Rouhani Emphasizes Approval of Anti-Money Laundering Bills; 'Iran's Friends Are Waiting'

Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, expressed hope on Wednesday, January 23, for the approval of bills related to money laundering in Iran, stating that Iran's friends are waiting for such measures. Two bills for Iran's accession to the conventions on combating transnational organized crime (Palermo) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) have been approved by the Islamic Consultative Assembly but are facing obstacles from the Guardian Council, which has brought the Expediency Discernment Council into the decision-making process. There is only one month left before the Financial Action Task Force's deadline for the approval of these two bills, after which Iran will once again return to the blacklist of this international mechanism. Rouhani, speaking at a cabinet meeting, considered Iran's non-accession to these conventions as a demand from the United States and stated that Washington has used the issue of financial combat against terrorism as a 'pretext.' According to him, the U.S. is 'conspiring' against Iran in banking and financial matters, and the approval of these bills would 'disappoint America's hopes.' Various factions of conservatives and clerics close to the power circle in Iran have strongly opposed Iran's accession to the mentioned conventions, including Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Imam of Mashhad, who stated that the approval of the money laundering bills is 'the precursor to the 2019 sedition.' Meanwhile, several Iranian ministers have written a letter to Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, requesting that the groundwork for the approval of these bills be prepared before the Financial Action Task Force's deadline. Rouhani continued his remarks on Wednesday by saying, 'Fortunately, the government and the parliament have cooperated well regarding the four bills, and we hope that other institutions that need to take actions in the final stages will work more quickly so that we can get these bills approved.' He added, 'Today, all of Iran's friends, with whom we interact and cooperate in the region and the world, are waiting,' and the Islamic Republic of Iran is trying to 'neutralize America's conspiracies with calculated and firm steps.' However, Rouhani did not mention the internal opponents of these bills, who have so far prevented Iran from joining the mentioned conventions. Among the four bills related to money laundering, two others, namely the 'Bill to Amend the Law on Combating the Financing of Terrorism' and the 'Bill to Amend the Law on Combating Money Laundering,' have been approved by the Guardian Council and the Expediency Discernment Council.