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Power struggle at the head of the ruling regime in Iran

Since the Iranian revolution in 1979, understanding the structure of the ruling system in Iran and the decision-making mechanism, at times, has sometimes been challenging and difficult to understand and analyze.
Although the "Vali-Faghih or the Supreme Leader" is at the top of the system's pyramid of power, the president holds the executive power. Still, the order of decision-making institutions in Iran is not clear, and this has long led to a dispute over authority between leaders of the regime who are at the center of its influence and controls its decisions.
On December 21, 2020, Hassan Rouhani, who will be in power for just a few more months, sharply criticized the regime's institutions for interfering in the executive branch's work and trying to limit its powers. Rouhani complained about the Guardian Council's manner of the presidency, accusing it of using a different interpretation of the constitution to reduce the president's powers.
"Some MPs say we should monitor the work of ministers, but this is an incomplete interpretation of the constitution," he said. "Deputies have the right to question ministers and the government, but it is not the job of parliament to oversee the work of ministers. It is the job of the president," he continued.
Rouhani's remarks about his reforms and criticisms of government institutions reflect the drastic differences between the regime's leaders to influence the decision-making mechanism, especially when viewed from the perspective of the post-Khamenei transition phase. This issue becomes more apparent in relation to the differing views between the two rival factions on negotiations with the United States.
Last week, after Ali Khamenei's speech on the occasion of Qassem Soleimani's anniversary, stating, "If we can lift the sanctions, we should not delay it even an hour," each side interpreted his remarks according to its own interests. This led to a political confrontation between the conservative and reformist factions and turned into mutual criticism.
Pro-government media highlighted sections on "lifting sanctions" from Khamenei's speech.
Senior Rouhani administration officials also accused their opponents of seeking to complicate the negotiation process with the United States and delay achieving positive results until after next year's presidential election in Iran, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.
In this regard, Javad Zarif stated that "some friends" are oriented towards the United States "that you can work better with us" and that the Rouhani government "does not stay in power" and should not be negotiated with this government.
The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, also attacked the parliament and the Guardian Council. He expressed surprise at the plan approved by lawmakers to increase Uranium enrichment, saying that Iran did not have the financial resources to install and operate 1,000 sixth-generation centrifuges. Deputies do not pay attention to it.
On December 14, 2020, Hassan Rouhani also stressed that he would not allow some individuals to "delay the end of sanctions."
In his speech, Rouhani referred to Khamenei's speech, who said that if you can lift the sanctions through negotiations, do not delay even for an hour. However, Khamenei said shortly afterward: "I agree with the government officials as long as they adhere to the goals of the people." Lifting sanctions is in the hands of the enemy, but it is up to us to make the sanctions ineffective, and therefore we must focus more on making the sanctions ineffective than focusing on lifting them."
In practice, however, Rouhani sought to use Khamenei's words to regain the initiative in future negotiations with the United States and gain the upper hand over his opponents, which has expressed distrust of the United States opposed negotiations. It seems that he intends to decrease the power of his opponents by making changes in the constitution before the end of his presidency. For this purpose, one more time, he raised the issue of a referendum for changes in the constitution.
But the hardline faction, which in fact is affiliated with Khamenei's, accused the reformist faction of distorting Khamenei's remarks.
Vatan-e-Amruz, a government-critical media outlet, reacted to this report on Saturday (December 19), calling it a " mercenary of falsification."
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council, also tweeted that a "coordinated and purposeful move" had been made to "distort" the Islamic Republic Supreme Leader's views on "lifting sanctions."
In short, this kind of reaction from the conservative faction of the Iranian regime leads to a decrease in the chances of Rouhani and the reformists to reach an acceptable agreement between Iran and the United States. At a time when Iran desperately needs the lifting of sanctions to rebuild its shattered economy and at a time when the Corona crisis has heightened popular discontent, this power struggle between the two ruling factions is in full swing as everyone awaits Khamenei's death. Next year is going to be more intense than ever behind the scenes.
By, Cyrus Yaqubi is a Research Analyst and Iranian Foreign Affairs Commentator investigating the economy of the middle East countries that are relying on oil revenue and comparing their progress to their ruling system, especially covering a variety of topics about Iran.
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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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