In an exclusive interview with Iran Press, a prominent Iranian parliamentarian, Seyyed Mohammad Reza Mir-Tajeddini said: "Foreign powers try to impose their will upon other countries by drawing up international treaties and conventions and then encouraging smaller non-independent countries to 'sign-on'. When a critical mass of about 100 countries have put their signatures to the convention, then the great powers argue that every country should sign up and become a member. But the convention invariably benefits the great powers, because it has been drafted and written by them !!"
Mir-Tajeddini added: "In this way, international conventions generally benefit those countries which write those conventions in the first place. And these are usually major powers, such as G7 nations , etc."
The Iranian MP added: "Smaller countries that are not sensitive to these issues and do not have the necessary independence, welcome the convention, and quickly sign up."
Pointing out to Palermo, FATF and TF Conventions , added Mir-Tajeddini, I am opposed to the Islamic Republic of Iran joining these conventions, because these conventions limit us, constrain us, and limit our ability to maneuver. If we sign up to these conventions, we effectively work against our own interests."
He also said,If Iran accedes to these treaties, it will be bound to fulfill obligations that threaten the interests of the country.
Mir-Tajeddini emphasized,these conventions are useful in the form of internal rules, but not internationally.
passing the money laundering law in parliament is a prominent example of internal conventions, added Iranian MP.
Therefore, we can approve all of these in the form of an internal (domestic) legislation which brings no obligation upon us internationally, Mir-Tajeddini added.
The Iranian MP went on to say that although the West may make allegations against us regarding internal conventions, we must not give up and we must persist.
FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 by the Ministers of its Member jurisdictions.
The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system
