Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ROME593
2007-03-23 10:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
IRAN: BOI INSPECTOR TO MONITOR BANK SEPAH ROME
how-toVZCZCXRO3573 OO RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHRN RUEHROV DE RUEHRO #0593 0821049 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 231049Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7497 RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHSS/OECD POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY 2268 RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY 8498 RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY 2417 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 4496
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000593
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB A/S DAN SULLIVAN; EUR/WE KATHLEEN ALLEGRONE,
ANDREW YOUNG, AND KEVIN OPSTRUP
TREASURY FOR U/S LEVEY; BEN DAVIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2017
TAGS: ECON EFIN PREL IR IT
SUBJECT: IRAN: BOI INSPECTOR TO MONITOR BANK SEPAH ROME
"INDEFINITELY"
REF: A. ROME 409
B. ROME 95
Classified By: Economic Minister Counselor Tom Delare for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000593
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB A/S DAN SULLIVAN; EUR/WE KATHLEEN ALLEGRONE,
ANDREW YOUNG, AND KEVIN OPSTRUP
TREASURY FOR U/S LEVEY; BEN DAVIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2017
TAGS: ECON EFIN PREL IR IT
SUBJECT: IRAN: BOI INSPECTOR TO MONITOR BANK SEPAH ROME
"INDEFINITELY"
REF: A. ROME 409
B. ROME 95
Classified By: Economic Minister Counselor Tom Delare for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C/NF) Summary: The Bank of Italy (BOI) recently issued
Iranian Bank Sepah's Rome branch an order to cease all
business with any entity listed in the Annex to UNSCR 1737.
Additionally, after Econoffs visited with BOI officials, BOI
sent an inspector to monitor the branch's activities
"indefinitely." BOI's Chief of Banking Supervision claimed
that BOI has done everything it can to enforce Bank Sepah
compliance with Italian banking law to date; but stated that
BOI did not have the authority to close the branch down.
However, BOI would act quickly against Sepah, if the UN were
to sanction the bank. We will continue to seek regular
updates of Bank Sepah Rome's activities from our BOI contacts
to send the signal that Iran must comply with international
law or, ideally, close down Sepah's Rome branch altogether.
End summary.
2. (C/NF) EcMin met March 20 with Anna Maria Tarantola,
just appointed as BOI Chief of Banking Supervision.
Tarantola stated that, since our last meeting with BOI
officials March 1 (ref A),BOI ordered Iranian Bank Sepah's
Rome branch to cease business activities with entities listed
in the Annex to UNSCR 1737. Tarantola emphasized that the
BOI continues to pay close attention to Bank Sepah's
activities and claimed she personally deals with the issue
daily.
3. (C/NF) When EcMin pressed for the date of BOI's next
inspection of Bank Sepah, Tarantola explained that BOI had
closed its previous investigation of Bank Sepah Rome (ref B)
and did not know when BOI might conduct another inspection.
EcMin emphasized the high level of USG concern about Bank
Sepah's Rome branch -- arguing that it operated more like a
mafia-controlled institution than a proper bank -- and stated
that frequent BOI inspections of Bank Sepah Rome would signal
to the Iranians the need to do the right thing. (Note: BOI
Director General Fabrizio Saccomanni called EcMin March 22 to
report that, since our visit with Tarantola, BOI has sent an
inspector to Bank Sepah's Rome branch to monitor its
activities. When EcMin asked how long the inspector would
remain, Saccomanni replied, "Indefinitely." End note.)
4. (C/NF) Tarantola explained that, according to Italian
law, the BOI could only recommend that the Ministry of
Finance issue a decree to close a bank when BOI could show
"extraordinary irregularities or losses." She claimed that,
with regard to Bank Sepah's Rome branch, "We are doing all we
can within the limits of Italian law," and added that BOI is
ready to act quickly, if the UN were to list Bank Sepah as a
sanctioned entity.
5. (C/NF) Comment: Tarantola offered us no new hope that
the GOI would find the authority to close Bank Sepah's Rome
branch in the near term. However, we are encouraged by the
news that the BOI has placed an inspector at Bank Sepah Rome
to monitor its activities. We will continue to press our BOI
contacts for regular updates about Bank Sepah Rome's
activities and to work to persuade the GOI to shut down the
branch. End comment.
SPOGLI
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB A/S DAN SULLIVAN; EUR/WE KATHLEEN ALLEGRONE,
ANDREW YOUNG, AND KEVIN OPSTRUP
TREASURY FOR U/S LEVEY; BEN DAVIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2017
TAGS: ECON EFIN PREL IR IT
SUBJECT: IRAN: BOI INSPECTOR TO MONITOR BANK SEPAH ROME
"INDEFINITELY"
REF: A. ROME 409
B. ROME 95
Classified By: Economic Minister Counselor Tom Delare for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C/NF) Summary: The Bank of Italy (BOI) recently issued
Iranian Bank Sepah's Rome branch an order to cease all
business with any entity listed in the Annex to UNSCR 1737.
Additionally, after Econoffs visited with BOI officials, BOI
sent an inspector to monitor the branch's activities
"indefinitely." BOI's Chief of Banking Supervision claimed
that BOI has done everything it can to enforce Bank Sepah
compliance with Italian banking law to date; but stated that
BOI did not have the authority to close the branch down.
However, BOI would act quickly against Sepah, if the UN were
to sanction the bank. We will continue to seek regular
updates of Bank Sepah Rome's activities from our BOI contacts
to send the signal that Iran must comply with international
law or, ideally, close down Sepah's Rome branch altogether.
End summary.
2. (C/NF) EcMin met March 20 with Anna Maria Tarantola,
just appointed as BOI Chief of Banking Supervision.
Tarantola stated that, since our last meeting with BOI
officials March 1 (ref A),BOI ordered Iranian Bank Sepah's
Rome branch to cease business activities with entities listed
in the Annex to UNSCR 1737. Tarantola emphasized that the
BOI continues to pay close attention to Bank Sepah's
activities and claimed she personally deals with the issue
daily.
3. (C/NF) When EcMin pressed for the date of BOI's next
inspection of Bank Sepah, Tarantola explained that BOI had
closed its previous investigation of Bank Sepah Rome (ref B)
and did not know when BOI might conduct another inspection.
EcMin emphasized the high level of USG concern about Bank
Sepah's Rome branch -- arguing that it operated more like a
mafia-controlled institution than a proper bank -- and stated
that frequent BOI inspections of Bank Sepah Rome would signal
to the Iranians the need to do the right thing. (Note: BOI
Director General Fabrizio Saccomanni called EcMin March 22 to
report that, since our visit with Tarantola, BOI has sent an
inspector to Bank Sepah's Rome branch to monitor its
activities. When EcMin asked how long the inspector would
remain, Saccomanni replied, "Indefinitely." End note.)
4. (C/NF) Tarantola explained that, according to Italian
law, the BOI could only recommend that the Ministry of
Finance issue a decree to close a bank when BOI could show
"extraordinary irregularities or losses." She claimed that,
with regard to Bank Sepah's Rome branch, "We are doing all we
can within the limits of Italian law," and added that BOI is
ready to act quickly, if the UN were to list Bank Sepah as a
sanctioned entity.
5. (C/NF) Comment: Tarantola offered us no new hope that
the GOI would find the authority to close Bank Sepah's Rome
branch in the near term. However, we are encouraged by the
news that the BOI has placed an inspector at Bank Sepah Rome
to monitor its activities. We will continue to press our BOI
contacts for regular updates about Bank Sepah Rome's
activities and to work to persuade the GOI to shut down the
branch. End comment.
SPOGLI