Conservative Figures' Stance on Implementing Anti-Money Laundering Regulations

Continuing their attacks on the implementation of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) regulations in Iran, several representatives have called for a review of this agreement in the parliament. Saeed Jalili, former Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, referred to the enforcement of these regulations as 'self-sanctioning' and 'infiltration.' Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament, on Sunday, September 14, pointed out that the goal of Western countries with international agreements with Iran is to prevent the Islamic Republic from having an 'effective presence' in the region. Jawad Karimi Qodousi, a representative from Mashhad, also stated in an interview with the House of the Nation news agency that the aim of enforcing FATF regulations is to 'monitor Iran's economy' and that 'these agreements will lead to self-sanctioning among officials and institutions in Iran regarding the resistance movement.' Abolfazl Abutalebi, a representative from Najafabad, claimed that if FATF regulations are implemented, Iran will recognize groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic groups as 'terrorist organizations' from 2018 onwards. This parliament member emphasized that Iran's agreement with FATF should be approved by the parliament as a 'model and important contract.' These statements from parliament members come as Abbas Araghchi, Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran, emphasized on Tuesday, July 21, that the Islamic Republic will not 'sacrifice anything for Hezbollah.' According to Mr. Araghchi, Iran is expected to reach an understanding with FATF regarding the concept of terrorist groups, and these negotiations will continue for another 18 months. In this context, Ali Tayebnia, the Minister of Economy, announced that Iran will not provide information to the FATF. Mr. Tayebnia emphasized that most of the programs proposed by FATF have been of interest to Iran, and the Islamic Republic has only raised objections to one of these programs. He stated, 'The path we have chosen is to provide a conditional positive response, stating that we are willing to cooperate but within the framework of our constitutional law.' However, Mohammad Javad Abtahi, a representative from Khomeini Shahr, announced on Sunday that the Minister of Economy's statements 'have no basis,' as Western countries will not accept that Iran implements this agreement selectively. He added, 'The FATF agreement may have some benefits for our country, but certainly the harm and consequences of it are much greater than its profit. Therefore, with this agreement, the political and economic independence of the Islamic Republic is effectively called into question.' On June 24, 2016, FATF announced that the restrictions on Iran's monetary and financial system would be suspended for 12 months. This announcement and the 12-month opportunity for Iran came after the Central Bank officials reached an agreement with a special group called the 'Action Plan' to combat money laundering and terrorism. Iran committed to implementing the action plan to demonstrate its commitments. Several parliament members, including Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, announced on Sunday that 'according to the FATF agreement, the Islamic Republic must join the Palermo Convention,' and groups like Hezbollah are on the blacklist of this convention. In July, the Iranian government presented a bill for membership in the 'United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime,' known as the Palermo Convention, to the parliament. This bill had previously been submitted to the parliament in 2013 and was rejected in committees. The Research Center of the Parliament also suggested that this bill remain silent. This center, in its report, pointed out that the Islamic Republic's support for Hezbollah indicates that 'some aspects of the crimes addressed by this convention, such as money laundering, can be related to terrorism.' In recent months, media outlets affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including Fars and Tasnim news agencies, have published dozens of reports and interviews protesting the implementation of FATF regulations in Iran. Following reports about the lack of currency services provided by Iranian banks to entities sanctioned by the European Union and the United Nations, including the IRGC due to the implementation of FATF regulations, these attacks have increased. Regarding FATF regulations in Iran, Gholamali Haddad Adel, a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, stated that 'the people and the leadership will not tolerate such humiliations, interventions, and submissions.' Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to the Supreme Leader on international affairs, also deemed Iran's cooperation with FATF 'not in the country's interest.' Meanwhile, Saeed Jalili, former Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said on Sunday in a gathering of Basij students, 'If the enemy threatened yesterday that if we do not accept the demands of the hegemon, they would issue a resolution against us, today they have started a movement that we want to self-sanction ourselves from within.' According to Fars news agency, he called for Basij students to be aware of 'this great danger.' In recent days, various Basij units have protested against the implementation of FATF regulations in Iran. In this context, Sohrab Salahi, head of the Basij Professors Organization, threatened that if the parliament does not prevent the implementation of these regulations, members of this group will stage a sit-in in front of the parliament.