FATF anti-money laundering group raises Iran risks
28 Feb 2008 10:32:48 GMT Source: Reuters
(Adds background) DUBAI, Feb 28 (Reuters) - An international anti-money laundering body will alert members on Thursday to deficiencies in Iran's system of combating money laundering and terrorism financing, a U.S. Treasury official said. "FATF confirms its call to all its members and urges all jurisdictions to advise their financial institutions to take the risk arising from deficiencies in Iran's anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism regimes into account for enhanced due diligence," said Stuart Levey, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, reading from a statement. The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force, or FATF, is a 34-nation group set up by the Group of Seven industrial nations in 1989 to fight money laundering and terrorist financing. Iranian state television said on Wednesday that Iran's president had ordered the Economy Ministry to implement an anti-money laundering law, following international criticism that it was not doing enough. It said the law had been passed by parliament and approved by the Guardian Council of the Islamic Republic. Based on this law, "the crime of money laundering means obtaining, possessing, keeping and using the benefits resulting from illegal activities with the knowledge that, directly or indirectly, (funds) came from committing this crime," it said. FATF has previously voiced concern that Iran lacked a comprehensive regime to tackle money laundering and combat the financing of terrorism. A senior U.S. Treasury official held a rare meeting with Iranian officials to discuss "terror financing" as part of the FATF gathering in Paris in January. (Reporting by James Cordahi; Writing by Lin Noueihed; Editing by Jon Boyle)
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