Iran’s Parliament has started closed discussions on whether the country should join the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), while state-run media outlets said the Expediency Discernment Council (EDC) is closer than ever to approve the country’s accession to the organization.
“This morning, we held a closed session to discuss economic issues and the country’s joining FATF,” Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
Speaking on behalf of Parliament’s presidency, Abbas Kuderzi also said that deputies held a meeting on Sunday, attended by experts from the research center to provide input on the components and nature of FATF.
“Parliament has not taken any decision on joining FATF,” Iranian deputy Ahmad Naderi said in a statement to state-run media outlet, ISNA. He stressed that the EDC is the body tasked to authorize the membership.
To join FATF, Iran needs to finalize legislation enabling the enactment of two international conventions: the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) and the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo Convention).
During the term of President Hassan Rouhani, parliament approved a legislation to join FATF but the powerful Guardian Council rejected a bill on joining the UN convention against terrorist financing.
Therefore, the matter was referred to the EDC.
“During our closed session today, we held consultations and exchanged views on joining FATF. However, no decision was made because parliament is not tasked to decide on this matter,” said Naderi.
Last month, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei gave the green light for the EDC to debate Iran’s joining the Financial Action Task Force.
ISNA said on Sunday that the EDC is expected to announce its final decision on the matter later this week.
The news agency spoke of “positive signs,” and said the Council was “close to making an important decision on the CFT and Palermo conventions.”
