Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE74750
2008-07-11 19:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ON IRANIAN BANK

Tags:  IO ISN NEA IR TREAS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5218
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK
DE RUEHC #4750/01 1931933
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O R 111922Z JUL 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 2463
INFO IRAN COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 074750 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2018
TAGS: IO ISN NEA IR TREAS
SUBJECT: DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ON IRANIAN BANK
BRANCHES AND SUBSIDIARIES

REF: A. STATE 29398

B. STATE 37414

Classified By: IO Acting A/S Brian Hook, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 074750

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2018
TAGS: IO ISN NEA IR TREAS
SUBJECT: DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ON IRANIAN BANK
BRANCHES AND SUBSIDIARIES

REF: A. STATE 29398

B. STATE 37414

Classified By: IO Acting A/S Brian Hook, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 3.

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


2. (C) The United States, France and the United Kingdom will
jointly, through their respective UN missions, provide
information to the UNSC President and Chairman of the Iran
Sanctions Committee on Iranian bank branches and
subsidiaries, in order to facilitate action consistent with
UNSCR 1803's call in paragraph 10 for all States to exercise
vigilance over the activities of financial institutions in
their territories with all banks domiciled in Iran, in
particular with Bank Melli and Bank Saderat, and their
branches and subsidiaries abroad. This information is taken
from the U.S. Treasury Department Financial Crimes
Enforcement Network (FinCEN) advisory issued on March 20,

2008. Washington previously requested that Mission present
the FinCEN advisory (Ref A) and additional information on
Iranian banks (Ref B) to the UNSC Iran Sanctions Committee.

--------------
OBJECTIVES
--------------


3. (C) Department requests Mission work with UKUN and France
UN to achieve the following objectives:

-- Submit a letter from the U.S., France, and UK PermReps to
the President of the U.N. Security Council to request the
information on Iranian bank branches and subsidiaries in
paragraph 5 be circulated as an official document of the
Council.

-- Submit a letter from the U.S., France, and UK PermReps to
the Chairman of the Iran Sanctions Committee to request the
information on Iranian bank branches and subsidiaries in
paragraph 5 be provided to all UN Member States.

--------------
DRAFT TEXT OF LETTERS
--------------


4. (C) Begin draft letter to UNSC President

(Appropriate opening),

(Any appropriate opening language)

In support of the Council's call in UNSCR 1803 paragraph 10
for all States to exercise vigilance over the activities of
financial institutions in their territories with banks
domiciled in Iran, in particular with Bank Melli and Bank
Saderat, and their branches and subsidiaries abroad, we are

providing information on Iranian bank branches and
subsidiaries. We would like to request that this information
be circulated as an official document of the Council.

(Appropriate closing)

Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad
U.S. Mission to the United Nations

UK Ambassador
UK Mission to the United Nations

French Ambassador
French Mission to the United Nations

(C) BEGIN DRAFT LETTER TO THE UNSC IRAN SANCTIONS
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

(Appropriate opening),

(Any appropriate opening language)

In support of the call in UNSCR 1803 paragraph 10 for all
States to exercise vigilance over the activities of financial
institutions in their territories with banks domiciled in
Iran, in particular with Bank Melli and Bank Saderat, and
their branches and subsidiaries abroad, we are providing

STATE 00074750 002 OF 004


information on Iranian bank branches and subsidiaries. We
would like to request that this information be disseminated
to all Member States.

(Appropriate closing)

Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad
U.S. Mission to the United Nations

UK Ambassador
UK Mission to the United Nations

French Ambassador
French Mission to the United Nations

-------------- --------------
INFORMATION ON IRAN BANK BRANCHES AND SUBSIDIARIES
-------------- --------------


5. (U) On March 3, 2008, the United Nations Security Council
adopted Resolution 1803 (UNSCR 1803),which called on all
states to exercise vigilance over activities of financial
institutions in their territories with all banks domiciled in
Iran, in particular with Bank Melli and Bank Saderat, and
their branches and subsidiaries abroad.

Deficiencies in Iran's anti-money laundering and combating
the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime are exacerbated
by the Government of Iran's continued attempts to conduct
prohibited proliferation related activity and terrorist
financing. Through state-owned banks, the Government of Iran
disguises its involvement in proliferation and terrorism
activities through an array of deceptive practices
specifically designed to evade detection. The Central Bank
of Iran and Iranian commercial banks have requested that
their names be removed from global transactions in order to
make it more difficult for intermediary financial
institutions to determine the true parties in the
transaction. They have also continued to provide financial
services to Iranian entities designated by the UN Security
Council in its Resolutions 1737 and 1747. It is particularly
concerning that the Central Bank of Iran may be facilitating
transactions for sanctioned Iranian banks.

UNSCR 1803 calls on member states to exercise vigilance over
the activities of financial institutions in their territories
with all banks domiciled in Iran, and their branches and
subsidiaries abroad.

Further, all financial institutions should take into account
the risk arising from the deficiencies in Iran's AML/CFT
regime, as well as all applicable international sanctions
programs, with regard to any possible transactions with the
following Iranian institutions:

AGRICULTURAL BANK (a.k.a. BANK KESHAVARZI) Tehran, Ira)
AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE BANK OF IRAN (a.k.a. BANK TAAVON
KESHAVARZI IRAN) Tehran, Iran
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT BANK OF IRAN (a.k.a. BANK JOSIAIYI
KESHAHVARZI) Tehran, Iran
ARIAN BANK (a.k.a. ARYAN BANK) Kabul, Afghanistan (Note:
According to open source information on the international
banking industry, Arian Bank is a joint venture between
Iran's Bank Melli and Bank Saderat.)
BANCO INTERNACIONAL DE DESARROLLO SA Caracas, Venezuela
(Note: According to open source information, Banco
Internacional de Desarrollo SA is a branch of the Export
Development Bank of Iran (EDBI).)
BANK KARGOSHAEE Tehran, Iran
BANK MASKAN (a.k.a. HOUSING BANK (of Iran)) Tehran, Iran
BANK MELLAT Tehran, Iran
BANK MELLAT Seoul, South Korea
BANK MELLAT Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Turkey
BANK MELLI IRAN Tehran, Iran
BANK MELLI IRAN Paris, France
BANK MELLI IRAN Hamburg, Germany
BANK MELLI IRAN Central, Hong Kong
BANK MELLI IRAN Baghdad, Iraq
BANK MELLI IRAN Muscat, Oman
BANK MELLI IRAN Al Ain, Deira, Dubai City, Fujairah, Ras
al-Khaimah, and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
BANK MELLI IRAN ZAO Moscow, Russia
BANK OF INDUSTRY AND MINE (of Iran) (a.k.a. BANK SANAD VA
MADAN) Tehran, Iran
BANK REFAH (f.k.a. WORKERS WELFARE BANK, f.k.a. BANK REFAH
KARGARAN) Tehran, Iran
BANK SADERAT IRAN Tehran, Iran
BANK SADERAT Paris, France
BANK SADERAT Frankfurt, Hamburg, Germany
BANK SADERAT Athens, Greece
BANK SADERAT Baalbak, Beirut, Saida, Lebanon
BANK SADERAT Muscat, Oman

STATE 00074750 003 OF 004


BANK SADERAT Doha, Qatar
BANK SADERAT Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
BANK SADERAT Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Al Ain, Dubai City, Sharjah,
United Arab Emirates
BANK SADERAT PLC London, United Kingdom
BANK SADERAT TASHKENT Tashkent, Uzbekistan
BANK SEPAH Tehran, Iran
BANK SEPAH Paris, France
BANK SEPAH Frankfurt, Germany
BANK SEPAH Rome, Italy
BANK SEPAH INTERNATIONAL PLC London, United Kingdom
BANK TEJARAT Tehran, Iran
BANK TEJARAT Paris, France
BANK TEJARAT Dusanbe, Tajikistan
THE CENTRAL BANK OF IRAN (a.k.a. BANK MARKAZI JOMHOURI ISLAMI
IRAN) Tehran, Iran
EUROPAEISCH-IRANISCHE HANDELSBANK AG (f.k.a.
DEUTSCH-IRANISCHE HANDELSBANK AG) Hamburg, Germany (Note:
According to available open source information on
international businesses, the Iranian Bank of Industry &
Mines owns more than 50% of EIH Bank, Bank Mellat owns more
than 25% and Bank Tejerat owns less than 25%. There are two
branches also located in Iran.)
EUROPAEISCH-IRANISCHE HANDELSBANK AG (f.k.a.
DEUTSCH-IRANISCHE HANDELSBANK AG) Tehran, Iran
EXPORT DEVELOPMENT BANK OF IRAN (a.k.a. BANK TOWSEH SADERAT
IRAN) Tehran, Iran
FUTURE BANK B.S.C. Manama, Bahrain (Note: According to its
corporate documents, Future Bank BSC is controlled by Iran's
Bank Melli, while Iran's Bank Saderat also holds a stake in
the bank. Collectively, banks domiciled in Iran own
approximately 66% of this bank, which qualifies this bank,
for purposes of paragraph 10 of UNSCR 1803, as a subsidiary
of banks domiciled in Iran.)
IRAN OVERSEAS INVESTMENT BANK PLC (a.k.a. IRAN OVERSEAS
INVESTMENT CORPORATION LIMITED) London, United Kingdom (Note:
Now known as Bank Saderat PLC. According to open source
information, Iran Overseas Investment Bank PLC (n.k.a. Bank
Saderat PLC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Iran's Bank
Saderat.)
KARGOZARI BANK TEJARAT Tehran, Iran
MELLAT BANK DB AOZT (a.k.a. MELLAT BANK S/B CJSC) Yerevan,
Armenia
MELLAT BANK S/B CJSC (a.k.a. MELLAT BANK DB AOZT) Yerevan,
Armenia
MELLI BANK PLC. London, United Kingdom
PERSIA INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC. London, United Kingdom (Note:
According to the 2006/2007 Annual Report of Persia
International Bank PLC, Iran's Bank Mellat owns 60% and
Iran's Bank Tejarat owns the remaining 40%, making this bank
a subsidiary of a bank domiciled in Iran. Open source
information shows that Bank Melli and other Iranian banks
list the Persia International Bank PLC as a correspondent
bank, while Bank Melli additionally lists the Persia
International Bank as their only settlement bank for U.S.
dollar settlements.)
PERSIA INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC. Dubai City, United Arab
Emirates (Note: According to the 2006/2007 Annual Report of
Persia International Bank PLC, this bank is a branch of the
London-based Persia International Bank. It is therefore
owned by Bank Mellat and Bank Tejarat, qualifying it, for
purposes of paragraph 10 of UNSC resolution 1803, as a
subsidiary of banks domiciled in Iran.)
POST BANK OF IRAN Tehran, Iran (Note: According to open
source information, Post Bank of Iran is a commercial
government-owned bank, and is 100% owned by the Ministry of
Information and Communications.)

Privately Owned Iranian Financial Institutions

BANK PASARGAD Tehran, Iran
EN BANK PJSC (a.k.a. EGHTESAD-E-NOVIN BANK) Tehran, Iran
KARAFARIN BANK Tehran, Iran
PARSIAN BANK Tehran, Iran
SAMAN BANK CORPORATION Tehran, Iran
BANK SARMAYE Tehran, Iran

--------------
REPORTING DEADLINE
--------------


6. (U) Mission is requested to report on the responses to the
letters after they are delivered, including any substantive
discussions that take place. Please slug replies for ISN,
IO, T, Treasury, and NEA/IR. Please include SIPDIS in all
replies.

--------------
POINT OF CONTACT
--------------


7. (U) Washington point of contact for follow-up is Jennifer

STATE 00074750 004 OF 004


Chalmers, ISN/CPI, (202) 647-9715,
chalmersja@STATE.SGOV.GOV.


8. (U) Department thanks the Mission for its assistance.
RICE