Combating the financing of terrorism, an Iranian “Taqiyya” to disengage from the Houthis

Mohamed Sha’s

Amid the mounting international accusations against Iran of supporting terrorism and financing its militias in several Arab countries to destabilize it, the Iranian parliament was quick to ratify a convention to combat financing of terrorism. However, Iranian reformist activists believe that it is not including preventing Iran from funding militias loyal to them in the region, like Houthis in Yemen, and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Reform activist Abbas Abdi said in an article published by Iran’s reformist newspaper Etemad that Iran has no problem supporting its armed groups in the region, especially since the funding of these groups is not linked to the FATF, which studies techniques and trends in money laundering and terrorist financing.

“We can not guarantee that all problems will be solved if we join the agreement of Combating the Financing of Terrorism, but we ensure that not joining will give the United States excuse to increase or problems m,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said.

The Iranian move renewed questions about the possibility of Iran retreating from the support of the pro-Houthi militia in Yemen, especially as it is of great importance to the Tehran regime, as it poses a direct threat to Saudi Arabia, which Iran regards as a strategic enemy.

The talk about Iranian funding for the Houthis in particular, comes in light of the continued international accusations of Tehran’s material and logistical support for the Houthi militia specifically with ballistic missiles, as revealed by the United States delegate to the United Nations, “Nikki Healy,” considering that these practices violate the resolution 2216 Nations.

Observers of the Iranian issue, that the move by the Iranian parliament came at this time to try to disengage from the financing of terrorism, and to cut the way before the United States, which is chasing the mullahs on charges of financing terrorism, which is evidenced by many evidence. The observers also pointed out that the step is a matter of political exhaustion only, and Iran’s trick to resort to «Taqiyya» to cover up its real intentions.

The Yemeni political analyst, Dr. Abdulmalik al-Yusufi, believes that the Iranian regime, according to its ideology, always resorts to “al-Taqiyya”, especially if its plans and movements are revealed to the international community. So, what the regime announces is not serious and doesn’t reveal the real intentions.

Al-Yusufi told el-Marje’ that the practices of the Iranian regime, both at home and abroad, are terrorist practices, according to the various international definitions of terrorism. Therefore, the Iranian regime will not be serious when it declares the ratification of the Convention against the Financing of Terrorism, because in the end it will face itself if it is honest.

As for the impact of the decision on Iran’s support of the Houthi militia, the Yemeni political analyst considered that the movement is an integral part of the mullahs’ regime. Therefore, this step will not affect Iran’s support for the militia, especially since Tehran is not ready to back down from the support of the movement that implements its agenda in Yemen, which the mullahs are arming and training. It is not prepared to lose all of this, but it is trying to show the international community that he is far from financing terrorism.

The researcher on the Iranian issue, Mohamed Abbadi, considered that the protest of the fundamentalist movement to the approval of the Iranian Shura Council on Iran’s accession to the International Convention on the Suppression of Financing of Terrorism (CFT) comes because of the fear of the fundamentalists of effect of this ratification on Iran’s support for the militias in the Arab world, including the Houthi terrorist group.

In a statement to el-Marje’, Abadi said that MP Mohammad Dehqan, confirmed this in statements to the official Iranian news agency ISNA. He said that the signing of the agreement would limit Iran’s support for the Lebanese group Hezbollah and other groups associated with Iran in the region.

He pointed out that Tehran regime have intentions to calm down the situation with the international community in several files, most notably the human rights file and the file of support for the terrorist militias in the region and its missile program.

The Iranian researcher pointed out that Iranian support for the Houthis is the only lifeline for this group, which will face internal uprisings soon, due to the dire economic conditions and the deterioration of services in the areas under its control. He also expected that this lifeline will not last long in light of the Iranian tendency to retreat and confront the international pressure, and stopping the spendings to support the militias.