Dispute Over Iran’s Blocked Funds; South Korea Summons Iranian Ambassador in Seoul
In protest against statements by Islamic Republic officials regarding Iran’s blocked oil funds in South Korea, the Iranian ambassador to the country was summoned. Iran had previously threatened South Korea with filing complaints in international forums.
According to the Korea Times, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Iran’s ambassador to the country on Tuesday, July 21 (31 Tir) to express its displeasure over statements made by Islamic Republic officials regarding Iran’s blocked oil revenues in the country. Iran has threatened South Korea that if it does not release these funds, it will file complaints against the country in international forums.
Koh Kyung-suk, director of the Africa and Middle East division at South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed “regret” during a meeting with Saeed Badamchi Shabestari, Iran’s ambassador in Seoul, regarding recent statements by Abbas Mousavi, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry.
Abbas Mousavi recently told reporters: “If diplomatic efforts yield no results and the South Korean government continues to support American bullying, while summoning that country’s ambassador, we will pursue Iran’s legal claims through international forums.”
The Korea Times, quoting Kim In-chul, spokesman for South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reported that the Iranian ambassador sought understanding and stated that the remarks of Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman “do not represent the official position of the Iranian government.”
The Iranian oil revenues in question amount to approximately seven billion dollars, which have been blocked in two South Korean banks since September of last year and coinciding with the expiration of America’s temporary sanctions waivers for purchasing oil from Iran. Tehran and Seoul had agreed that due to American sanctions, trade would be conducted using South Korean currency so that the country could purchase Iranian oil and export goods to Iran in return.
The Korea Times reported that Iran’s economy faces serious challenges created by sanctions and the spread of coronavirus, and the Islamic Republic is meanwhile trying to obtain its blocked funds from South Korea.
Ali Rabiei, spokesman for the Iranian government, said last week regarding Iran’s blocked funds: “This amount is very important to us in the current situation and South Korea’s conduct is incomprehensible. We believe there is no legal or lawful obstacle to returning it.” He urged South Korea to “reconsider this action before it is too late and affects the long-term relations between the two countries.”
According to the Korea Times report, Seoul has recently attempted to help Tehran in fighting coronavirus and maintaining trade relations by resuming the shipment of humanitarian goods such as medicine and medical equipment to Iran. The newspaper referred to South Korean pharmaceutical exports to Iran worth 500,000 dollars in late May, which was conducted as part of these assistance efforts. This was South Korea’s first humanitarian export to Iran since last year.
Source: DW
