Three defining events of 1979: Burning of Makkah’s Grand Mosque. Soviet tank in Kabul. Ayatollah Khomeini’s return to Tehran. AFP/Getty Images/AFP
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Three defining events of 1979: Burning of Makkah’s Grand Mosque. Soviet tank in Kabul. Ayatollah Khomeini’s return to Tehran. AFP/Getty Images/AFP

1979 - The Iranian Revolution, the siege of Makkah, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

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Updated 22 April 2025
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1979 - The Iranian Revolution, the siege of Makkah, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

1979 - The Iranian Revolution, the siege of Makkah, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
  • The seismic events of 1979 reshaped the Middle East, fueling extremism, regional hostilities, and global conflicts that continue to reverberate even now

RIYADH: In a region in which major geopolitical events are almost commonplace, the trio of seismic shocks that erupted in 1979 made it a year like no other. 

A single thread connected the Iranian revolution, the siege of Makkah and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan: The birth of a brand of Islamic extremism that would have catastrophic consequences for millions, with repercussions that continue to reverberate around the entire world to this day. 

The first rumblings began the previous year, amid widespread disquiet in Iran at the increasingly oppressive rule of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, whose “White Revolution” reforms were seen by many as pushing the Westernization of the country too far, too quickly. 

A religious demonstration in January 1978 in the city of Qom, a center of Shiite scholarship 130 kilometers southwest of the capital, Tehran, was broken up violently when security forces opened fire, killing as many as 300 protesters, mainly seminary students. 

Demonstrations spread to cities across the country, culminating by the end of the year in widespread strikes and protests amid demands that the shah step down and Grand Ayatollah Khomeini be allowed to return from exile in France. 

On Jan. 16, 1979, the shah and his family left Iran, never to return. On Feb. 1, Khomeini arrived at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran, stepping off an Air France flight from Paris after 15 years in exile to a tumultuous welcome by millions of Iranians. 

Within 10 days, the last remaining vestiges of the old regime had collapsed and Shapour Bakhtiar, the prime minister appointed by the shah barely a month earlier, fled into exile. 

How we wrote it




The newspaper covered the Iranian government’s “first major crisis” as pro-Shah troops clashed with demonstrators in Ahwaz, reigniting tensions amidst a concurrent earthquake.

On April 1, 1979, the results of a national referendum were revealed and, with the support of more than 98 percent of the voters, Khomeini declared the creation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, of which he would be supreme leader. 

The Iranian Revolution was founded on a sectarian constitutional basis that emphasized the export of its revolutionary ideology, and so it fueled sectarian tensions across the region. 

The revolution introduced the Guardianship of the Jurist theory (Wilayat Al-Faqih), a sectarian principle that positions the Islamic jurist, or expert on Islamic law, above the state and its people, granting him ultimate authority over foreign relations and national security. 

Crucially, the guardian jurist perceives himself to be the leader of all Muslims worldwide, his authority not limited to Iranians or even Shiites. It was this claim of universal leadership that most alarmed other countries in the region, as the theory disregards state sovereignty, promotes sectarian groups, and grants the revolutionary regime the “right” to intervene in the affairs of other nations. 

The new Islamic Republic’s commitment to the principle of exporting its revolution further exacerbated regional hostilities, with the Iran-Iraq War that broke out in 1980 serving as a flash point. 

Iran’s revolutionary agenda had sought to undermine Iraq, a pivotal Arab country, by inciting and supporting Shiite groups and militias with training, financial aid and weapons. Ultimately, it would be these groups that formed the basis of the militias Iran leveraged extensively after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, when Saddam Hussein’s Baath regime fell. 

It was not long before the fears among Iran’s neighbors that the revolution would spread throughout the region appeared to be realized. 

Key Dates

  • 1

    The shah and his family flee Iran.

    Timeline Image Jan. 16, 1979

  • 2

    Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Tehran after 15 years in exile.

    Timeline Image Feb. 1, 1979

  • 3

    Angered by Washington’s refusal to return the shah for trial, revolutionaries seize the US Embassy in Tehran and hold 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.

  • 4

    Religious extremists seize control of the Grand Mosque of Makkah.

    Timeline Image Nov. 20, 1979

  • 5

    Call to noon prayer brings thousands of worshippers to the mosque for the first time in three weeks.

  • 6

    Soviet troops invade Afghanistan.

    Timeline Image Dec. 25, 1979

  • 7

    Last detachment of Soviet troops leaves Afghanistan.

    Timeline Image Feb. 15, 1989

On Nov. 20, 1979, following the dawn prayer in the Grand Mosque of Makkah, more than 200 armed men, led by Juhayman Al-Otaibi, a religious extremist, seized the sacred site and announced that the long-awaited Mahdi, the harbinger of the day of judgment, prophesied to bring justice after a period of oppression, had appeared. This supposed Mahdi was Al-Otaibi’s brother-in-law, Mohammed Al-Qahtani. 

Al-Otaibi instructed his followers to lock the doors of the mosque and position snipers atop its minarets, which overlook Makkah. Meanwhile, the man identified as the Mahdi, who believed himself to be under divine protection, was swiftly shot by Saudi special forces when he appeared during the clashes without protection. 

The siege of Makkah continued for 14 days, ending with the capture and execution of Al-Otaibi and dozens of his surviving fellow insurgents. 

While there was no evidence to suggest direct Iranian involvement in the seizure of the Grand Mosque, the revolutionary climate in Iran provided ideological inspiration for many extremist movements and armed organizations during that period. 

The Saudi government’s robust response to the siege sent a clear and unequivocal message to extremist factions: rebellion and violent ideologies would not be tolerated. This strategy of deterrence proved instrumental in safeguarding the Kingdom from further violence and bloodshed. 

How we wrote it




Arab News reported the siege’s end, citing 75 “renegades” killed, 135 captured, and 60 Saudi soldiers dead “in the service of God.”

But 1979 had a further shock in store. On Dec. 25, just over a month after the siege of Makkah ended, Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan. 

The invasion took place during a period of intense political instability in the country. In 1978, President Mohammed Daoud Khan and his family were overthrown and killed by Nur Mohammed Taraki, a Communist. 

Taraki’s rule was short-lived; his former political party comrade, Hafizullah Amin, seized power and killed him. Amin’s attempts to align Afghanistan more closely with the US prompted the Soviets to orchestrate his assassination, replacing him with Babrak Karmal, a more reliable Communist, thereby securing a more compliant leadership. 

The Soviet intervention was driven by a combination of motives. Economically, Afghanistan’s wealth of natural resources made it a valuable target. Politically, the invasion aimed to help prop up the faltering Communist regime and ensure no hostile government emerged in Afghanistan, a key neighbor within the Soviet Union’s immediate geopolitical sphere. 

This was particularly critical within the broader context of the Cold War, in which the US was actively working to counter Soviet influence by encircling the Soviet Union and curbing its expansionist ambitions. 

How we wrote it




Arab News reported Afghan minister Muhammad Abdo Yamani urging Austria to demand Soviet forces “out” of Afghanistan and suggesting an embargo to pressure their withdrawal.

The Soviet army faced strong resistance in Afghanistan from the Islamist Mujahideen, who received substantial support from international powers, particularly the US and its regional allies, and in the end the intervention proved futile. 

For 10 years the Soviet Union endured significant human and material losses in Afghanistan but failed to regain control and political stability in the country through the political system they endorsed. This system lacked popular legitimacy and controlled only limited territory, with the rest of the country remaining under the control of opposition forces. 

All these factors finally compelled the Soviet army to withdraw from Afghanistan after almost a decade. A subsequent civil war culminated in Taliban coming to power in 1996. 

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan had far-reaching consequences. Geopolitically, it exposed the limitations of the Soviet army, and the failure in Afghanistan coincided with internal political and economic decline within the Soviet Union, its inability to compete with the US in the arms race, and the outbreak of popular uprisings in countries that had adopted the socialist model. 

As such, the invasion is widely regarded as a major contributing factor in the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union. 




Afghan resistance fighters repelled the Soviet invasion with immense human cost and significant Western, especially US, aid. An estimated 1.5 million Afghans died in the conflict. AFP

The war also became a breeding ground for extremist jihadist movements. Arabs and Muslims who joined the Afghan resistance found the conflict to be a unifying platform, drawing leaders and fighters from several countries in the Islamic world. 

Upon returning to their homelands, these individuals brought with them military expertise and radical ideologies. This environment facilitated the establishment of terrorist organizations, as these veterans sought to replicate the armed struggle to overthrow regimes in their own countries. 

The most prominent product of this phenomenon was Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, who fought alongside the Mujahideen against the Soviets in Afghanistan. He founded the terror group Al-Qaeda, which emerged as a leading force among extremist religious organizations. 

Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda played a central role in the global wave of terrorism that culminated in the 9/11 attacks on the US, and all the repercussions that followed. These included the invasion of Afghanistan by a US-led coalition in 2001, and the rise of Iranian-backed terror groups in Iraq following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, which ultimately led to the rise of Daesh. 

  • Dr. Mohammed Al-Sulami is head of the International Institute for Iranian Studies (Rasanah). 


New platform, pavilion inaugurated at Prophet’s biography museum in Madinah

New platform, pavilion inaugurated at Prophet’s biography museum in Madinah
Updated 13 min 34 sec ago
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New platform, pavilion inaugurated at Prophet’s biography museum in Madinah

New platform, pavilion inaugurated at Prophet’s biography museum in Madinah

RIYADH: A new pavilion and an interactive digital platform have been inaugurated at the International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilization in Madinah.

The new additions to the museum were inaugurated by Prince Salman bin Sultan, Governor of Madinah, in the presence of Mohammad Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League and Supervisor-General of the museum.

The new pavilion offers a documented presentation of Madinah through more than 20 sections, covering the most important historical, cultural, and social monuments and landmarks of the holy city during the era of the Prophet Muhammad.

It also includes a panorama of the Prophet's Chamber and presents a simulation of the construction of the Prophet's Mosque, the Prophetic medicine tent, and the Prophet's daily routine.

Ethaf, the new digital platform, allows visitors to explore the Prophet’s biography through virtual tours, with access to a library of over 350 books and encyclopedias in the service of the Holy Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah, translated into several languages.

The governor also visited the pavilion showcasing the Kingdom's efforts in serving Qur’an, Sunnah, and the Two Holy Mosques, and was briefed on its work and efforts to highlight the message of Islam. 


US lost seven multi-million-dollar drones in Yemen area since March

US lost seven multi-million-dollar drones in Yemen area since March
Updated 19 min 31 sec ago
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US lost seven multi-million-dollar drones in Yemen area since March

US lost seven multi-million-dollar drones in Yemen area since March
  • “There have been seven MQ-9s that have gone down since March 15,” the US official said on condition of anonymity, without specifying what caused the loss of the drones, which cost around $30 million apiece

WASHINGTON: The United States has lost seven multi-million-dollar MQ-9 Reaper drones in the Yemen area since March 15, a US official said Monday, as the Navy announced a costly warplane fell off an aircraft carrier into the Red Sea.
Washington launched the latest round of its air campaign against Yemen’s Houthis in mid-March, and MQ-9s can be used for both reconnaissance — a key aspect of US efforts to identify and target weaponry the rebels are using to attack shipping in the region — as well as strikes.
“There have been seven MQ-9s that have gone down since March 15,” the US official said on condition of anonymity, without specifying what caused the loss of the drones, which cost around $30 million apiece.
The US Navy meanwhile announced the loss of another piece of expensive military equipment: an F/A-18E warplane that fell off the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in an accident that injured one sailor.
A tractor that was towing the F/A-18E — a type of aircraft that cost more than $67 million in 2021 — also slipped off the ship into the sea.
“The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard,” the Navy said in a statement.
The carrier and its other planes remain in action and the incident is under investigation, the Navy added. No details of recovery work were released.

It is the second F/A-18 operating off the Truman to be lost in less than six months, after another was mistakenly shot down by the USS Gettysburg guided missile cruiser late last year in incident that both pilots survived.
The Truman is one of two US aircraft carriers operating in the Middle East, where US forces have been striking the Houthis on a near-daily basis since March 15.
The military’s Central Command said Sunday that US forces have struck more than 800 targets and killed hundreds of Houthi fighters, including members of the group’s leadership, as part of the operation.
The Iran-backed Houthis began targeting shipping in late 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by a military campaign launched by Israel after a shock Hamas attack in October of that year.
Houthi attacks have prevented ships from passing through the Suez Canal — a vital route that normally carries about 12 percent of the world’s shipping traffic — forcing many companies into a costly detour around the tip of southern Africa.
The United States first began conducting strikes against the Houthis under the Biden administration, and President Donald Trump has vowed that military action against the rebels will continue until they are no longer a threat to shipping.
 

 


Trump trade war dominates BRICS meeting in Brazil

Trump trade war dominates BRICS meeting in Brazil
Updated 29 April 2025
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Trump trade war dominates BRICS meeting in Brazil

Trump trade war dominates BRICS meeting in Brazil
  • A BRICS challenge to the hegemony of the dollar is expected to feature high on the agenda

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: The foreign ministers of Brazil, China, Russia and other BRICS members began two days of talks in Rio de Janeiro Monday aimed at forging a united front to US President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policies.
The meeting comes at a critical moment for the world economy after the International Monetary Fund slashed growth forecasts over the impact of the US leader’s sweeping new tariffs.
Top diplomats from the 11-member bloc — which includes Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates — met to hone their agenda ahead of a July leaders summit.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira stressed the importance of dialogue at a time of “humanitarian crises, armed conflicts, political instability and the erosion of multilateralism.”
BRICS’s “role as a group is more important than ever,” he said.
Trump, since returning to the White House in January, has hit dozens of countries with a blanket 10 percent tariff, but China faces levies of up to 145 percent on many products.
Beijing has responded with duties of 125 percent on US goods.
Senior Chinese economic planner Zhao Chenxin said Monday in Beijing that the country was on the “right side of history” in the face of what he called Washington’s “unilateralism and bullying.”
BRICS has expanded significantly since its 2009 inception as a group of four powers — Brazil, Russia, India and China — seeking an alternative platform to Western-led international organizations such as the G7.
It now makes up nearly half of the world’s population, 39 percent of global GDP and weighs in on issues from Ukraine to Gaza to global trade.
Vieira opened the talks with a call for a “complete withdrawal” of Israeli forces from Gaza, terming Israel’s more than 50-day aid blockade of the territory “unacceptable.”
The group has had generally less to say about the war in Ukraine, issuing calls for peace while steering clear of condemning Russia’s invasion.
And Vieira on Monday called for a “diplomatic solution” which respects the “principles and objectives” of the United Nations charter.
The meeting comes at the start of what the United States has called a “critical week” for talks on ending the Ukraine war.
Trump appeared to turn against Putin at the weekend after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Pope Francis’s funeral, saying he felt the Russian leader was “just tapping me along.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by announcing a three-day ceasefire from May 8-10.
The White House, however, suggested the pause was not sufficient, saying Trump had “made it clear he wants to see a permanent ceasefire first.”
At the same time the US president has been piling pressure on Kyiv to give up hopes of reclaiming Russian-annexed Crimea.
A BRICS challenge to the hegemony of the dollar is expected to feature high on the agenda.
At a summit last year, BRICS members discussed boosting non-dollar transactions, eliciting a swift rebuke from Trump who threatened them with 100 percent tariffs if they undercut the US currency.
Speaking to Brazil’s O Globo newspaper ahead of the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said BRICS nations planned to “increase the share of national currencies in transactions” between member states, but said talk of transitioning toward a unified BRICS currency was “premature.”
Vieira, whose country has so far been spared the worst of Trump’s trade ire — Brazilian imports to the US are subject to 10 percent tariffs, a fraction of those imposed on China — also denied any plans to create a new currency.
Another issue expected to feature prominently in the joint statement issued after the BRICS meeting Tuesday is climate change.
Brazil is the host of this year’s UN COP30 climate conference, which will take place in November in the Amazon city of Belem.


Saudi ministers highlight real estate and urban-planning successes under Vision 2030

Saudi ministers highlight real estate and urban-planning successes under Vision 2030
Updated 29 April 2025
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Saudi ministers highlight real estate and urban-planning successes under Vision 2030

Saudi ministers highlight real estate and urban-planning successes under Vision 2030
  • Housing minister Majid Alhogail praises accomplishments including development of the Khuzam modern-housing suburb on the outskirts of Riyadh
  • ‘We have worked in the municipal and housing sector to redefine the city as a balanced, green, smart environment that meets needs and inspires ambition for residents,’ he says

RIYADH: Ministers on Monday showcased the achievements so far within Saudi Arabia’s real estate and housing sector since the launch in 2016 of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s plan for national development and diversification, and the effects it is having on future strategies.

Housing minister Majid Alhogail highlighted in particular his ministry’s achievements over the past year, including the development of the Khuzam modern-housing suburb on the outskirts of Riyadh.

“This model is one of the examples that greatly helped in changing the concept of housing into a living environment,” he said.

“Last year was a leader in many achievements, investments, industry and logistics services, where the municipal sector plays a significant and influential role.”

The municipal and housing sector accounts for 14 percent of the Kingdom’s gross domestic product, the housing sector provides more than 500,000 jobs, and more than 300,000 entities operate under the supervision of the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, Alhogail said.

He also noted the growth of investment in the real estate market, adding: “The construction and real estate sector contributed more than 16 percent of total foreign investment flows, reflecting investors’ confidence in the readiness of cities and the regulatory environment we are continuously developing.”

He also highlighted the important need to create a balanced environment within modern smart cities that can better serve the needs of citizens and enhance their quality of life, and said this is something to which he is fully committed.

“We have worked in the municipal and housing sector to redefine the city as a balanced, green, smart environment that meets needs and inspires ambition for residents,” he said as he stressed the importance of ensuring cities are designed for the benefit of people rather than for cars.

“By the end of this year, we also aim to achieve a 61 percent increase in residents’ access to public spaces within an 800-meter radius.

“Regarding quality of life in the municipal sector, we have been keen since day one to ensure that the city is not just a place to live but rather a complete space for life.”

Six Saudi cities are now officially ranked as smart cities by the IMD World Smart Cities Index, Alhogail noted — AlUla. Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, Jeddah and Alkhobar — reflecting the achievements within the sector.

His ministry considers effective urban planning as the starting point for the development and improvement of municipal spaces, he continued. This was also reflected by the launch last month of the Saudi Architecture Characters Map, guided by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which aims to enrich the urban landscape through the celebration of 19 distinct architectural styles inspired by the Kingdom’s cultural and natural heritage.

The Saudi media minister, Salman Aldosari, also spoke about the achievements to date within the sector and noted that some objectives were met ahead of schedule.

Acknowledging the challenges and opportunities arising from Vision 2030, he said that Saudi ambitions have surpassed the obstacles, adding: “The year 2024 (was) the year of records.”


Saudi aid agency and UK government sign $10m agreement for cholera response in Yemen

Saudi aid agency and UK government sign $10m agreement for cholera response in Yemen
Updated 28 April 2025
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Saudi aid agency and UK government sign $10m agreement for cholera response in Yemen

Saudi aid agency and UK government sign $10m agreement for cholera response in Yemen
  • KSrelief will provide $5m to the WHO, while the UK government will provide a further $5m to the UN Children’s Fund
  • An estimated 3.5m people will benefit from the deal to fund a wide range of disease management and prevention services

LONDON: Saudi aid agency KSrelief and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on Monday signed an agreement to expand cholera response efforts in Yemen, potentially benefiting an estimated 3.5 million people.

KSrelief will provide $5 million to the World Health Organization, while the UK government will provide a further $5 million to the UN Children’s Fund. The money will help support emergency cholera-response activities in Yemen’s worst-affected provinces.

The WHO will deliver a range of services to tackle cholera, including leadership and coordination expertise, disease surveillance, rapid-response teams, and management of cases. KSrelief will assist these efforts through infection-prevention and control efforts, water sanitation and hygiene improvements, risk communication, community engagement, and oral cholera-vaccination campaigns.

The UK funding will be used to tackle water sanitation, hygiene, and health interventions in the most contaminated and high-risk areas.

The agreement was signed in London by Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor general of KSrelief, and Jenny Chapman, minister of state for international development at the Foreign Office, during the former’s official visit to the UK.