Marginalia, Nida-e Haq

Iranians elect a new president The change of guard in Iran may have a slight impact on the global and regional geo-politics and dynamics. But much should not be expected.   Iranians have elected the so-called hardliner Ebrahim Raisi, 60 the county’s new president. Conservative judiciary head Raisi will take office in early August, replacing moderate President Hassan Rouhani, who was not allowed by the constitution to run for a third consecutive term. Raisi’s election marks a consolidation of power by the conservatives and hardliners which already controls the parliament   Raisi won 61.95 per cent of the vote in Friday's (18 June) election on a voter turnout of 48.8 per cent, defeating Mohsen Rezaei, Abdolnasswer Hemmati and Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi.   Who is Raisi? Raisi a religious scholar, wears a black turban to signify he is a descendent of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and is also seen as the country’s next supreme leader.   Raisi has become the first Iranian ...

G-7 Summit Disappoints  The 3Cs: Covid, China and Climate Change dominated the G-7 Summit. But overall the leaders were not able to present a united stand on any major issue.   The 47 th annual G-7 Summit, ended on Sunday last at the Carbis Bay in Cornwall, UK.  Though the British Prime Minister wanted the summit to showcase his brand of ‘Global Britain’, after the Brexit. But there were terse exchanges between the French, EU and British leaders and officials on the issue. In effect the summit turned out to be more Biden focussed and expectations were raised high on some real agreement taking place on the 3C’s before the summit, though that was not the result ultimately.    Broadly, Biden sought to set a new tone after the unrestrained Trump years. Most G-7 leaders seemed relieved to have a return to a more predictable and traditional US administration. France’s Emmanuel Macron welcomed Biden back to the “club." But the final Communiqué showed that even Bid...

G-7 Summit: Reality and Expectations The forthcoming G-7 summit may set the pitch for the world’s new technological, developmental and economic growth and leadership.   The upcoming G7 Summit in Cornwall, UK from 11 to 13 of this month is perhaps the first international event, in the backdrop of the continuing Covid pandemic, when the leaders from the world’s wealthiest countries -the US, Japan, Germany, UK, France, Italy and Canada, will be meeting with leaders from India, Australia, S. Africa and S. Korea face to face for the first time in the last one-and-a-half year. The leaders from the most advanced nations of the G7 meet regularly to try to determine the course the world will follow, with their own interests taking a backseat.    Expectations from the summit There is a lot of optimism ahead of the gathering in Cornwall. US and UK government sources have briefed that the G7 will demonstrate that “the West ain’t over just yet”. The optics are bound to be promising. F...