Washington offers huge reward for capturing Iranian planner of Bolton assassination
Attempts to target former U.S. officials indicate the continuation of Iran's revenge policy, posing challenges to any potential efforts for rapprochement between the countries in the near future
September 26, 2024, 11:56 pm

Washington offers huge reward for capturing Iranian planner of Bolton assassination

جون بولتون مستشار الأمن القومي السابق \ تعبيرية \ متداولة

About two years after U.S. authorities uncovered an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton, a new development has emerged in the case.

The U.S. State Department's Rewards for Justice program announced a reward of up to $20 million for information leading to the location of an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps member accused of planning an attempt to eliminate a senior official in former President Donald Trump's administration.

The program posted on its "X" platform account a photo of "Shahram Poursafi" along with information about the suspect, explaining that there is a $20 million reward for anyone who provides information about him and his activities.

This comes after the U.S. Department of Justice revealed on Wednesday details of an attempt by an Iranian citizen, a member of the Revolutionary Guards, to assassinate John Bolton, the former U.S. National Security Advisor, during Donald Trump's presidency.

A statement from the department said that court documents revealed that since October 2021, Shahram Poursafi, also known as Mehdi Rezayi, 45, tried to exploit "international trade mechanisms" to assassinate Bolton, likely in retaliation for the killing of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, in January 2020.

It indicated that Poursafi, who works for the Revolutionary Guards, sought to pay money to individuals in the United States to carry out the assassination in the U.S. capital, Washington, or the neighboring state of Maryland.

It also clarified that in October 2022, Poursafi, also known as Mehdi Rezayi, offered to pay $300,000 to individuals in the United States to carry out the mission.

The person who was supposed to carry out Bolton's assassination revealed the plot to the authorities. His identity was not disclosed, but it later turned out that he was actually an informant for the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The U.S. Department of Justice reported at the time that between October 2021 and April 2022, Shahram Poursafi communicated with this source via an encrypted messaging platform and provided him with instructions to locate Bolton, photograph him, and then eliminate him.

Later, he ordered him to create a cryptocurrency account, then provided him with the address of Trump's former advisor and asked him to execute the plan before the first anniversary of Soleimani's assassination. It clarified that the secret source repeatedly referred to Poursafi's connection to the Quds Force during their conversations.

In contrast, Tehran denied the U.S. accusations, and if caught, the accused faces a prison sentence of up to 25 years in the United States.

It's worth noting that former U.S. President and current election candidate Donald Trump had accused Iran of planning to assassinate him, calling for its destruction.

Tehran's response came quickly, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani confirming in a statement on Thursday that this accusation of targeting former U.S. officials is baseless.

Moreover, U.S. officials have long been concerned about Iran, which they consider a threat to both Trump and his former administration officials, and accuse Tehran of attempting to interfere in and influence the results of the U.S. presidential elections.

Levant-Agencies

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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.