Conservatives Protest Joining Anti-Money Laundering Body

Continuing the disputes over Iran's accession to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Sunday, news agencies close to conservatives highlighted their opposition to this issue by publishing somewhat old news. The Fars news agency quoted Mohammad Nabi Habibi, Secretary-General of the Islamic Coalition Party, Hussein Qadiyani, whom Fars refers to as the head of the Scientific Basij Organization, and Saeed Yari, who is reported by Fars as the head of the nuclear committee of the reformist front, stating that joining the anti-money laundering body and providing financial assistance to terrorist organizations known as FATF is 'a betrayal of the country's dignity and worse than capitulation.' The Tasnim news agency also reported on the opposition of Gholamali Haddad Adel, who said, 'The people will not tolerate an insult like the FATF agreement.' This news agency also reported on the opposition of Ebrahim Karkhanai, head of the nuclear committee of the ninth Majlis (Islamic Consultative Assembly), and Mohsen Kouhkan, a representative from Lanjan in the parliament. Meanwhile, Kayhan assesses joining the FATF as 'chopping at the roots of the economy and national security,' and Raja News calls the lack of foreign exchange services from Mellat and Sepah banks to the Khatam al-Anbia headquarters 'self-sanctioning,' stating that 'these are the first consequences of accepting the FATF agreement.' Nasser Largani, Deputy Chairman of the Economic Commission of the Parliament, also criticized on Sunday the notification from some banks regarding the necessity of withdrawing the accounts of the economic headquarters of the IRGC from banks to join the FATF agreement. The opponents argue that on one hand, Iran cannot assist organizations like Hezbollah in Lebanon, and on the other hand, it would be compelled to disclose its 'national secrets' to this body. Abbas Araghchi, Deputy Foreign Minister, stated in an interview with the Islamic Republic's second television channel on July 21 of this year, in response to a question about organizations and individuals listed in international sanctions, that assistance to these organizations and individuals does not necessarily have to be through banks and the banking system. In response to the criticism that 'national secrets' would be handed over to 'foreigners,' Valiollah Seif, the Governor of the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic, told the Islamic Republic News Network that no unusual information is meant to be provided to this body. The question is why conservatives are so vehemently opposed to joining the FATF. According to Mehdi Mahdavi Azad, a journalist and political analyst residing in Germany, conservatives oppose this issue for five reasons. Fariborz Rais Dana, an economic expert in Tehran, also told Radio Farda that joining the global economy and banking system comes with obligations that Iran must accept. The Financial Action Task Force is an organization founded in 1989 and based in Paris. It has 33 member countries and international organizations, and its mission is to combat money laundering globally and prevent the financing of terrorist organizations.