Financial Corruption

A senior government official has argued for quick approval of two parliamentary bills required for Iran to get out of the blacklist of the global anti-money laundering body (FATF), saying Iran should not put its foreign relations at risk at a time when the US is bent on hurting the country’s foreign relations.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has reacted to media reports about the reason why Iran has not been invited to attend an upcoming meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in Paris.

A senior lawmaker says Iranian officials will in coming weeks start debating a structural shakeup of the economy, which had been stressed by Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Last week’s announcement by European powers that they are to launch a financial mechanism for Iran-EU trade would not affect Iran’s approach on joining the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), two Iranian officials said.

Israel’s accession to the global anti-money laundering makes it more difficult for Iran to join the Financial Action Task Force, an Iranian media outlet said, arguing for quicker approval of parliamentary legislations required for Iran getting out of the body’s black list.

The Iranian rial continued its upward spiral on Saturday, pushing more and more of ordinary people to sell the US dollars they had purchased to prevent their money from losing its value.

Conservative media in Iran have harshly criticized President Hassan Rouhani for implying that the costs of living will be increased by 20% without cooperation with foreign banks.

Iranian president says without adoption of the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and cooperation with foreign banks, chances will be lost and it will be 20% more costly to resolve the country’s economic problems.

Iranian lawmakers have approved an amendment to a bill on Iran’s accession to the Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) convention, which was earlier rejected by the Guardian Council.

The Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy commission has summoned Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to clarify his controversial remarks about “rampant” money laundering in Iran, which have drawn angry reactions from political and media circles.

Iran executed two financial criminals who had hoarded two tons of gold coins in order to agitate the country’s gold market.

Iran’s top diplomat has once again argued for Tehran’s adoption of standards set by the global anti-money laundering body, saying concerns that FATF accession harms national security interests are baseless and Iran’s failure to get itself out FATF blacklist would mean Tehran has shot itself in the leg.

Iran’s legislation watchdog, the Guardian Council, has rejected a bill on Iran’s accession to the Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) convention, which had been passed by the Parliament.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has welcomed the Friday decision by the Financial Action Task Force to extend suspension of counter-measures against Iran, describing it as a diplomatic achievement for Iran in the face of widespread US efforts to restore Iran’s blacklist status.

An international group that sets standards on fighting money laundering and financing of terrorism announced it once again extends the deadline for Iran to complete reforms to meet conditions for getting out of the body’s black list, despite opposition by the US and a number of its allies.

The members of the Islamic City Council of Tehran have voted in favour of a law that prohibits hiring of the relatives of managers in Tehran municipality.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has reiterated the need for Tehran’s accession to the convention on Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), saying the country’s failure to do so will provide the US with the pretext to increase its pressure on the Islamic Republic.

The spokesman for Iran’s legislative watchdog says the body will not be intimidated by opponents of Iran’s joining a UN convention against the financing of terrorism, who have in recent days been pressuring the parliament not to approve the plan.

Iranian legislators have passed a bill that gives the government the green light to join an international convention on fighting the sponsoring of terrorism.

Huge crowds of people are seen in viral photos and videos flocking to foreign currency markets on Monday night to sell their US dollars as its rate went on a downhill spiral and experienced a historic plunge of over 20 percent in a few hours.

Iran's judicial officials have handed down death sentences to three people convicted of economic corruption amid an intense anti-corruption campaign launched by the Iranian government to tackle soaring economic problems currently nagging the country.

A crowd of conservatives gathered in front of the Iranian parliament on Sunday to protest against a bill on Iran’s accession to Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) convention, which is to be put to a vote in the parliament this week.

Iran’s Parliament speaker says two parliamentary bills required for Iran’s accession to the global anti-money laundering body FATF have been unanimously ratified by the Parliament after being rejected by the Guardian Council, and will soon be put to vote at the country’s Expediency Council.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has released a statement to answer a number of frequently asked questions and concerns regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran’s engagement with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Iran’s Chamber of Commerce has urged the Rouhani administration to join the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an international body which develops policies to combat money laundering.