Forfeited Iranian Charity's Building Will Be Sold; Iran Claims Religious Freedom Violation

On Thursday, the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York announced that the federal district court has approved a U.S. government settlement agreement (full text of stipulation) with holders of terrorism-related judgments against the Government of Iran.  The agreement among other things provides for the sale of a forfeited building in Manhattan. The building belonged to the Alavi Foundation and Bank Melli, which the court found acted as fronts for the government of Iran.  The court last year ordered forfeiture because of violations of the Iranian Transactions Regulations promulgated under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and the federal money laundering statutes. In response, yesterday Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement claiming that "the New York branch of Alavi Fund is an independent charity fund in the United States which has no relation with Iran." It added that the court's verdict violates "the US commitments to respect and safeguard the religious freedom of its own citizens."