Iran’s ex-nuclear negotiator upbeat about resolving FATF dispute seeking country’s easier access to int’l markets

Ali Larijani, an adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, expressed hope for reaching a ‘reasonable solution’ regarding the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) bills in Iran.

News ID: 5863

Date: 25 January 2025 - 16:09

TABNAK, Jan 25: Larijani said a joint commission has been formed within the Expediency Council to review the FATF bills.

“The opinions of the council’s members differ, but we hope the outcome of the examinations and the final decision will benefit the country and we reach a reasonable solution in this regard,” said Larijani, who served as parliament speaker from 2008 to 2020.

Under former President Hassan Rouhani’s administration, four bills were introduced on the FATF, including amendments to the laws on combating terrorist financing and anti-money laundering, as well as Iran’s accession to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo) and the Convention on Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT).

While the first two bills were approved by the Iranian parliament and ratified by the Constitutional Council, the remaining two faced disagreements between the administration, parliament, the Constitutional Council, and the Expediency Council.

Late last month, President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that the Expediency Council would re-examine the bills so that FATF restrictions on Iran’s banking system would be lifted.

Asked about his prediction of the Expediency Council’s decision, Larijani humorously responded, “I am not one of the men of the unseen.”