The Capitals: Churn in power centres — from London to Kathmandu

New Delhi

Last weekend, just after this journalist had checked out 'published' icon on The Capitals piece that reported how New Delhi sealed the deal to operate Iran's Chabahar port, a news flash showed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter involved in an 'incident'. Next morning on Monday (May 20), Raisi, foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and seven others were confirmed dead in a helicopter crash in north-western Iran. 

Also read | The Capitals: New Delhi seals deal to operate Chabahar port for a decade; and more

Hundreds of thousands of Iranians attended deceased President Raisi's funeral in Tehran. The crowded street filled mourners while the state-railway company organised special trains to take mourners from Tehran to Mashhad, Raisi's birthplace. Numerous high-ranking political and military representatives, as well as foreign dignitaries — including India's Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar — paid their respects to Raisi.

Mourners attend a burial ceremony of the late Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi in Mashhad, Iran, May 23, 2024 | Reuters

The five-day mourning period in Iran ended on Friday (May 24). 

But what is important is where Raisi found his resting place. Raisi was buried in his home town of Mashhad at the shrine of eight Imam of Shia Islam, Imam Reza — one of the holiest sites in Iran. Raisi's grave is very close to the tomb of Imam Reza, an event that could actualise only with special permission from the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.  

Also watch | Ebrahim Raisi News: Iran holds funeral for President killed in helicopter crash

Iran is now led by interim President Mohammad Mokhber. 

London, United Kingdom

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak | Reuters

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a national election this week for July 4. Sunak's Conservatives are widely expected to lose to the opposition Labour Party after 14 years in power.

Sunak, 44, stood outside his Downing Street office in pouring rain and called the election several months earlier than expected.

Sunak listed what he said were his achievements in government, not only as prime minister but also as a former finance minister.

"Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future and decide whether it wants to build on the progress we have made or risk going back to square one and no certainty," he said.

"Over the next few weeks, I will fight for every vote, I will earn your trust and I will prove to you that only a Conservative government led by me will not put our hard-earned economic stability at risk."

Kathmandu, Nepal

Prime Minister Pushpa Kumar Dahal won the vote of confidence for the fourth time within 18 months but the margin of his parliamentary support waned. When he first went for a vote of confidence in January 2023 shortly after he was elected prime minister, 268 parliamentarians of the 270 present in the 275-member parliament voted in his favour.

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kumar Dahal 'Prachanda' | Reuters

On Monday (May 20), Prachanda secured 157 votes while one parliamentarian stayed neutral and the rest remained absent. 

The rift between Prachanda's Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) and its ally-turned-foe Nepali Congress (NC) — who have 88 members in the parliament -- will be tested again on May 28, when the government is preparing to present the annual budget. As per Nepal's constitution, the government must table the budget in Parliament on May 28.

Seoul, South Korea

In a slight move forward between Seoul and Beijing amid deepening distrust between the two sides, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Chinese Premier Li Qiang agreed to launch a diplomatic and security dialogue and resume talks on a free trade agreement, Yoon's office said.

Yoon and Li met in Seoul a day before a summit with their Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the first three-way talks by the three Asian neighbours in more than four years.

China and the US-allied South Korea and Japan are trying to manage rising distrust amid the rivalry between Beijing and Washington and tensions over self-ruled island nation Taiwan.

"Just as Korea and China have overcome various difficulties together over the past 30 years and contributed to each other's development and growth, I hope to continue to strengthen bilateral cooperation even in the face of today's global complex crises," South Korea's President Yoon Suk-Yeol said, according to his office.

Damascus, Syria

Saudi Arabia sent its ambassador to the Syrian capital Damascus in a major development since the closure of the Saudi embassy there in 2012 during the Syrian civil war.

Riyadh's new ambassador to Syria will be Faisal Al-Mujfel, state news agency, SPA said. Syria reopened its embassy in Riyadh last year and appointed a new ambassador in December.

Saudi Arabia reopened its embassy in Syria earlier this year after the two countries cut diplomatic ties more than a decade ago.

The resumption of ties between Riyadh and Damascus marks one of the most significant developments in moves by Arab states to normalise ties with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, shunned by many Western and Arab states after Syria's civil war began in 2011.