A New York federal judge last week said he was “not convinced” that Halkbank, the Turkish state-run bank accused of helping Iran evade U.S. economic sanctions in an alleged money-laundering scheme, could attack the criminal proceedings against it without even acknowledging the charges.

The comments, from U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman of the Southern District of New York, came in response to King & Spalding’s request Nov. 4 to enter a “special appearance” on behalf of Halkbank for the narrow purpose of seeking to have the criminal case dismissed and Berman recused from the case.