BANK SADERAT OPENS NEW BRANCH IN QATAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 067950 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2033 TAGS: KNNP MNUC IR GM PREL PARM XF ZP ZR QA ECON SUBJECT: BANK SADERAT OPENS NEW BRANCH IN QATAR Classified By: NEA/ARP OFFICE DIRECTOR ANDREW STEINFELD FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) This is an action request. Please see paragraph three. -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶2. (C) Recent press reports have noted that Iran is actively working to expand its banking relationships with its Middle Eastern neighbors. This expansion is presumably a response to the increased sanctions put in place by the UN and U.S. and moves by Western banks to decrease their exposure to the risk of doing business with Iran. Per that goal, Iran's Bank Saderat recently opened an additional branch in Qatar as part of a planned expansion of its banking network there and in response to pressure on Iranian banking networks in UAE and Bahrain. Bank Saderat already has a branch in Doha and has been active in Qatar for 37 years. According to press reports, the new branch will help facilitate increased trade between Iran and Qatar. The U.S. is concerned, however, that Bank Saderat may also help Iran facilitate terrorism or WMD proliferation via Qatar. We want to urge the GOQ to reconsider its business relationships with all Iranian financial institutions, close this new branch and prevent any others fro m opening. At a time when responsible states and banks are decreasing their economic dealings with Iran, expanding banking relationships with Iran is not a prudent step. -------------- OBJECTIVES/ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶3. (C) Washington requests Post deliver as appropriate the talking points and non-paper in paragraph 4 to relevant host government officials. Post should pursue the following objectives: -- Urge Qatar to exercise increased scrutiny over the activities of financial institutions in its territory with Bank Saderat Iran, as called for in UNSCR 1803, to ensure that it is not being used by Iran or Iranian proliferation-related entities to circumvent measures imposed in UNSCRs 1737, 1747 and 1803 or to act on behalf of designated entities. -- Remind Qatar that the U.S. designated Bank Saderat under domestic authority Executive Order 13224 in October 2007 for its actions as a financier for terrorism. E.O. 13224 is an authority aimed at freezing the assets of terrorists and their supporters, and at isolating them from the U.S. financial and commercial systems. Designations under the E.O. prohibit all transactions between the designees and any U.S. person, and freeze any assets the designees may have under U.S. jurisdiction. -- Reinforce the Financial Action Task Force's October 2007 and February 2008 warnings that Iran's lack of comprehensive anti-money laundering / combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime represents a significant vulnerability within the international financial system, and dealing with Iran's banks poses a reputational risk to Qatar's financial institutions. -- Remind Qatar that as a member of the Middle East North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENA-FATF),it should advise its financial institutions to consider the serious risks of engaging in any business with Iranian entities and individuals. It is well-known that Iran uses its state-owned banking network to support terrorism and proliferation-related activity. -- Remind the GOQ that many European countries and banks have reduced their business with Iran. -- Remind Qatar that disreputable banks named in UN Security Council Resolutions, such as Bank Saderat, pose a threat to Qatar's growing role as a regional financial hub and Qatar's perception as an attractive magnet for investment. -- Urge the GOQ to reconsider its business relationships with all Iranian financial institutions, close this new branch and prevent any others from opening. -------------- BACKGROUND AND NONPAPER -------------- ¶4. BEGIN CONFIDENTIAL NON-PAPER FOR QATAR -- Recent press reports have noted that Iran is actively working to expand banking relationships with its Middle Eastern neighbors. To that end, Bank Saderat Iran recently opened a new branch in Qatar and plans to open others in order to handle an expected growth in business ties between Iran and Qatar. -- As you know, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted UNSCR 1803 in March 2008. The resolution calls on States to exercise vigilance over the activities of financial institutions in their territories with all banks domiciled in Iran, in particular with Bank Saderat Iran and Bank Melli, and their branches and subsidiaries abroad, in order to avoid such activities contributing to the proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities, or to the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems, as referred to in UNSCR 1737. -- In October 2007, the U.S. designated Bank Saderat under E.O. 13224 for its actions as a terrorist financier. Bank Saderat has been used by the Government of Iran to channel funds to terrorist organizations, including Hizballah and EU-designated terrorist groups Hamas, PFLP-GC, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Hizballah has also used Bank Saderat to send money to other terrorist organizations, including millions of dollars on occasion, to support the activities of Hamas. As of early 2005, Hamas had substantial assets deposited in Bank Saderat, and Bank Saderat has transferred several million dollars to Hamas. -- On October 11, 2007, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issued a statement warning of the risk of doing business with Iranian banks. The statement cautioned that Iran's lack of comprehensive anti-money laundering / combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime represents a significant vulnerability within the international financial system. In February 2008, FATF reinforced this message and advised that financial institutions should take the risk arising from the deficiencies in Iran's AML/CFT regime into account for enhanced due diligence. -- We are concerned that Bank Saderat could be facilitating terrorism in Qatar. -- As major European and Asian financial institutions curtail or cut off Iranian business, we view the opening of additional branches of Bank Saderat Iran as a step away from the international consensus and may harm Qatar's image as a growing regional hub for reputable financial activity. Now is not the time for business as usual with Iran and expanded financial ties with Iran could put financial institutions in your jurisdiction at risk of facilitating proliferation- or terrorism-related transactions. -- The United States urges your government and financial institutions to reconsider business relationships with all Iranian financial institutions, close this new branch and prevent any others from opening. -- The United States also urges your government to exercise increased vigilance regarding all Iranian financial and commercial relationships that may be associated with Iran's nuclear or missile programs, or other illicit activities, contrary to UNSCRs 1737, 1747, or 1803. -------------- REPORTING DEADLINE -------------- ¶5. (U) Post should report results within seven business days of receipt of this cable. Please slug replies for ISN, T, TREASURY, and NEA. Please include SIPDIS in all replies. -------------- POINT OF CONTACT -------------- ¶6. (U) Washington point of contact for follow-up information is Kevin McGeehan, ISN/CPI, (202) 647-5408, McGeehanKJ@state.sgov.gov. ¶7. (U) Department thanks Post for its assistance. RICE