Former official: Iran president has sufficient momentum for FATF approval

Mahmoud Vaezi, Chief of Staff for former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, has revealed in an interview with Entekhab news website that Saeed Jalili, a principlist member of the Expediency Council, played a significant role in initiating opposition to FATF during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s presidency.

“The initial review and actions regarding FATF began under Ahmadinejad’s administration, with Jalili, then Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, significantly involved,” Vaezi stated, citing a letter signed by Jalili as evidence.

Resolving the FATF issue was a core economic promise of President Massoud Pezeshkian during his presidential campaign. In less than six months, Pezeshkian has demonstrated his commitment, from sending a letter to the Expediency Council to tasking the minister of economy with addressing the matter.

However, Pezeshkian’s efforts have faced significant opposition. Recently, Qasem Ravanbakhsh, a representative of the Perseverance Front in Qom and a supporter of Jalili, explicitly stated that the Palermo and CFT conventions of the FTAF, which are the core disputes of Iran, would not be accepted.

Vaezi, however, expressed optimism about resolving the matter, stating, “Pezeshkian has sufficient support to take serious steps towards FATF approval.”

In contrast, the principalist newspaper Kayhan argued in an editorial on Monday that FATF cannot lift Western sanctions on Iran.

The newspaper questioned why some advisors suggest that resolving economic issues hinges on complying with FATF dictates and criticized the task force for not targeting the U.S. and Israel, despite its mandate to track and sanction terrorism financiers.

As the debate over FATF continues, the Iranian government faces the challenge of navigating internal and external pressures while striving to address economic sanctions and improve the country’s financial standing.