VIGILANCE REGARDING BANK SADERAT'S BRANCH IN ATHENS

S E C R E T LONDON 001223 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2018 TAGS: ECON KNNP MNUC IR UK SUBJECT: VIGILANCE REGARDING BANK SADERAT'S BRANCH IN ATHENS REF: STATE 43492 Classified By: A/ECON MIN COUNSELOR SANDRA CLARK FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D ¶1. (S/NF) We delivered reftel points on April 28 to HM Treasury's Patrick Guthrie, head of Financial Sanctions Unit, who said he would share within HMT and with the Financial Services Authority (banking regulator.) Guthrie appreciated receiving the information and agreed Greece had a lax enforcement regime, but was unable to commit to what, if anything, the UK could do with this information immediately. ¶2. (S/NF) We also, on April 29, delivered to Will Gelling, Multilateral Team Leader for the Iran Coordination Group, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Gelling also appreciated receiving the information and will pass a copy to FCO's Counter-Proliferation Office (Isabella McCrae). Gelling said he was not surprised to hear that Saderat's Athens branch might be taking advantage of a lax Greek enforcement regime, and that he "could not speak for Iranian banks" but was confident UK banks are not doing business with Saderat-Athens. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom TUTTLE