February 21, 2020
A global financial watchdog has blacklisted Iran for failing to take measures against money laundering and the financing of terrorist groups.
The Paris-based task force, an inter-governmental organization that underpins the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing, made the announcement on February 21.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) also granted a temporary reprieve to Pakistan, keeping the country on its “gray list.”
In a statement, the FATF said it was lifting a sanctions suspension it granted in 2016 to give Iran time to work on reforms.
It also called on FATF’s 38-nation members and “all jurisdictions to apply effective countermeasures.”
Iran’s blacklisting will deepen the country’s isolation from financial markets.
Abdolnasser Hemmati, the head of the Iran’s Central Bank, said the FATF’s decision was “political” and it would not impact foreign trade.
Iran and North Korea are on the agency’s blacklist.
The FATF said it was granting Pakistan an extra four months to meet anti-terrorism financing norms, keeping Islamabad for now on its list of countries that do not adequately comply with its rules.
Based on reporting by RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal, Reuters, and AFP