The United States, France and Britain have warned against measures by Iran to slip across financial sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council, and called for caution in dealing with an Iranian bank operating in Beirut, Baalbek and Sidon.
The daily al-Mustaqbal, in a New York datelined dispatch, said ambassadors of the three states to the United Nations have addressed a memo to chairman of the Security Council that included a detailed list of Iranian banks targeted by clause 10 of UNSCR 1803.
The memo called for caution in dealing mainly with two Banks, Saderat Iran (BSI) and Melli Iran (BMI).
The memo said Iran "disguises its involvement in financing terror activities and the proliferation of Weapons of Mass destruction (WMD) through a system of procedures designed specially to prevent detection of participation by Iranian banks" in such efforts.
"What raises concern is that Iran”s Central Bank facilitates operations by Iranian banks targeted by UNSCR 1737 and 1747," the memo noted.
In addition to mentioning BSI and its branches in Beirut, Baalbek and Sidon, the memo also noted Iranian banks operating in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.