High-Level Talks in Moscow
On Monday, December 2, 2025, representatives from Iran and Russia convened in Moscow to discuss bolstering cooperation in the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing. The talks involved Kazem Jalali, Iran's Ambassador to Russia, and Yury Chikhanchin, head of Russia's Federal Financial Monitoring Service (Rosfinmonitoring). The discussions aimed to expand both bilateral and multilateral efforts in this critical area.
Eurasian Group Collaboration and Technical Assistance
A significant aspect of the discussions centered on enhanced coordination within the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG), a regional body affiliated with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). These bilateral talks followed the 43rd plenary meeting of the EAG, which took place from November 24 to 27 in Minsk, Belarus, bringing together 35 delegations from 18 countries and over 15 international organizations.
During the meeting, Yury Chikhanchin, who was also elected as the EAG's next chairman for the 2026-2027 term, expressed appreciation for Iran's active participation and initiatives within the EAG. He affirmed Russia's readiness to exchange expertise and provide technical guidance to support Iran's increased engagement with member states. A key outcome of the EAG plenary was the approval of a technical assistance package designed to help Iran address identified gaps in its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) systems. This package includes:
- Technical exchanges
- Joint training workshops
- Specialized advisory support from EAG member states
Iranian representatives actively participated in both plenary sessions and specialist workshops, contributing to discussions on strengthening regional cooperation and upgrading national AML/CFT frameworks. Iranian experts also presented domestic innovations in data analysis and inter-agency cooperation, which were described by participants as 'effective and replicable examples for the region'.
Broader Context of Financial Transparency
These talks underscore ongoing efforts by Iran to enhance its financial transparency, particularly as it remains on the FATF blacklist. Both China and Russia have reportedly been pressing Iran to align with FATF standards to maintain banking ties. Iran's active participation in EAG meetings is seen as a strategic move to normalize its status with the FATF. Furthermore, Russia has previously supported efforts to strengthen Iran's capabilities in this domain, including funding the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to equip the Iranian Financial Intelligence Unit (IRFIU) with necessary infrastructure for training.
6 Comments
Noir Black
Two problematic regimes strengthening ties. This is a concerning development for global security.
KittyKat
It's positive that Iran is actively engaging with regional bodies like EAG to address its AML/CFT gaps. However, their past actions and continued presence on the FATF blacklist mean skepticism is warranted regarding their long-term commitment to genuine transparency.
BuggaBoom
Finally, some progress on AML/CFT in a critical region. Collaboration is key.
Donatello
Iran on the FATF blacklist, Russia helping them? This sounds like a loophole strategy.
Leonardo
Regional cooperation through EAG could indeed lead to better financial crime prevention. Still, the broader geopolitical context of Russia and Iran's relationship suggests this alliance might also be aimed at challenging Western financial dominance.
paracelsus
Great to see international cooperation against financial crime. A step in the right direction!