Iran Focus

London, 5 Jun – The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established almost 30 years ago. The FATF’s aim is to set standards for curbing money laundering and terrorist financing and other threats that could affect the international financial system. It is also tasked with promoting legal, operational and regulatory measures in these aims.

The FATF was the topic of a heated discussion in the parliament of Iran last week. On 27th May, there were loud debates among several members.

Iran Focus

London, 5 Jun – German Chancellor Angela Merkel has agreed that Iran’s malign activities in the Middle East are a pressing concern, particularly for the security of Israel.

During a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Merkel said: “We have the same goal that Iran must never get a nuclear weapon and the difference between us is how to do that… We support Israel’s right to security and have said this to Iran at all times.”

Iran Focus

London, 5 Jun – The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Friday that Iran has no intention of ending its aggressive foreign policies across the Middle East, which involve propping up the Syrian Dictator Bashar Assad and funding the terrorist Hamas in Gaza, or curbing its influence over states like Lebanon, when the Iran-backed Hezbollah have control of the government, and Iraq, where Iran has vast political influence.

In his speech, which was broadcast live on television, Khamenei also encouraged the Arab youth to stand up to US pressure.

Iran Focus

London, 4 Jun – The United States has been cracking down on Iran for several months now. President Donald Trump has vowed to curb the Iran threat and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned that the US would be imposing the harshest sanctions in history on Iran.

However, it is not just the United States that is trying to tackle the Iran problem. It is also the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that is showing real efforts to put an end to Iran’s meddling in the Middle East and its illicit financing. The GCC, composed of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, is also cracking down on Hezbollah – Iran’s number one proxy group.

Iran Focus

London, 3 Jun – On May 8th, US President Trump unilaterally pulled the US out the nuclear deal with Tehran, and announced the return of sanctions for the country. Prior to the deadline set by the US for companies to end operations in Iran, General Electric has made the decision to suspend activities.

A source told AFP, “GE has decided to suspend its activities in Iran ahead of a deadline set by the US authorities for companies to re-impose sanctions on Tehran after the United States withdraws from the Iranian nuclear deal.” The source added that the US industrial group’s decision came in compliance with Washington’s request, which set a deadline of 180 days — until November 4th — for companies to cancel their Iranian contracts.