Sanctioning Iran’s central bank ‘a choice for failure’: Iranian minister

TEHRAN, Dec. 14 (MNA) - Iran`s Finance and economic affairs minister said on Tuesday that imposing sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran was ‘a choice for failure’. Shamseddin Hosseini said those countries which are after imposing sanctions on Iran should know that the country is fully prepared to deal with their “mischievous” acts. “Countries which are seeking sanctions on Iran have not even been able to win the agreement of the (IAEA) Board of Governors and the United Nations Security Council, and it should be said that sanctioning the central bank is a choice for failure and Iran has prepared itself for their mischievous” moves, the minister told reporters. He also said central banks in all countries are “independent” and therefore sanctions on Iran’s central bank are “illogical”. Leaders of a U.S. House and Senate negotiating panel on Monday said they had agreed to compromise legislation imposing new sanctions that target Iran's central bank. The United States, Britain and Canada announced fresh plans on November 21 to sanction Iran's financial and energy sectors in a move to raise pressure on Tehran to halt its nuclear program. Britain banned dealings with Iranian banks including the central bank.