Attack during Friday Prayer on Bill for Iran's Accession to Convention on Combating the Financing of Terrorism

Ahead of the parliamentary vote on bills related to FATF, several Friday prayer leaders in Iran strongly criticized these bills, and a gathering against them was held on the sidelines of Friday prayers in Tehran. A member of the Expediency Discernment Council also stated that this council would reject such a bill. The review of the bill "Iran's Accession to the Convention on Combating the Financing of Terrorism" (CFT) has faced widespread protests from conservatives in Iran in recent months, and the parliament voted in June to temporarily shelve this bill. Last Sunday, when this bill was supposed to be discussed in the parliament, a protest was held outside the parliament against it. Despite this, the bill was not discussed in last week's parliamentary sessions, and according to Ali Edyani, a member of the "Velayati Representatives" faction, it was decided by Ali Larijani to hold a session "focusing on the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the parliament and supporters and opponents of this bill" in the coming days, after which the bill would come to the public session. Attacks on this bill have significantly increased in recent days, especially after a graphic plan against this bill was published on the website of Ayatollah Khamenei, and several Friday prayer leaders also addressed this issue in their sermons today, October 5. Mahmoud Sadeghi, a representative from Tehran, implied that the "widespread propaganda of specific circles" against these bills indicates that these circles are "extensively involved in smuggling, money laundering, and financing terrorism." Among the Friday prayer leaders who strongly attacked the CFT bill was Rasoul Fallahati, the Friday prayer leader of Rasht. He expressed regret over the attempts of some officials "to impose FATF on the parliament" and stated: "The Islamic Republic is an independent system with independent planning, and therefore the Iranian nation will never submit to Zionist conventions." Mir Ahmadreza Hajati, the Friday prayer leader of Ahvaz, also said that the approval of the FATF bill would be a "non-returnable blow to the country as it paves the way for the enemy." Mohammad Ali Nikounam, the Friday prayer leader of Shahrud, pointed out that "some inside are trying to bring foreign involvement into domestic issues with some disgraceful treaties" and said: "These comfort-seeking and weak individuals... want to weaken our thriving culture with FATF and similar agreements." Additionally, according to Fars News Agency, a group of people holding signs criticizing the FATF-related bills at the Friday prayers in Tehran labeled potential CFT bill supporters as "traitors." On the other hand, a member of the Expediency Discernment Council also stated that if this bill is not rejected by the Guardian Council, the council will reject it. "Young Journalists Club" reported on Thursday that Mohammad Ali Mohammadi Kermani, in a meeting with a group of students, expressed hope that the parliament would not approve such a bill, saying: "Even if it is approved, I am sure the Guardian Council will reject it," and in that case, it would come to the council, and "the council is fully awake." The four bills that Hassan Rouhani's government apparently submitted to the parliament to exit the FATF blacklist include the bill for Iran's accession to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo), amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Law, amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Financing Law, and Iran's accession to the Convention on Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), among which the fate of the last bill is still unclear. Opponents of this bill argue that joining the CFT would block financial assistance to groups like "Hamas" and "Hezbollah Lebanon." In the latest instance, Mohammad Ali Mohammadi Kermani stated regarding the CFT bill: "This is a dangerous thing... and it will prevent us from providing assistance to Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, and similar groups."