Member of Parliament: The Attorney General is investigating the lack of currency services to the IRGC

As reports emerge about the lack of currency services from Iranian banks to EU and UN-sanctioned entities, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a member of parliament announced that the Attorney General is "investigating the implementation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) regulations." The Kayhan newspaper reported on Saturday, September 3, that Iranian banks, including Bank Mellat and Bank Sepah, have stated that they cannot provide currency services to EU and UN-sanctioned entities, including the IRGC. According to the newspaper, Bank Mellat responded to a request from the Khatam al-Anbia Headquarters, affiliated with the IRGC, stating that "the processing of all currency services (international) for those customers whose names are on the EU sanctions list or the joint EU and UN sanctions list is not possible." The report also indicated that Bank Sepah, on August 1, responded to a company's request for currency guarantees, stating that "... under current conditions and in light of the returned letter indicating that the applicant for the guarantees is on the sanctions list, fulfilling the applicant's request is not possible." The newspaper referred to this action by Iranian banks as "self-sanctioning" and linked it to the implementation of FATF regulations, concluding that Iranian banks will not provide services to 200 other EU and UN-sanctioned entities, including the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the Ministry of Defense, Khatam al-Anbia Headquarters, and the Ministry of Intelligence. This report has also been echoed in conservative Telegram channels, with some referring to Bank Mellat as "traitorous" and calling for the "burning" of its bankbooks. Conversely, some Telegram channels have stated that due to the sanctions on these entities, if Iranian banks issue currency declarations for them, foreign banks will not accept these declarations, indicating that the letters from these banks reflect technical reasons and the current reality. In recent months, media outlets affiliated with the IRGC, including Fars and Tasnim news agencies, have published dozens of reports and interviews protesting the implementation of FATF regulations. In this context, Javad Karimi Qodosi, a representative from Mashhad and a member of the Stability Front, stated in an interview with Fars news agency that the Attorney General's office has "entered into this matter and is investigating it." The Financial Action Task Force decided in its recent meeting in July to keep Iran on the blacklist of high-risk countries. Despite this decision, the organization has stated that it welcomes Iran's promises for improvement and will suspend some restrictions for one year. Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, announced on July 12 that Iran is set to reach an understanding with the FATF regarding the concept of terrorist groups, and these negotiations will continue for another 18 months. The FATF was established in 1989 and controls international standards against money laundering and the financing of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.