S. were able to attack Iran, knowing how ineffective Iran's air force was (the IRIAF comprised mainly aging Cold War-era planes, largely ineffective in today's aerial battlefield).[13] However, a similar attack on Iran's ally, Qatar, would have posed much greater challenges for any attacking air force – given the bolstered strength of the Qatari air force, which is now equipped with the most advanced aircrafts, aviation technology and munitions, as well as deep knowledge of air combat tactics of the U.S and NATO states' air forces. U.S.- Qatar Defense Contracts Despite Qatar's deeply embedded and unwavering support for extremist Islamist movements all around the globe, as well as its blatant incitement for terrorism and antisemitism through the Qatari owned Al-Jazeera media channel, the U.S. continues to sign defense contracts with Qatar through the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.[14] A U.S. State Department press release from January 2025 states:[15] "The U.S. has over $26 billion in active government-to-government cases with Qatar under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system, making Qatar the second-largest FMS partner in the world. Recent and significant FMS sales include: Integrated Air & Missile Defense System, including the Patriot long-range missile system, the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System, and the AN/FPS-132 Early Warning Radar; F-15QA fighter aircraft – the most advanced F-15 in production; and AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. Each of these programs includes facility construction and extended munitions, logistics, and training support." Qatar and Boeing The Boeing Company maintains both the Qatari Airways and the Qatari Air Force fleets of hundreds of Boeing Aircraft. Boeing also funds technological entrepreneurship and innovation programs in Qatar. From the "Boeing in Qatar" brochure, 2024 ( In 2024, Boeing and the Investment Promotion Agency Qatar (Invest Qatar) established a new legal entity called Boeing Aerospace Doha LLC, in Qatar.[16] A May 2025 video shows President Donald Trump's total and absolute trust in the air force of Qatar, a proven ally of Iran, as Air Force One is accompanied by F-15 "Ababils." The Apache AH-64E attack helicopter, manufactured by Boeing, currently the most advanced attack helicopter in the world. Qatari AH-64s flying in formation A Qatari air force C-17 "Globemaster" by Boeing. The Globemaster can carry 102 troops and their equipment, or 170,900 pounds (77,519 kilograms) of cargo ( Qatari air force M C-17 Globemaster. Currently, Qatar has eight C-17 aircraft in its fleet. Qatari C-130J. Four of them are in service. * The Qatar Air Force Monitor Project provides periodical updates on Qatari air strength development.
Shafaq News
17 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
US sanctions Iraqi businessman for Iranian oil exports
Shafaq News – Baghdad/Tehran/Washington On Thursday, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on a business network allegedly smuggling Iranian oil under the guise of legitimate Iraqi trade. In a statement, the department said the companies led by Iraqi businessman Salim Saeed had been purchasing and shipping Iranian oil—either disguised or blended with Iraqi crude—since at least 2020, in transactions worth billions of dollars. The sanctions also target several vessels accused of covertly transporting Iranian oil, as part of what US officials described as a crackdown on Iran's 'shadow fleet.' Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control is taking action against networks that have collectively transported and purchased billions of dollars' worth of Iranian oil, some of which has benefited Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods… — Treasury Department (@USTreasury) July 3, 2025 In remarks to Fox News on June 29, Trump indicated that sanctions could be lifted if Iran takes constructive steps The treasury also imposed sanctions on several senior officials and one entity tied to Al-Qard al-Hassan, a financial institution controlled by the Lebanese Hezbollah. According to the department, these individuals facilitated multi-million-dollar transactions that ultimately benefited the group while obscuring its involvement. Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control is sanctioning seven senior officials and one entity associated with the Hizballah-controlled financial institution Al-Qard Al-Hassan, which was designated by OFAC in 2007. — Treasury Department (@USTreasury) July 3, 2025 Earlier this year, Iraq's Oil Minister stated in a televised interview that Iran had falsified documents for oil shipments using Iraq's name to mask the exports, affirming that the government had notified Washington of its non-involvement.
