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The Iranian government's approach to coronavirus vaccine

Hassan Rouhani defended his actions, perhaps it does more justice to say his inaction, in dealing with coronavirus outbreak while almost all provinces of Iran are in red zones and even some are in black zone, and according to unofficial reports so far nearly 180 ,000 died and mor than 1.2 million people contracted the coronavirus, and said:
"We were approaching the channel of 500 people a day, and even some predictions indicated that we would have much worse conditions with same trend, but with measures that were taken, we reached below 400 people and we hope to have better conditions with the cooperation of the people.”. He continued to justify the government's inaction: "Using a mask, observing social distancing, and not getting together principles should always be observed. If the traffic increases and getting together start, our problem will increase.”
Furthermore, to lower the expectation of Iranians to get vaccinated for coronavirus soon, he indirectly hinted tried to not expect receiving coronavirus vaccine and said:" We must always continue to take care, even if we are given a safe vaccine and the right dose and we could administer it, people still must follow the protocols. The effects and side effects of the vaccines are not yet known, and it is not clear what is the effectiveness of the vaccines that are supposed to be in the countries that want to start vaccination, and the side effects of these vaccines are not clear to the world.”
He added: "Maybe some of these vaccines have side effects, so we cannot hope for a vaccine that is not yet available. Whenever a safe vaccine is found, it will not be produced as many doses as required and production capacity is limited in the world. Vaccination takes time to administer to everyone who needs it, so care should not be reduced in the hope of vaccination.”
"We think the vaccine will arrive and our problems will be solved, while no vaccine is 100% effective and we do not know if the virus will mutate or not, and if that happens, the vaccines should be changed".
Rouhani blamed the people and added: "We all have a duty to impose strictures on these cases. Wherever it becomes clear that the patient has violated the quarantine, fines should be imposed on them. When we enforce a protocol and it is ratified and communicated by the coronavirus National Headquarters, our own officials are to implement it and our duty to implement it is greater and higher than that of ordinary people.
Rouhani also justified his long absence and that of Khamenei out of fear of contracting coronavirus by quoting a verse from the Qur'an: "Whoever has a higher responsibility, and the people look up to him in government, his actions can be effective. Ministers and other agencies and all those responsible in the country must comply more than others, and if they do not comply, it will make people feel that these protocols are not very necessary, and if it was necessary, why some administration and ministry and some official did not comply.”
Abdul Nasser Hemmati, the governor of the Central Bank of Iran, also said that Tehran's attempt to pay the World Health Organization to buy the coronavirus vaccine had been hampered by "sanctions".
Hemmati wrote in a text posted on his Instagram page on Monday, December 7: "Since the purchase of the COVAX vaccine must be done through the official channel of the World Health Organization, so far any way to pay and transfer the required currency, because "The inhumane sanctions imposed by the US government and the need to obtain OFAC licenses have been hampered."
Earlier, Nasser Riahi, president of the Union of Medicine Importers, denied the problem of transferring money for the import of coronavirus vaccine under the embargo, saying that 30% of Iran's imported medicines are from the United States with sanctions in place.
Riahi also noted that international sanctions do not include the coronavirus vaccine, and the two vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna would certainly reach Iran.
Meanwhile, Shahriari, the head of parliamentary health commission, stated that Iran cannot afford to buy the coronavirus vaccine and they will not give it to us. The government did not pay a dollar to buy the vaccine, and the fate of importing the vaccine may be the same as the flu vaccine. He added: Iran was supposed to be a member of COVAX, if Iran could pay. They are supposed to give 16.800 million doses of coronavirus vaccine to Iran, while the initial advance payment is $ 52 million, which has not even been paid one dollar so far.
The BBC quoted the Washington Post in a report on the subject that a COVAX spokesman told the newspaper last Friday (December 4th): "There are no legal obstacles for Iran getting the vaccine. "
The Washington Post wrote: "A COVAX spokesman said Iran had obtained the necessary authorization from the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Oversight (OFAC) to make an exemption to pay for vaccine purchases, and there was no legal ban on purchase of vaccine through COVAX by Iran."
On the other hand, Saeed Namaki, the Minister of Health, to cover up the inaction of the government said: "We want to transfer money for the coronavirus vaccine, but they have closed all the means and exerted pressure on the people, but we are still in a better situation than many rich countries in the world.”
He claimed that the Islamic Republic would announce an "achievement" soon to counter coronavirus. He said, "We have reached a clear point in the control of viral diseases and an achievement of Islamic Republic in the near future will be announced that ranks Iran in the world in this field in the first place.”
But he did not elaborate on his claim!
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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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