Khamenei accuses the US of using ‘Iranophobia’ to scare off foreign banks
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday accused the US of having lifted sanctions against his country only “on paper” and charged that Washington was scaremongering and stoking “Iranophobia” to confound Iran’s business dealings with foreign banks.
Khamenei made the comments during a speech to hundreds of workers in Tehran, Reuters reported, citing the Iranian leader’s official website.
“On paper the United States allows foreign banks to deal with Iran, but in practice they create Iranophobia so no one does business with Iran,” Khamenei said, according to Reuters.
Iran has in the past complained that the US has not made good on its commitments under the nuclear agreement Tehran hammered out with world powers last July, which came into effect in January. The deal calls for Iran to dismantle the weapons-capable aspects of its nuclear program in return for the lifting of severe international sanctions that brought the Iranian economy to its knees.
In particular, Iranian officials say Western banks and corporations have been reluctant to renew business ties.
US Secretary of State John Kerry met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in New York on Friday to review the issues as the US insisted that foreign banks should feel free to do business with Iran after Tehran’s compliance with the nuclear deal.
Iran says it is locked out of the international financial system and that the US isn’t fulfilling its obligations under the agreement. The White House, Treasury and the State Department have all said the US has done what is required, but American officials say the Obama administration is considering easing or formally clarifying financial restrictions that prevent US dollars from being used in transactions that enable business with Iran.
The officials have ruled out granting Iran access to the US financial system or direct access to the dollar, but they have left the door open to other steps to encourage trade that is now legal under the nuclear deal.
As reported by The Times of Israel