Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with the chairman, representatives, and a group of staff members from the Iranian Parliament on Wednesday.
“These international agreements called conventions are in fact cooked up by one party; member states to these conventions have no say in them, whatsoever,” the Iranian Leader stressed.
His comments come as the Parliament has been divided on Iran’s accession to the Convention for the Suppression of Financing of Terrorism – an FATF bill that would help Iran get off the blacklist of the global money laundering watchdog, but may impose limitations on the country.
“Major powers define these conventions to suit their own interests, while other countries, whether in approval or fear, pass them as their own domestic laws,” Ayatollah Khamenei said. “If an independent government like the Islamic Republic refuses to sign up, it will come under attack and criticism that 150 countries have already joined, so why don’t you?”
“The solution to this problem is that the Parliament needs to pass its own laws, on combating money laundering or terrorism, for example,” he added.
“There is no need to accept things for some of their positive aspects when we do not know where they are leading, and when we do know that they have some flaws,” he stressed.
Ayatollah Khamenei urged the Parliament to promote hopefulness and confidence in national potentials, saying that the Iranian nation "has been a symbol of belief, knowledge, confidence, pride in its possessions and resistance, throughout history.”
"During the past forty years, the Iranian nation has been the target of the harshest animosities, including wars, sanctions, security conspiracies," he said. "Now you compare this nation’s present situation to its situation before the Revolution and see its sovereignty, importance, progress and knowledge, as well as its presence in international arenas."
Elsewhere, the Leader maintained that the “inherent malice” of international bullies is revealed day by day, noting the US anti-migration measures that “separate children from their immigrant parents.”
Ayatollah Khamenei further censured the deadly attacks of Saudi and UAE-led coalition to capture a port city in Yemen, saying “these enemies of humanity are also antagonistic toward Iran because of our resistance and call for justice.”
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