Tehran, Nov 21, IRNA - International auditors found no proof of Saderat Bank of Iran's alleged money laundering within 2001-2006 despite US accusations, the bank's manager, Hamid Borhani, said on ednesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of a money laundering conference here, Borhani said the US had recently banned overseas activities of the Saderat Bank of Iran accusing it of being engaged in money aundering activities in favor of the Lebanese Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad movements.

Filing a suit against the US, the bank officials requested international auditors to review the performance of its overseas branches during the said period in order to find any proof to confirm the US accusation.

However, the international auditors "have found no proof" supporting the US accusations against the Iranian bank and announced that Washington's claim in this connection was not true," Borhani said.

He stressed that his bank was the "first Iranian bank subjected to the US unilateral sanctions" against Iran.

Borhani added that anti-money laundering laws were in force "to some extent in Iran since a few years ago."

He stressed that Iran was trying to fully implement the laws nationwide as lack of its implementation would "put our national interests in danger."

... Payvand News - 11/21/07 ... --