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Hollow promises by Iranian presidential candidates!

While not only all Iranians but also all world’s political pundits believe that the presidential election in Iran, which is scheduled to take place on June 18, is nothing more than a show and everything has been decided in advance, so that, even some factions and regime’s leaders like the former president Mahmood Ahmadi Nejad has announced that he will not take part in the show. Iranian presidential
The hollow words and promises of the 7 people who have passed the filter of the Guardian Council to heat up the show and attract people's attention to the election are so ridiculous that have been taken as jokes by the people in Iran .
The promises made by these people are so unrealistic and false that if someone does not know these people and their showmanship, may be fooled by such rhetoric and sweet talks.
But the reality is that all seven of them have been part of the same corrupt and oppressive regime and share the blame for the current horrible state of living and people's misery in Iran.
These candidates have been instrumental in drawing more than 80% of the people of Iran under the poverty line and have created an economic downfall that has forced more than 35% of the city dwellers to move to the outskirts due to inability to pay the rent, living in shanty towns that do not have the minimum necessary facilities for a family
These candidates are part of the same system that has created such high inflation that many of the population have not been able to taste meat and fruit for a long time and have been forced to sell their organs such as kidneys, corneas, and even their hearts for their family's livelihood. The system is so corrupt that the youths of Iran, instead of going to school, have to look inside dumpsters in search of food and clothing or have become street vendors, selling gums, cigarettes, polishing shoes… to make their ends meet.
This is a regime that even selling children due to poverty is not an uncommon occurrence there.
Recently, the price of bread, the most basic source of food, has increased again by 50%, forcing many to pay for their purchases by installments.
Situation is so bad that candidates instead of presenting important major economic programs and plans for the country just give empty promises geared towards attracting this major deprived segment of population to vote.
But a glance at the background of these 7 candidates demonstrates their true natures. Iranian presidential
For example, Ibrahim Raessi, who will most likely be the winner of this show, as deputy prosecutor and prosecutor was handing death sentences to dissidents for many years. He was one of the members of the death committee responsible for the 1988 massacre of thousands of Mojahedin Khalq (MEK) members, most of whom were young people under the age of 25. In a leaked audio tape, Ayatollah Mohammad Hossein Montazeri, Khomeini's successor, told Raessi that “history will name you as criminals because of these killings and crimes”. (Of course, because of his opposition to these executions, Montazeri was fired shortly after by Khomeini).
After that, Raessi continued his role in oppressing people and looting their property for many years with different titles such as the head of Astan Quds Razavi in Khorsan province and finally as the head of the judiciary. Raessi’s crimes are so obvious that 4 years ago, during the presidential race, Hassan Rouhani in one of his election speeches in city of Hamedan told him that “during these years, you have done nothing for the people but issuing death and imprisonment sentences”. Iranian presidential
But Raessi who seems to think that people have forgotten these facts now promises freedom of expression, transparency, and honesty with the people, and while he knows nothing about economics, and in a situation where inflation is now over 50% and the middle class has been eliminated, promises single-digit inflation in the first year.
Or Mohsen Rezaei, who was one of Khomeini's personal bodyguards in the beginning of the revolution and was appointed as commander of IRGC by Khomeini in 1981 and worked in this position for 16 years, participating in the repression of the Iranian people, especially in Kurdistan province. During the eight years of the war with Iraq, he used the tactics of attacking with human waves and sending schoolchildren as disposable soldiers to clear minefields, killing tens of thousands of young Iranians youth in the war.
After the Iran-Iraq war Khamenei appointed him as the secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council. For more than two decades, he has participated in all important decisions and now, he promises to pay 450,000 Tomans a month to forty million low-income people.
His promise has made people laugh! Because presently, the regime is not even able to pay the monthly salaries of its employees, and to raise money for its current budget, it resorts to deceiving people in various ways, such as dragging them to the stock market and then devaluing stocks or establishing empty banks and financial institutions such as Caspian, Iranians, Afzal Toos and Arman Vahdat .... are a few of such fake institutions. After attracting people's capital, most of these institutions have gone bankrupt and have practically caused the loss of people's money and life's earnings. Iranian presidential
Thousands of those who have lost their investments have been staging daily and weekly public gatherings and demonstrations demanding the return of their money and accountability for the last two years.
Mohsen Rezaei who was one the main culprits in oppressing Iranians, now promises to remove censorship and filtering of the Internet!
The rest of the seven candidates possess the same corrupt credentials as these two. That is why the majority of the Iranian people have announced that they will not participate in this election. Via various rallies and social media campaigns, the people of Iran have one unique message, "We will no longer vote!" and "our vote is the overthrow of the regime." The situation is so critical that many analysts believe that this will probably be the last so called election in Iran. This understanding is echoed by regime's authorities, including Ahmadinejad, who warned in their speeches, indicating that a change like the one in 1979 will occur. Iranian presidential
By Cyrus yaqubi
Cyrus Yaqubi is a Research Analyst and Iranian Foreign Affairs Commentator investigating the social issues and economy of the middle east countries in general and Iran in particular.
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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