CBI chief condemns US imposition of sanctions on Iranian banks

Tehran, Oct 9, IRNA – Governor of the Central Bank of Iran Abdolnasser Hemmati blasted imposing sanctions on the Iranian banks, and said that some of the sanctioned banks were handling imports of food and medicine and worked with foreign banks which still hold all the necessary waivers from the US government. "Although in the past months, we have been in dire need to provide medicine and food to the people due to the maximum pressure, so far we have not allowed any shortage to be felt in the country," he said. From now on, the central bank, along with the private sector, will make every effort to provide medicine and basic goods needed by the people and will not allow more pressure to be put on the people in this area, Hemmati said. He further noted that the US move was “propaganda” for domestic purposes and that it would have little impact on imports of essential commodities. This shows that the claims of human rights and humanitarianism by the leaders of this country are false and deceptive, and such actions will definitely be recorded in the memory of the Iranian nation, he said. The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control on Thursday imposed sanctions on 18 Iranian banks and financial institutes in a move to bring the Iranian people to their knees.