Letter from Several Ministers to Khamenei; "Anti-Money Laundering Bills Should Be Approved Before Deadline"

The Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament confirmed that several ministers have requested Ayatollah Khamenei to approve two bills related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) before the deadline of this group, which is about a month away. On Tuesday, Alireza Rahimi, a member of the Parliament's presiding board, reported that a number of ministers have asked the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic to expedite the review of the Palermo and CFT bills in the Expediency Discernment Council. On Wednesday, Ali Motahari, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, stated that these ministers have requested that these bills be approved before the FATF's deadline for Iran. Motahari predicted that "given the changes in the Expediency Discernment Council," the likelihood of these two bills being approved is "stronger than before." Meanwhile, Mohammad Shariatmadari, the Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, stated that these bills hold "special sensitivity" for the government and that "the government is keen to have them approved in this limited time." Shariatmadari announced that he is not among the signatories of this letter; however, the news agency Pana listed him as one of the signatories. According to this report, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Oil, Energy, Agricultural Jihad, Roads and Urban Development, and Industry, Mine and Trade also signed this letter. Several websites close to the Steadfast Front reported that these ministers threatened to resign if these bills are not approved. However, the IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday that this claim "like previous times, has no basis." Mojtaba Zarei, head of the Professors' Basij, reacted on Twitter, stating: "We do not doubt that the ministers' night letter is the same as a poison letter and, unwittingly, an anti-revolutionary act." Despite Ayatollah Khamenei's previous opposition, a letter from him was read in the public session of the Parliament on October 7, stating that "I have no objection to reviewing these bills in Parliament." Meanwhile, the Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare stated on Tuesday that two or three written comments from the Supreme Leader regarding these bills have been "obtained" and it is "completely clear" that Ayatollah Khamenei has "agreed with the realization of these conditions in accordance with the natural legal process." However, some of Khamenei's appointees, including Friday prayer leaders, have called for the rejection of these bills. Members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly insisted on their previous resolution regarding Iran's accession to the Convention on Combating the Financing of Terrorism and it is set to be reviewed in the Expediency Discernment Council. A day prior, the Expediency Discernment Council did not approve Iran's accession to the Palermo Convention and it has been decided that after reviewing it in two committees, a decision will be made in next week's session. Previously, Ahmad Tavakoli, a member of the Expediency Council, announced that an extraordinary session would be held on Wednesday to review the Palermo bill and it has been decided that the review of this issue will be completed by next Saturday. However, Gholamreza Mesbahi Moghadam, a member of the Expediency Council, stated on Tuesday that "the extraordinary session will not be held this Wednesday, but next Saturday." Two other FATF bills, including the "Bill to Amend the Anti-Terrorism Financing Law" and the "Bill to Amend the Anti-Money Laundering Law," have been approved by the Guardian Council and the Expediency Discernment Council. The FATF expressed regret on October 19 that most of Iran's obligations remain unresolved, while extending Iran's suspension from the group's blacklist for another four months, which was welcomed by Iranian officials. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund has advised Iran to implement anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures before the FATF's February 2019 deadline.