Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Feb. 6, 2019 – Considering the fact that the new European initiative for trade with the Iranian regime hinges on Tehran’s adoption of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) conventions and setting aside the missile program, the mullahs’ regime will not accept Europe’s new INSTEX blueprint, said judiciary chief Sadeq Larijani, who is also head of the regime’s Expediency Council.
“The Europeans, after delaying for nine months, have launched a new financial initiative called INSTEX. They want to provide a very limited financial capacity to the Islamic republic, and this is not based on our money, but in food and medicine. The Americans, with their devious nature, withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that they had stood by for two years. Now the Europeans are claiming this deal, that was supposed to be positive for the Islamic republic, has transformed into INSTEX, a limited financial initiative that comes with two strange requirements. Based on reports that I have seen, the Islamic republic must accept the FATF and enter talks in regards to our missile program. These insulting conditions will never be accepted by the Islamic republic and we should not accept them. Our government officials should take into notice that we must not succumb to whatever they wish to only to gain a small stream of water,” he said.
There are many voices heard from inside the regime as concerns grow over INSTEX, from the Expediency Council to the Majlis (parliament).
“The Expediency Council is leaning towards rejecting the FATF’s conventions, including the Palermo text. INSTEX will not influence the Council’s vote on FATF conventions,” an Expediency Council member said to the state-run Vatan-e Emruz daily.
“While there is no guarantee to resolve the country’s sanctions problems through adopting the FATF, on the other hand, not adopting these conventions will definitely pave the grounds for new problems. Today, we are forced to bypass the sanctions. If we do join these agreements, there will no longer be any way to bypass the sanctions,” said Expediency Council Saffar Herandi, also an advisor to Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) chief Mohammad Ali Jafari.
Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of Keyhan daily, the known mouthpiece of Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, also voiced deep concerns over INSTEX.
“The most humiliating aspect of INSTEX is that in return for our oil income we are only permitted to purchase food and medicine. This is exactly the same oil-for-food plan that the U.S. and Europe imposed after defeating Saddam Hussein in his attack on Kuwait. As if we are a defeated and surrendered country, or an orphan or small child that the Europeans must look after us,” he wrote. “Those minority members of the Expediency Council must now, without a doubt, vote no to the FATF.”
