Istanbul Prosecutor's Office Issues Order to Seize Assets of Reza Zarrab

Reports indicate that the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office has seized the assets and properties of Reza Zarrab, an Iranian-Turkish businessman, on Friday, December 1. Turkish media, including 'CNN Türk,' have published this news. Previously, Reza Zarrab accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a New York court of having 'personally authorized the circumvention of U.S. sanctions against Iran.' Meanwhile, Erdoğan has emphasized that Turkey has not circumvented U.S. sanctions against Iran. According to Reuters, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stated on Friday that this court no longer serves a judicial function but is entirely political, with the sole aim of sidelining Turkey and its economy. Reza Zarrab, 34, who was arrested in Miami in March 2016, accepted seven charges last month, including conspiracy, violating U.S. sanctions, bank fraud, money laundering, and bribing a prison guard for alcohol and phone use in prison. He announced on Wednesday that he is cooperating with U.S. authorities regarding the charges. The U.S. Prosecutor's Office has accused Reza Zarrab, born in Iran, of assisting the Iranian government and institutions in moving hundreds of millions of dollars in assets to circumvent sanctions between 2010 and 2015. On Thursday, Zarrab stated for the first time that 'Ziraat Bank' and 'VakıfBank' in Turkey played a role in circumventing Iran's sanctions. On the same day, the third court session for Hakan Atilla, the director of Halkbank, was held on charges of violating U.S. sanctions. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Turkey issued an arrest warrant on Friday for Graham Fuller, a former CIA officer, on charges of involvement in last year's failed coup in the country. According to CNN, the Ankara Prosecutor's Office has accused Graham Fuller, a former deputy of the National Intelligence Council of the CIA, of violating Turkey's constitution, attempting to overthrow the government, and possessing classified Turkish materials for espionage purposes. Fuller has been accused of collaborating with Fethullah Gülen, whom Ankara identifies as the main perpetrator of last year's failed coup and considers his movement a 'terrorist group.' Gülen resides in the U.S., and Turkey's efforts to extradite him have been unsuccessful, while Gülen denies any connection to the failed coup. In this context, the Turkish Prime Minister expressed hope that Reza Zarrab would return from the wrong path. Zarrab stated that Erdoğan had authorized the circumvention of Iran's sanctions, while Erdoğan insisted that Turkey has not circumvented U.S. sanctions against Iran. Zarrab admitted to bribing Turkish officials and circumventing Iran's sanctions, and his cooperation with U.S. prosecutors has been confirmed. Zarrab will not be 'tried' in the U.S. court.