Iran FM criticizes US over lack of banking ties
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that
international banks are concerned over re-establishing ties with
Iran due to heavy penalties introduced by the US.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has issued several announcements
regarding banking ties with Iran but international banks are still
concerned, Zarif said at a meeting with a group of Iranian
entrepreneurs in Poland.
In a bid to address concerns of overdoing business in Iran, the US
Secretary of State John Kerry met with heads of some of European
banks in London on May 12 where he reassured that the bankers are
not going to be held to some undefined and inappropriate
standards.
Zarif said that the problem is that the US government has not taken
measures regarding the issue and the US Department of State is not
in charge of lifting the sanctions.
Other departments of the US government and the US Court have key
roles in the issue of the removal of sanctions, Zarif added.
Meanwhile the international banks do not trust the US, the foreign
minister noted.
The Iranian minister further stated that during the EU High
Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica
Mogherini's mid-April visit to Tehran the issue of banking ties was
significantly discussed and the EU is making efforts to remove the
obstacles but it will take a while to resolve the problems.
He also called for expansion of bilateral ties between the private
sectors of Iran and the EU.
Zarif arrived in Polish capital Warsaw on the first leg of his tour
to the north of the Europe May 29. Finland, Sweden and Latvia will
be the next destinations of Iranian foreign minister during his
tour.
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