SAEDNEWS: Iran deposited its accession to the Palermo Convention at the UN, marking a major sovereignty decision amid ongoing FATF discussions, with the Foreign Ministry clarifying that the Financial Intelligence Unit under the Ministry of Economy leads these efforts.
According to Saed News citing IRNA, the spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regarding the invitation extended by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to the head of Iran’s Financial Intelligence Unit for negotiations, stated: “For further details, it is necessary to consult the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance, since the Financial Intelligence Unit, which is responsible for this matter, is based within that ministry and holds the main responsibility. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is involved in part of the process.”
The spokesperson added: “The most important recent development—which is not necessarily directly related to FATF but rather a sovereign decision based on national interests by the competent authorities—is the membership of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the ‘United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime,’ known as the Palermo Convention. After approval by the relevant authorities, Iran’s accession document to this convention was deposited with the UN Secretary-General. This action took place on August 6 (15 Mordad), officially making Iran a member of the convention.”
He further explained: “The Palermo Convention, effective since 2003, is one of the key international treaties concerning combating and international cooperation against transnational organized crime. Iran was among the first signatories of this treaty. Membership in this convention has been among the subjects discussed between Iran and FATF, and we hope this development will aid our colleagues in the Financial Intelligence Unit and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance in advancing their related agendas.”
