Ayatollah Khamenei Slams US Attempts to Foment Iranophobia
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said major global banks’ reluctance to work with Iran results from Washington’s intimidating policies and its push for provoking Iranophobia.
“The Iranophobia that the Americans have created and continue to provoke, is the reason why major world banks are unwilling to work with Iran,” Ayatollah Khamenei said on Wednesday, in an address to a gathering of Iranian workers in Tehran, ahead of the International Workers’ Day.
The Leader explained that the United States’ obstructive measures in the way of Iran’s banking ties with the world are a testimony to the fact that Washington is not trustworthy.
On the paper, the Americans claim that banks are free to work with Iran, but in practice, they take different measures to foment Iranophobia, Imam Khamenei added.
Accusing Iran of supporting terrorism, the US raises the possibility of more sanctions against the Islamic Republic, the Leader said, noting that it send the message to foreign banks and investors not to enter trade with Iran.
Ayatollah Khamenei added that the allegations of supporting terrorism are made by the Americans who “are worse than all terrorists and continue to assist the known terrorists.”
One of the US government’s ploys to incite Iranophobia is the allegation that foreigners do not cooperate with Iran because of the country’s internal circumstances, while Iran is now the safest country in the region, the Leader stressed.
As regards other US schemes to provoke Iranophobia and stifle foreign investment in Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the American officials’ insistence that the regime of anti-Iran sanctions will remain in place.
Despite the US hostility, Iran has been making progress over the past 37 years, and will continue to make headways even if that enmity goes on for another 100 years, Ayatollah Khamenei added.
The comments come against the backdrop of growing concerns that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a lasting nuclear deal between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany), has not led to any major breakthroughs in Iran’s financial transactions with foreign banks and companies.
In an appearance at the Council on Foreign Relations in the US on April 15, Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Chief Valiollah Seif said “almost nothing” has happened for facilitating Iran’s financial transactions, criticizing Washington for failing to fulfill its commitments under the JCPOA.
