Watchdog places Iran on terrorism financing blacklist

PARIS >> The global dirty money watchdog placed Iran on its blacklist on Friday after it failed to comply with international antiterrorism financing norms, a move that will deepen the country’s isolation from financial markets.

The decision came after more than three years of warnings from the Paris-based Financial Action Taskforce urging the Islamic Republic to either enact terrorist financing conventions or see its reprieve from the blacklist lifted and some counter-measures imposed.

“Given Iran’s failure to enact the Palermo and Terrorist Financing Conventions in line with the FATF Standards, the FATF fully lifts the suspension of countermeasures and calls on its members and urges all jurisdictions to apply effective counter-measures,” the group’s 39 members said in a statement after a weeklong plenary session.

These would entail more scrutiny of transactions with Iran, tougher external auditing of financing firms operating in the country and extra pressure on the few foreign banks and businesses still dealing with Iran.

“The consequence of (Iran’s) inaction is higher costs of borrowing and isolation from the financial system,” a Western diplomat told Reuters.

The United States commended the task force’s action after what it said was Tehran’s failure to adhere to FATF’s standards.

Iran “must face consequences for its continued failure to abide by international norms,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

Iran’s central bank chief dismissed FATF’s decision. “(It) is politically motivated and not a technical decision,” the state news agency IRNA quoted Abdolnasser Hemmati as saying. “I can assure our nation that it will have no impact on Iran’s foreign trade and the stability of our exchange rate.”

The FATF appeared to leave the door open for some engagement with Iran, saying in its statement: “Countries should also be able to apply countermeasures independently of any call by the FATF to do so.”

“It’s a middle solution. A sort of a fudge to leave the door open for the Iranians,” said one of the diplomats.

Foreign businesses say Iran’s compliance with FATF rules is essential if it wants to attract investors, especially since the United States reimposed sanctions on Tehran in 2018 after quitting a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and other big powers.

Iran’s leaders have been divided over approach to the FATF.

Supporters of cooperation say it could ease foreign trade with Europe and Asia, offsetting U.S. sanctions.