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Was Iran able to gain its demands from the Baghdad summit?

Of course, this is something that will be more apparent in future. Because the Taliban's relationship with the Iranian regime was based on common interests and common enemies as long as the US forces were in Afghanistan. The Taliban ignored many of their doctrinal differences with the regime because they needed the regime's financial and logistical support. But now that this common enemy no longer exists naturally, we must wait for the hidden differences to be exposed.
As the new developments in Afghanistan took place on the western border of Iran, Iraq, a regional conference chaired by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. The conference was attended by King Abdullah II of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed Al-Maktoum the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic The conference, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Secretary General of the Arab League was held.
Although Iraq had invited Iran's new president to attend the conference, Khamenei preferred to send Amir Abdullahian, the new Foreign Minister, who had served for some time as deputy foreign minister and head of the Arab desk at Foreign Ministry. Khamenei thought with Abdullahian’s experience, he could better accomplish the goals of his regime. French President Emmanuel Macron also attended the conference as a guest.

The main purpose of the summit was to resolve tensions between the countries of the region, in particular between Saudi Arabia and its allies, including Egypt on one side and the Iranian regime on the other. Iraq has suffered the most from disputes between these countries and has become a battleground. Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran in 2015 following an attack on its embassy by the Iranian Regime's thug, resulting in the occupation and destruction of the embassy. The two countries are also engaged in a proxy war in Yemen, which has wreaked havoc on the Yemeni people. Tehran and Cairo have not had diplomatic relations since 1979, since the Iranian revolution and the Shah's departure to Egypt.
But Khamenei, quite pleased and joyful by the withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan, aimed to find a way to get the US troops out of Iraq, which he sees as a threat to his security and an obstacle to his influence in the region.
In line with this goal, despite many differences with Saudi Arabia, there have been talks between the representatives of the regime and Saudi Arabia in Baghdad for some time intended to improve relations between the two countries, which has not yielded much results so far. In fact, the negotiations have been halted since the appointment of Raisi as Iran's new president.
However, the presence of Amir Abdullahian in this conference not only did not achieve anything for the regime but also bore embarrassing moments for them.
Because Amir Abdullahian, both in his speech in Arabic and in the observance of protocols of the meeting, showed that he does not respect international diplomatic principles at all. After his speech, there was a lot of criticism in the Iranian media like, “It would have been proper if the text of his speech had been checked and edited by someone who is fluent in Arabic because even in terms of Arabic literature, his speech contained mistakes.
Furthermore, in taking a ceremonial photo, Abdullahian did not respect the protocols that specified the first row for the heads of states and the second row for foreign ministers, left his assigned place which was next to the Saudi Foreign Minister and stood in the first row next to the prime minister of United Arab Emirates. The Prime Minister of the United Emirates, Sheikh Muhammad al-Maktoum appeared quite upset with this Abdullahian’s action.
Such undiplomatic behaviour from Iran's Foreign attests to the fact that the Iranian regime wants to make its presence felt in any way it may be and impose its influence on others. But it is no longer able to even dictate its desire to the Iraqi prime minister, which was Syria's participation in the conference.
At the same time, all countries in the region are aware of Iran’s devastating economic situation as well as COVID 19 crisis and know that Iran is no longer able to fund its proxy forces in the region as it used to do to threaten the countries in the region. Because it is facing a budget deficit of 550 trillion Tomans (Iran’s currency). The bankruptcy of the economy plus widespread corruption inside the regime apparatus have pushed about 80% of Iranians to live below the poverty line.
These people are extremely dissatisfied with the current situation and are like a ticking bomb that is fast approaching the time of its explosion. Especially that due to the mismanagement of the regime currently Iran has the highest daily deaths from COVID not only in the region but also in the world. According to reliable sources, more than 2,000 people die every day in Iran from the pandemic, and so far, close to 400,000 people have fallen victim to this disease. This is despite the fact that most countries in the region have vaccinated more than 60% of their population, but less than 6%, i.e. one-tenth of other countries, have been vaccinated in Iran.
Khamenei's miscalculation is that he claims the United States as his first threat, when in fact The United States poses no threat to Iran, and Khamenei's main threat is the Iranian people, the vast majority of whom want regime change. They clearly showed their desire during the recent presidential election by widespread boycotting of the elections. Considering the above the Baghdad summit scored no gain for Khamenei and his regime.
by: Cyrus Yaqubi levant
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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- 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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