Iran: Parliamentary elections or spark to end of 41 years of tyranny!
February 20, 2020, 10:36 am

Iran: Parliamentary elections or spark to end of 41 years of tyranny!

Perviz Khazai

By: Perviz Khazai

In ordinary government systems, elections are held to secure the legitimacy of the political system.

The legitimacy index of any system is based on people's approval and satisfaction of their sovereignty and exercise of power and management of public affairs over them. The index is tested through elections, demonstrations, protests, rallies, and strikes.

Dr. Hossein Kachuyian, sociologist and professor at Tehran University said in an interview in 2017:

“The nonpresence of the people in a rally of February 11^th (anniversary of anti-monarchy revolution) not only puts in question the dignity of the Islamic Revolution but also the possibility of overthrowing it, as its legitimacy depends on this presence.”

On the 41^st anniversary of the anti-monarchy revolution on February 11, despite the free subway, awards, rewards, gifts and a "free-clear criminal background certificate" from the police for citizens attending the rally. But very low turn out have been reported by International media

In this show of force, even 5% of members of families of government officials, the Revolutionary Guards, and Basij were not show up for even a couple of hours. Thus, not only was the dignity of the Islamic Revolution questioned but it also showcased the prelude to its overthrow.

However, the election of February 21^st is held in different conditions than in previous years.

People's November protests in 191 cities across 29 provinces out of country's 31 provinces quickly became politicized, with people openly burning Khomeini's images and chanting: "Death to Khamenei", "Islamic Republic, we do not want, we do not want", "Our disgrace Our disgrace, our stupid leader”, "Death to the dictator," "Dictator, leave the country alone" "We don't want bad or worse Neither king nor leader” and “Death to the Tyrant “. These slogans were aimed at the entire system. In these protests, the regime's security forces on the behest of Khamenei use live ammunition and heavy machineguns against the protesters and killed more than 1500 to prevent the protests from spreading.

The parliamentary election will be held on February 21^st. Khamenei is attempting to use the election as a tool to implement his policies. Therefore, the election should be held in ultra dictatorial style, based on lies and blackmails. Khamenei's reasoning for this behavior is this election is a security issue, for the sake of maintaining the integrity of the system, not an ordinary election.

For the past few weeks, to engineer the results of the election, Khamenei has been using the leverage of the Guardian Council, a body that has been the decision-maker and elected by him, for approval and disapproval of candidates through his own filter. In this engineering, he has removed the rival gang from the scene. At the same time, President Rouhani, who oversees

holding and controlling the election has been putting pressure on Khamenei's for his share of power by saying he will not cooperate in electoral engineering and will announce the actual turnout. Khamenei also leverages the head of the judiciary, which he himself has chosen, to issue verdicts, prosecute and torture. Khamenei also uses this tool to further his goals and policies by threatening and intimidating others. Khamenei has clearly heard the slogan of “Death to Khamenei” in the demonstrations now inevitably confesses, saying in a weak tone, "One may not like me, but if you love Iran, you must come to the ballot box."

But Khamenei has carried out a dangerous surgery by disqualifying many candidates. The surgery may be a spark for the uprising, but Khamenei has no other response to the public outcry and outrage. Jahan Sanat newspaper wrote: "With the November protests ... this the situation poses a threat not just to the specific faction but to the whole system". Rouhani, too, began to support the Regime and Khamenei in recent weeks when he saw the whole system in danger, in his speeches he supported the supreme leader and urged people to go to the polls.

However Iranian people, have long responded to Rouhani and Khamenei in their protests, On Feb 16^th the Amir Kabir University Students in Tehran held a rally protesting the regime's upcoming sham Majlis (parliamentary) elections on February 21

The students chanted, “People are struggling with poverty, (officials) only care about getting votes”, and “No to the ballot box, no to the vote, election boycott”.

Perviz S. Khazai: is a law graduate and former Apprentice diplomat in French Ministry of Foreign Affairs- in IIAP(ENA)Paris, in United Nations in Geneva- In Red Cross International- In Council of Europe in Strasbourg and International Court of Justice in The Hague 1969-1971

He served as an international law expert of foreign affairs in Tehran 1976-1979

He served as the head of the mission and acting ambassador in Norway and Sweden in 1979-1982.

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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.