Call for More Effective Swiss Trade Channel

President Hassan Rouhani urged Switzerland to improve the efficiency of a financial mechanism it has established for trade with Iran so that Tehran can unlock part of its frozen overseas assets.
In a phone conversation with Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga on Tuesday, Rouhani welcomed Switzerland’s initiative to set up the financial mechanism for humanitarian transactions and underlined the need for making the channel more effective, President.ir reported. 
Rouhani also highlighted Switzerland’s key role in international relations and said the country is expected to use its influence to help counter “unlawful” and “inhumane” American sanctions against Iran, especially under the current tough conditions when all countries are fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
He also stressed the need to salvage the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which has been unravelling since the US pullout in May 2018.
The Swiss president said Bern will continue efforts to fully operationalize the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement for trade with Iran, saying an emergency International Monetary Fund loan that Iran has applied for to fight the coronavirus pandemic could be disbursed through SHTA.
Sommaruga also reassured that Bern will do its utmost to help uphold the nuclear accord and also encourage European parties to the deal to honor their commitments.