“The US government is well aware of the fact that Iran does not recognize the ruling and if they take any measures against the assets of the Islamic Republic, they will be complied to compensate for it and return Iran’s assets”, Zarif said on Thursday in NY.
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Current U.S. policy bars foreign banks from clearing dollar-based transactions with Iran through U.S. banks.
In return, it is supposed to receive sanctions relief, but tens of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds are still stuck in foreign banks.
“The United States is not standing in the way, and will not stand in the way, of business that is permitted in Iran since the (nuclear agreement) took effect”.
Kerry stressed that “among the nuclear-related sanctions that were lifted were those that prevented Iran from engaging with non-U.S. banks, including getting access to Iran’s restricted funds”.
“Unfortunately, there seems to be some confusion among foreign banks and we want to clarify that as much as we can”, Kerry admitted.
The US Department of Energy (DOE), will buy 32 metric tonnes of heavy water from Iran worth $8.6 million, a department spokeswoman said.
Iran also remains under other USA sanctions over its alleged ballistic missile activity, support for violent organisations and human rights abuses.
“And we hope that with this statement … that we see serious implementation of all the JCPOA benefits that Iran should derive from this agreement”, he added, referring to the deal.
He added that Tehran hoped Kerry’s words would “open the hard path that has been closed because of concerns that banks have about the US approach toward implementation of commitments” under the nuclear deal. United States officials hope the purchase will pave the way for other countries to buy the heavy water, which can be used in the development of semiconductors and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging.
The heavy water will initially be stored at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee before being resold.
Heavy water is used for research and medical purposes and can be also be used to make top weapons-grade plutonium.
Reuters reported that Iran is now allowed to possess up to 130 tonnes of heavy water and up to 90 tonnes once it redesigned and reconstruct Arak nuclear research reactor is commissioned.
Members of Congress on Friday were criticizing the deal as another example of the Obama administration giving Iran more that it is entitled to.
The transaction of the heavy water is a part of the nuclear agreement signed last July between Iran and the P5 1 group.
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Despite Kerry’s assurances, some Western firms say they remain wary of doing business in Iran because of the possibility that seemingly innocent Iranian companies might have links to entities blacklisted by the United States.
