SHTA Continues Activities Despite New Banking Sanctions
IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK
TEHRAN – Chairman of Iran-Switzerland Chamber of Commerce says the new U.S. sanctions on 18 Iranian banks will not affect humanitarian trade between Iran and Switzerland
Speaking to IRNA, Sharif Nezam-Mafi pointed to dispatch of three medical consignments through Swiss Humanitarian Trade Agreement (SHTA) since July, adding that recent U.S. sanctions on 18 Iranian banks will not have any effect on this humanitarian trade.
He added that recent secondary sanctions imposed by the U.S. on 18 Iranian banks have nothing to do with SHTA activities, adding that agreements have been in a way that no sanctions can affect it or affect trade for imports of basic items like medicine and grains.
Nezam-Mafi added that new sanctions so far have not affected the SHTA theoretically, expressing hope that it would not affect practically this humanitarian channel, adding that since the imposition of new sanctions no disrupte has been seen in the trade yet.
He went on to say that as the U.S. election approaches, banking sanctions in this stage can be considered a propagation for some group who are facing probable defeat in the election in order that to create hurdles in way of normalization of Iran-U.S. ties in the next government.
Nezam-Mafi further said that Iran due to previous sanctions and its pullout of the FATF has been out of the global banking network, adding that recent sanctions may have more consequences for the private banks and create hurdles in way of their daily transactions but it makes no difference for traders.
He added that traders of grains and medical equipment can continue their activities with no concern through the SHTA, adding that this channel has been devised in a way that the country can provide its basic goods.
Nezam-Mafi concluded that since July that the first batch of medicine cargo arrived in Iran from Switzerland, two more medical equipment has been traded.
