Tehran, SAEDNEWS: Foreign currency is being provided from the resources of the CBI without any need to the assets that have been blocked in South Korea, Hemmati said on Thursday in reaction to the recent remarks of the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who has made objection to release of Iranian assets from Seoul before Tehran returns to the nuclear deal.
“From the beginning, it was clear that the [South] Korean government did not have an independent resolve to pay its arrears to Iran,” he said, adding, “The South Korean ambassador's request for negotiations to pay Iran's assets were also made by the Koreans themselves.”
Hemmati announced on Wednesday February 24 that South Korea is to unfreeze one billion dollars of Iran's blocked assets in Korean banks, but meantime warned of Tehran’s countermeasures in case Seoul procrastinates releasing the frozen assets that amount to $7 bln.
“In talks with the South Korean ambassador, it was decided how to make use our (blocked) resources,” Hemmati said.
“We issued the payment order and if they do not pay it, we will adopt our (counter)measures,” he added.
Hemmati explained that $7bln of the CBI’s assets have been blocked in South Korea, and added, “We start with (the payment of) $1bln now. The payment will be in cash which will be transferred to our banks.” (Source: Fars News).
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