TEHRAN – Ayatollah Mojtahed Shabestari, a member of the Expediency Council, has opposed ratification of the FATF conventions, saying a majority of the Council members also have such an opinion. 

“I am against the FATF and has unequivocally argued that its disadvantages are more than its advantages, and I believe the majority members of the council have the same view,” Ayatollah Shabestari said, Fars reported on Tuesday. 

He said, “Now the commissions have been considering the FATF, after that the bill will be brought to the floor of Council”. 

The Expediency Council announced on December 17 that Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has agreed with President Rouhani’s request to only extend the time to discuss the FATF-related bills in the Council.
The announcement came several days after the president had asked the Leader to authorize a renewed discussion on the FATF’s Palermo and terrorist financing conventions (CFT) in the Council.
La’ya Jonaidi, who serves as deputy to President Rouhani for legal affairs, said she was optimistic the Council would approve the two remaining FATF conventions to help remove unnecessary hurdles that might arise from Iran’s continued inclusion in the FATF blacklist.      
Critics of the FATF in Iran say the body is excessively influenced by the United States and any move to comply with its recommendations would expose Tehran’s efforts to circumvent the illegal U.S. sanctions.
EE/PA