Former Halkbank Director Denies Collusion with Zarrab to Evade Sanctions

A former director of Turkey's Halkbank, currently detained in the U.S., denied on Friday in court any 'collusion' with Reza Zarrab in circumventing U.S. sanctions against Iran. Of the nine individuals indicted by the U.S. prosecution for assisting the Islamic Republic in evading sanctions, only Reza Zarrab, an Iranian-Turkish businessman, and this former Halkbank director have been arrested. Reza Zarrab, an Iranian-born gold trader, confessed in a New York court on Wednesday, December 8, that he helped Iran evade sanctions and bribed Turkish officials. The U.S. prosecution has accused Zarrab of assisting the Iranian government and institutions from 2010 to 2015 in moving hundreds of millions of dollars in assets to evade sanctions. In contrast, according to Reuters, 47-year-old Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a former executive at the state-owned Halkbank, denied all charges against him in court on Friday and even rejected a recorded phone conversation with Zarrab. He stated in court that he had 'never' conspired or colluded with Reza Zarrab. The trial of Reza Zarrab is being closely monitored in Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly called for Zarrab's extradition. The Turkish Deputy Prime Minister recently stated that Zarrab is being 'held hostage' in the U.S. to testify against the Turkish government. Meanwhile, the U.S. prosecution claims that recorded phone conversations and other evidence indicate that Zarrab was acting in the interests of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In one of these conversations dated April 16, 2013, Zarrab told another defendant that he was considering establishing a bank to facilitate banking transactions for Iran. Additionally, Zarrab claims he paid a bribe for his release from prison in Turkey. A complaint from a prisoner against Zarrab for 'sexual assault' has also emerged. The Turkish police summoned an FBI agent from the U.S. embassy regarding this case.