Press TV a Branch of the Regime for Money Laundering and Demonization Against MEK and the Iranian Resistance - NCRI

 Press TV a Branch of the Regime for Money Laundering and Demonization Against MEK and the Iranian Resistance - NCRI

Production of Documentaries, Programs and Info Clips against the MEK at the Request of the Mullahs' Foreign Ministry and Judiciary Providing Large Sums Press TV a Branch of the Regime for Money Laundering and Demonization Against MEK and the Iranian Resistance

• Production of Documentaries, Programs and Info Clips against the MEK at the Request of the Mullahs’ Foreign Ministry and Judiciary
• Providing Large Sums of Money to a Network of “Friendly Journalists”
• 26 Documents Provide Incontrovertible Evidence of the Religious Fascism’s Goebbels-like Propaganda Machine

A set of documents regarding the clerical regime’s Press TV (the English-language TV network broadcast outside the country) obtained from the state-run radio and television broadcaster inside Iran reveal that Press TV is, on the one hand, a tool for demonizing the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and the Iranian Resistance, and on the other, the regime uses it as a cover to launder money and circumvent sanctions.

In one of these documents, Ahmad Norouzi, who has the title of “Deputy Content Editor for the Press Network,” writes in a letter to Peyman Jebeli, “the then Deputy Director of the Extra-Territorial offices of the Radio and Television Organization,” on July 3, 2021: “Following last week’s meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Human Rights Headquarters of the Judiciary, the said entities have requested access to the content prepared by the Foreign Ministry regarding the Monafeqin Organization [pejorative term used by the regime to refer to PMOI/MEK]. Assuming your approval, please instruct the office to make the content produced there, including documentaries, programs, and info clips, available to both entities.”

Exhibit No. 1

Another document shows a typed letter from Seyyed Mehdi Mirtaleb (Press TV chair in London) to Jebeli (copying Norouzi as the “Director of the Administrative and Financial Complex of Saadatabad” (the foreign directorate of the state-run broadcaster) that asks for a non-Iranian intermediary to circumvent sanctions for a 5% fee, and deposit cash in the bank accounts of the regime’s employees and agents. The document reads:

“Respectfully, as you are aware, the act of sending remittances to the London office is running into many problems due to the escalation of the unjust sanctions by western countries, to the extent that eight bank accounts of the London complex have been blocked so far. Due to unfavorable conditions and increasing sanctions, any remittance from other countries will lead to disruptions in the accounts of this complex. So, the only safe way to send money is through banks in London. In this regard, many meetings with money exchange offices were held in London and Tehran, but due to the affiliation of Press TV with Iran, none of them were willing to cooperate with this office.

“The owner of the office (Mr. Issam Saud), who has been cooperating with us for many years and is completely trustworthy, has agreed to cooperate with the entire plan, and receipt of remittance amounts in other countries and in return make payments from his own company (which is in London) into the London office account. Since this transfer has a lot of costs for them (such as taxes, transfer fees, closure of two of their accounts, etc.), they have increased their fees from 3% to 5%.

“It should be noted that his proposed rate for converting euro into pound (receiving a euro remittance and depositing pound in the network account) is very appropriate and is comparable with the current market rate. For example, the amount of cash in pounds received by the London office through the Iranian embassy was delivered at the exchange rate of …………… (attachment). This rate was the Saud company’s rate during the same period of …………… So, the proposed rate for the high amounts sent is highly considerate and fair and justifies the increase in fees.

“Regarding the remittance sent by Mr. Azimi, please be informed that even after several follow-ups, it was not possible to send the remittance from Dubai to the London office’s account. To solve this problem, the owner of the office [Issam Saud] signed a contract with Mr. Azimi (to facilitate sending remittances). Mr. Azimi sent money to the owner’s account. He requested a 5% fee for receiving the remittance in London given the financial problems involved.

“Considering that at present, the only possible way to send remittances and transfer money to the London office is Mr. Issam Saud, we request that you please issue pertinent orders regarding the increase of the remittance fee.”

Exhibit No. 2

Exhibit No. 3:

Document showing the transfer of 521,838 euros through Dubai and Turkey

Exhibit No. 4:

Transfer of 376,000 dollars through Beirut

According to the obtained documentation and evidence, all of which can be presented in courts, tens of millions of dollars worth of the Iranian people’s assets and funds are spent on terrorism, demonization campaigns, and paying salaries of agents and the network of “friendly journalists, via Press TV.”

Exhibit No. 5:

Obtaining and paying 57,629 dollars for the services of “experts,” companies, and “friendly journalists.”

December 10, 2018

Exhibit No. 6:

Order to pay 431,760 euros from a 1,800,000 euro debt to “friendly journalist” and consulting services ad companies through Turkey

December 19, 2018

“Dear Mr. Shahriari, Honorable Deputy of Financial Resources and Human Capital,

Greetings and respectfully, attached is the list of financial demands by journalists of the companies providing services and producers of programs abroad that cooperate with Press TV and Hispan TV networks. It amounts to approximately €1,800,000.

“As you are aware, problems have arisen, and the delay in paying their claims and the monthly increase in debt has caused dissatisfaction among journalists and companies, leading to termination of cooperation and filing of complaints against this complex. This has, in turn, disrupted our operations. Please pay 2,632,905 Turkish Liras (equivalent to 431,760 euros) through GUMUS to the company’s account in Mellat Bank Istanbul per the attached invoice and the following account details to pay a part of the mentioned debt.

Sincerely, Peyman Jebeli

Deputy Director of Extra-Territorial

Exhibit No. 7:

Receipt for a 36,614 dollar payment, with Press TV’s letterhead, Beirut Bureau

October 19, 2018

Exhibit No. 8:

Dear Mr. Norouzi, esteemed manager of the Saadatabad complex, I would like to inform you that my representative in Beirut has received $395,848 from Mr. Molaei, and I am responsible for this amount from now on.

Thank you,

Seyed Mehdi Mirtaleb, January 16, 2019.”

Exhibit No. 9:

Minutes showing the payment of 37,840 pounds in cash for the Press TV director in London by the embassy’s financial official, signed by the embassy official

January 21, 2019.

Exhibit No. 10:

Document showing the deposit of 8,910,000 Chinese yuan (more than 1,400,000 dollars) to resolve currency problems faced by Saadatabad and for journalists and service companies and “friendly journalists”

May 8, 2019

May 8, 2019

Dear Mr. Shahriari, Honorable Deputy of Financial Resources and Human Capital,

Greetings and regards. Following the correspondence and numerous meetings held regarding the currency problems of Saadatabad Complex and the currency problems of offices and journalists and service companies, please order the release of a sum of 8,910,000 yuan to pay part of the declared debts (including 17% of the relevant fee) to be deposited in the company account … (related to GUMUSH exchange), per the attached account details (in the Clone Bank of China) and the attached invoice.

Peyman Jebeli, Director of Extra-Territorial”

Exhibit No. 11:

Receipt for the payment of 400,000 euros in Dubai by the Press TV London director

April 25, 2019

Exhibit No. 12:

 

Receipt for the payment of 160,000 pounds in cash in London

June 24, 2020

Exhibit No. 13:

Receipt for the payment of 120,000 pounds in cash in London

July 22, 2020

Exhibit No. 14:

Receipt for the payment of 120,000 pounds in cash in London

August 22, 2020

Exhibit No. 15:

Receipt for the payment of 65,000 pounds in cash in London

September 22, 2020

Exhibit No. 16:

Receipt for payment of 105,000 pounds on November 17, 2020, and 50,000 pounds on November 6, 2020

Exhibit No. 17:

Receipt for payment of 25,000 pounds in cash in London

November 24, 2020

Exhibit No. 18:

Receipt for the payment of 85,800 pounds in cash and 15,500 pounds deposit

March 17, 2021

Exhibit No. 19:

Invoice for 400,000 euros for 80 tons of raw plastic material

Letterhead of NIZIP company in Dubai, in order of the office of Press TV in Saadatabad in Tehran

February 18, 2019

Exhibit No. 20:

Invoice for 1,747,000 Emirati dirhams (400,000 euros) for “contracted satellite services

Letterhead of the NIZIP company in Dubai, to the office of Press TV in Saadatabad in Tehran

March 17, 2019

Exhibit No. 21:

Receipt for payment of 18,000 dollars from currency exchange services in Beirut

September 9, 2020

Exhibit No. 22:

Receipt of payment for 3,000 dollars to a lawyer

September 9, 2020

 Exhibit No. 23:

Receipt for payment of 5,000 dollars in exchange for 10 episodes

September 9, 2020

Exhibit No. 24:

Receipt for payment of 10,000 dollars to produce a program

September 10, 2020

Exhibit No. 25:

Receipt for payment of 987,800 Chinese yuan (more than 156,600 dollars) to a Chinese company

May 6, 2019

Exhibit No. 26:

Receipt for payment of 1,068,420 Chinese yuan (more than 170,000 dollars) to a Chinese company

May 6, 2019

These documents represent the tip of the iceberg. They once again show that all of the Iranian regime’s embassies and diplomatic missions, in addition to all entities, associations, and institutions affiliated with the regime, are completely involved in espionage, money laundering, terrorist operations, and demonization campaigns, particularly against the MEK and the Iranian Resistance.

The Iranian Resistance once again underscores the imperative for shutting down all the clerical regime’s centers in foreign countries, including the offices of Press TV, and arresting, convicting, and expelling agents of the terrorist Quds Force and Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), in addition to annulling these agents’ residencies and refugee status.

National Council of Resistance of Iran

Security and Counterterrorism Committee

February 14, 2022

https://www.ncr-iran.org