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US, Iran Met on Terror Financing
Rare encounter last month at a multinational conference
By Katherine Thompson
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Posted Feb 16, 08 7:27 AM CST
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(Newser)
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Senior Treasury Department official Daniel Glaser met last month with representatives from Iran to discuss "the significant threat Iran poses to the integrity of the international financial system," Reuters reports. The rare talks, which required special permission from the US government, took place during a meeting of the Financial Action Task Force, a coalition of 34 world nations.
The FATF pressed Iran last fall to take more vigorous action against money laundering and terrrorism funding, and the US has set up sanctions against several Iranian banks suspected of helping to finance terrorist groups. Direct contact between US and Iranian officials is usually forbidden by the administration, but last month's meetings were not one-on-one, sources say.