New Sanctions on Central Bank of Iran Show US’ Empty Hands: CBI Chief
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Abdonnaser Hemmati said the new sanctions imposed against the CBI prove the US government’s inability to impose more pressures on the Islamic Republic.
“The US administration’s imposition of sanctions on the CBI again shows how empty their hands are in finding leverage against Iran,” Hemmati stated in remarks released on Friday night.
“If such measures had been effective in pushing the cruel demands of that administration, the economic situation in the country (Iran) would be very different from the current one,” he said.
“The repeated failures of the US administration over the past year and a half show that these sanctions have become more ineffective than ever,” the CBI chief said, adding that the Iranian economy has proven its resilience to sanctions.
US President Donald Trump said Washington has imposed new sanctions on the CBI following Tehran’s alleged involvement in last weekend’s drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities.
Tensions between the US and Iran escalated after Yemeni armed forces conducted a large-scale operation against Saudi Arabia’s Aramco oil installations last Saturday, in response to the Saudi-led war on their country.
The Yemeni Houthi Ansarullah movement immediately took credit for the attacks, but US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo swiftly accused Iran of being behind the assault, without providing any evidence. Tehran categorically rejected the allegations.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia claimed on Wednesday that the strikes on its oil infrastructure came from the “north” and were “unquestionably” sponsored by Iran, adding that the Houthis were not responsible for the assault despite claiming it.
Shortly after the Saudi announcement, the spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces, however, reiterated it was behind the weekend attack, stressing that the Houthis have new drones, powered by “normal and jet engines” that can reach targets deep in Saudi Arabia.
“Our forces have reached a high level of efficiency and ability. They can manufacture various types of unmanned aerial vehicles in record time. The Second Deterrent Balance Operation, which targeted Saudi oil installations, is a perfect example of the capabilities of our forces in terms of planning and implementation,” Brigadier General Yahya Saree said during a press conference in the capital Sana’a.