Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi regretted the fact that a single voice is not heard from various US departments on the enforcement of last year's nuclear deal and resumption of international banking ties with Tehran.
"Some of the problems are related to the fact that there are sanctions that are not nuclear-related and they have worried certain European financial institutions and we are also critical of them and have told the Americans too that they should create the necessary atmosphere based on the nuclear deal [known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] to remove these concerns, but they are not doing so, in our view," Takht-Ravanchi was quoted as saying on Wednesday by Fars News Agency.
"In our view, two messages are coming from the US: one from the US State Department that says there is no problem for banking and financial relations with Iran and the second from OFAC [the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department] which contradicts the first message".
Need to Address Banks' Concerns
Noting that Iranian negotiators in their meetings with their American counterparts have many times emphasized that not only their message is contradictory, but is also not a positive one, Takht-Ravanchi said OFAC should give a general license to the European and other giant banks in the world for interaction with Iran or contact each bank separately, answer their questions and respond to their concerns.
"This process shouldn't take long either," he said.
In relevant remarks earlier this month, Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi lambasted the US for its destructive role against the resumption of Tehran's banking relations with other states after the nuclear agreement, which was concluded between Iran and six major powers in July 2015 and became effective on January 16.
"The Americans have not only failed to contribute to building trust [between Iranian banks and their foreign counterparts after the nuclear deal], but also played a destructive role in this regard," Araqchi told reporters in a press conference in Tehran.
Also this month, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blasted the US for its negative approach toward the implementation of the agreement and said the Europeans are also angry at Washington's approach.
"Everyone says the Americans haven't implemented the JCPOA in the best way possible," he said.
