Iran’s Central Bank Connection to SWIFT Financial Network Severed
A senior U.S. financial intelligence official told reporters that America is not concerned about European efforts to find a solution for financial transactions with Iran. Now comes the news that the Central Bank’s connection to SWIFT has been severed.
Sigal Mandelker, a senior financial intelligence official at the U.S. Treasury Department, has formally announced that the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been removed from the international SWIFT financial network.
Reuters news agency on Monday, November 12 (November 21 in the Persian calendar), in a report sent from London, referenced Sigal Mandelker’s statements about the severance of Iran’s financial communications with the SWIFT network.
Mandelker stated that the solution proposed by the European Union to maintain the possibility of trade with Iran does not concern the U.S. government.
The senior U.S. Treasury Department official stated that given the withdrawal of most European companies operating in Iran and the cessation of economic cooperation between these companies and the country, the solution proposed by the European Union will not solve the problem.
According to Mandelker, the U.S. government is currently intent on exerting greater pressure on the Iranian government by utilizing other available means.
When journalists asked Sigal Mandelker what America’s next step against Iran would be, he said: “Regarding Iran, you will witness far more actions from us.”
Severance of SWIFT Connection
The news of the severance of Iran’s Central Bank connection from the international SWIFT network comes in continuation of reports that were previously announced by U.S. Treasury Department officials.
On Thursday, November 8, Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury Secretary, announced the imminent news of the cessation of banking services by SWIFT to Iran’s Central Bank and other financial systems of the country.
Mnuchin announced this news in a Twitter post. Today’s statements by Sigal Mandelker effectively confirm the implementation of this policy.
It should be recalled that during the previous round of Iran sanctions, in the period between 2012 and 2015, a number of Iranian banks, including the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic, were removed from the SWIFT network.
Source: DW
