-
Why Ebrahim Raisi decided not to attend the Climate change Summit in Scotland

After Ebrahim Raisi's COP26 participation announcement, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) , the main organized opposition to Mullahs, launched a major campaign to prevent Raisi from attending the summit. They called on the arrest and trial of Ebrahim Raisi for his role as Tehran's deputy prosecutor and member of the death committee in the 1988 massacre and as head of the judiciary responsible for the killing of 1,500 people during the November 2019 peaceful protest.
The NCRI's campaign that included widespread demonstrations and protest actions in North America and Europe coincided with the trial of another defendant in the 1988 massacre, Hamid Nouri, in Sweden. Hamid Nouri, who worked as Raisi’s assistant at Gohardasht Prison in the city of Karaj at the time of the 1988 massacre, was directly involved in killing political prisoners. Nouri was under the impression that no one would pursue the matter after 32 years of the 1988 massacre, and no one would recognize him. So he decided to travel to Sweden in November 2019.
However, a few massacre survivors who had learned of his visit were able to present a complaint against him to the Swedish judiciary. The Swedish prosecutor's office, under the universal jurisdiction in a foreign country that allows the judiciary of any country to prosecute the perpetrator, regardless of the nationality of the accused and the victims, as well as the location where the crime took place, was first able to detain him for one month. After an initial investigation and confirmation of his role in the massacre, his detention was extended on charges of premeditated murder, crimes against humanity, torture, and genocide. The news quickly made headlines in all Swedish media. After Nouri's arrest, Agnes Kalamard, the previous UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, and present Secretary-General of Amnesty International said: "This is an important first step towards justice for the 1988 executions.

The Iranian regime was well aware that Nouri's trial would be considered a trial in absentia of several of the regime's leaders because Nouri was taking orders from his superiors, making them responsible for all the killings.
To free Nouri, the Iranian regime did whatever could do and in the process even sentenced a Swedish citizen, Ahmad Reza Jalali, a doctor and researcher of dual Iranian-Swedish nationality, who had been arrested on charges of espionage in Iran, to death, in hope of exchanging him with Hamid Nouri.
However, the Swedish judiciary did not succumb to the Iranian regime’s blackmail, and the trial of Hamid Nouri started on August 10, 2021, in the Stockholm District Court and is now continuing.
Recently, the International Criminal Court in The Hague announced that they had opened a case against Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to investigate allegations against him in relation to the war on drug trafficking, as he is accused of Arbitrary execution of many drug traffickers.
These arrest warrants prompted Ebrahim Raisi to be very cautious about his foreign travels and not to travel to countries where there is a risk of his arrest. He traveled to Tajikistan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in September but refused to take the risk to attend the annual session of the UN General Assembly, avoiding travel to New York under the pretext of the Coronavirus pandemic and work overload in Iran!
Now, after much publicity about Ebrahim Raisi’s invitation to attend COP26 in Scotland, Saeed Khatib Zadeh, spokesman of Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a weekly press conference on October 11 said: “President will not participate in COP26 in Scotland." On the reason for Raisi’s absence, he said: “Iran is not a full member of this treaty, and the ratification process is underway in the country, but a delegation from Iran is participating in it"!
But the fact that Ebrahim Raisi decided not to attend the summit, not because Iran was not a party to the treaty, but precisely because of the legal consequences and a potential international scandal. Both Raisi and his mentor Khamenei were very willing to make a presence in such a large international conference to meet with leaders of other countries, but the risk was too high for the regime, So Raisi was ordered to stay home.
by: Cyrus Yaqubi
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.
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
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.
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!