RNA – Speaking with the media at the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Hujjat al-Islam Nasrollah Pejmanfar, the representative of the people of Mashhad and Kalat in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, said that during a meeting was held in May 2016 with the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economic Affairs and Finance, as well as the Central Bank, where an agreement with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was signed without coordination with the parliament and the Supreme National Security Council and this issue was hidden until July of the same year.
The member of the Cultural Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly said that the ratification of Iran’s accession to the Counter-Terrorism Financing Convention (CFT) was presented to the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the government is required to implement it in October 2018.
He added, “Despite some claims that the CFT has no relation to the FATF, it must be noted that joining this convention has been signed in order to comply with its obligations of the FATF.”
Hujjat al-Islam Pejmanfar stated, “Our question now is that if we determine the conditions for accepting the CFT, can we define the terrorist groups according to our constitution? We have to say, no. Of course, the more accurate response to them is that you don’t have the right to do this according to your own opinion because in recommendation six of this agreement we have accepted that we mustn’t have ideological issues.”
He stressed that if we accept this convention, regardless of its recommendation six, a trial will take place. For example, the FATF can say that there is an active terrorist cell in our country and you must block the assets of this group and if we say no, these groups are allowed, conflict will occur and action will be taken at the international courts to resolve the conflict between our government and the observer body.
A member of the Cultural Commission of the Majles added, “By accepting the FATF, we will have to place all our classified information on our banks to observer states. In fact, the FATF can complete the sanctions cycle against Iran so that we don’t have any kind of movement inside the country. Suppose, for example, if we buy security equipment to strengthen our borders, the FATF can monitor the cash flow and even the purchase of the equipment.”
Hujjat al-Islam Pejmanfar continued, “We believe in transparency in the country, but it seems that some of the words are being misused, in other words, if through the FATF, we provide our general information with other countries, we are obliged to introduce all the references of what has been sent and received.”
In conclusion, he said, “A country that is a member of the FATF, and later wishes to withdraw its membership, will experience a higher conviction.”
Rasa News Agency
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