EU Regrets US Attempts to Block Iran’s IMF Loan Request
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, criticized the US for blocking an Iranian request for a loan from the International Monetary Fund.
“I regret that ... the United States is opposing the International Monetary Fund to take this decision,” Borrell said during a virtual press conference at the end of a video meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers, Politico reported.
“From the humanitarian point of view, this decision, this request should have been accepted.”
Last month, Iran asked the IMF for $5 billion in emergency funding to assist its measures seeking to counter the spread of the coronavirus.
However, Washington has moved to block Iran’s request for the loan, according to various reports.
“If the decision is taken of refusing this request from Iran I really, deeply regret (it) for humanitarian reasons,” said Borrell.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has urged the IMF to resist US pressure to stonewall the loan. “Neither Iran nor the world public opinion will tolerate discrimination against our country regarding the emergency loan,” he said earlier this month, stressing that as a member state of the international body, Iran is entitled to such loans, the last one of which it received 50 years ago.
Rouhani also criticized the US for violating World Health Organization regulations on aiding other states in pandemic preparedness and response planning.
Iranian Health Ministry spokesman Kianoosh Jahanpoor on Wednesday put the death toll from the coronavirus in the country at 5,391.
He also noted that the number of people tested positive for COVID-19 infection in Iran has reached 85,996.