Alamolhoda: Approval of Anti-Money Laundering Bills is Prelude to 98 Sedition

Ahmad Alamolhoda, the representative of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic in Khorasan Razavi and Friday prayer leader in Mashhad, stated on Friday that "the enemy intends to put the country in a tight spot in 98," and the approval of bills related to money laundering is a "prelude to the 98 sedition." He explained the characteristics of what he calls the "98 sedition": "The U.S. is going to make excuses in 98 and put us under economic siege." Alamolhoda added: "This issue paves the way for the presence of secularists and targeting the leadership and employing the ignorant elites at the disposal of the enemy, resulting in a sedition similar to the 88 sedition." The term "88 sedition" is used by official platforms and conservative political figures in Iran to describe the protests and marches of some demonstrators following the controversial presidential election of that year. Earlier in June, Heydar Moslehi, the Minister of Intelligence in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's second government, stated: "In 97 or 98, the enemy will definitely design a sedition, and its axis will be the Supreme Leader." About 20 days ago, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, also warned the Iranian people and officials to maintain their "awareness," as "the Americans" might "create turmoil" for 97 but "plan for 98." Ahmad Alamolhoda, referring to this part of the Supreme Leader's speech, said: "The enemy is preparing for sedition." The Friday prayer leader of Mashhad described the approval of four bills related to the FATF as a means to put Iran in a tight spot, calling it a "prelude to the 98 sedition." According to Ahmad Alamolhoda, "When it was decided that all bills would be approved and some ignorant people in the parliament also approved the CFT, a way is opened for Iran to be put in a severe tight spot." Alamolhoda referred to this process as an "American conspiracy" that, according to him, has been dictated to us along with its European accomplices to be approved in parliament and for the government to follow it. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an intergovernmental body that sets international standards for combating money laundering and countering terrorism. This body, headquartered in Paris, recommends countries to improve their monetary and banking systems to protect the international financial system. The "Bill to Amend the Law on Combating the Financing of Terrorism," the "Bill to Amend the Law on Combating Money Laundering," two domestic legislative bills, and the "Bill for Iran's Accession to the Convention on Combating the Financing of Terrorism," known as the "CFT bill," and the "Bill for Iran's Accession to the Convention on Combating Transnational Organized Crime," known as the "Palermo bill," are two foreign bills among the four government bills designed and drafted to meet the requirements and implement the regulations of the FATF, but they have been waiting for approval and finalization for years. The CFT bill, one of the four bills related to the FATF, was approved in the Islamic Consultative Assembly in mid-October this year and was then sent to the Guardian Council, which raised 23 objections to this parliamentary approval and rejected it at the end of its 10-day legal deadline. Now, the CFT bill is set to be determined in the Expediency Discernment Council.