BERLIN: Germany’s central bank is changing its terms and conditions to provide for deeper scrutiny of cash transfers, a move that comes as Iran seeks to repatriate cash held in a Hamburg-based bank and the US presses allies to get tough on Tehran.

Iran wants to bring home 300 million euros ($347m) it has in the European-Iranian Trade Bank ahead of new US sanctions. German authorities have been examining the request for weeks, and the US has made clear its concerns about potential terrorist financing and money-laundering.

Changes to its business conditions taking effect Aug. 25, and released in late July, allow the Bundesbank to block cash transfers in the absence of assurances from those involved in a transaction that it doesn’t violate financial sanctions or rules to prevent money-laundering and the funding of terrorism. It also mentions possible risks to “important relationships with third world countries’ central banks and financial institutions.”

The changes don’t specifically mention Iran, but are widely viewed as a reaction to the transfer request.

“We are grateful to our German partners at the chancellery and throughout the government for recognising the need to act,” US ambassador Richard Grenell told The Associated Press on Saturday. “Iran’s suspicious activities throughout Europe are a growing concern for us.” The German finance ministry said this week, after Germany’s Bild daily reported on the new Bundesbank rules, that the Iranian request is still under consideration a process that involves Germany’s financial market regulator and financial intelligence unit.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2018