STILL NO RULING ON WHETHER REZA ZARRAB'S LAWYERS MUST WITHDRAW FOR CONFLICT OF INTEREST

A month later, court watchers are still closely monitoring the Reza Zarrab's Iran sanctions case, pending in US District Court in New York, waiting for a ruling on the Government's motion to disqualify some of Zarrab's best attorneys, on the grounds of Conflict of Interest. The lawyers' firm merged with one which represents many of the US banks who were allegedly victims of Zarrab's sanctions evasion maneuvers, using US Dollars.

Considering that the Court has been ruling, in a relatively swift manner, on other pending motions, is is curious that this issues remains unresolved, especially since the case has been set for trial later this year, and if additional counsel are brought in, assuming that the motion is granted, the longer this matter is pending, the better an argument new counsel will have for a continuance of the trial.

Any defense appeal of a ruling on an order granting the Government's motion will be a problem, since it is not a final order or judgment, and existing case law, concerning the ability to appeal of such an interlocutory order, is not favorable, with a few rare exceptions.

We will continue to monitor the case, and report back when a decision is handed down.