16 American Republican Senators Call for Iran’s Removal from SWIFT

Sixteen American Republican senators called on the U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday, the first day of Shahrivar, to take “all necessary measures” to remove Iran from the SWIFT financial system.

The financial system known as SWIFT monitors all international bank transfers.

These senators, led by Ted Cruz, senator from Texas, wrote in a letter to Steve Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary, that “swift and comprehensive measures are vital for the success of the administration’s (Trump’s) maximum pressure strategy, both to limit the regime’s resources in pursuing its destructive behavior and to demonstrate America’s commitment to preserving the integrity of our sanctions architecture.”

They added that the maximum pressure campaign will not succeed as long as the Islamic Republic of Iran remains connected to SWIFT.

SWIFT is the abbreviated term for “Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication,” which is headquartered in Belgium but whose board of directors, which includes executives from American banks and federal agencies, enables Washington to take action against Iran’s central bank and banks suspected of involvement in terrorism financing and money laundering.

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, withdrew the country from the six-power nuclear agreement with Iran on the 18th of Ordibehesht this year, and in mid-Mordad reimposed the first round of previously suspended Washington sanctions on Tehran.

The second round of sanctions, which will be more extensive than the first phase, is set to take effect on the 13th of Aban.

The letter from 16 American senators is being released shortly after the European Union presented its first financial support package for Iran worth 21 million dollars.

The presentation of this package took place one day after an article by Germany’s Foreign Minister in one of the country’s economic newspapers. Heiko Maas had written that if the European Union wants to save the JCPOA, it needs an “independent payment system separate from America.”

Germany’s Foreign Minister added that each day the nuclear agreement with Iran remains valid is better than a crisis of an explosion-like scenario that could threaten the Middle East.

Germany, along with Britain, Russia, China, France, and the European Union, while criticizing America’s withdrawal from the JCPOA, continue to support the nuclear agreement with Iran and are seeking solutions to continue economic relations with Tehran despite potential American sanctions.

Source: Radio Farda