Iran Central Bank Raps ‘Unlawful’ US Attempts to Seize Assets
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An official at the Central Bank of Iran slammed the attempts by American plaintiffs to seize the bank’s assets in Luxembourg as being against the international law and treaties.
Ardeshir Fereidooni, head of Central Bank of Iran's legal affairs bureau, said on Tuesday that the American efforts to seize the bank’s properties in Luxembourg run counter to the international law and treaties, and that any ruling against Iran could not be enforced.
His comments came after The New York Times reported that a judge in Luxembourg has put a freeze on $1.6 billion in assets belonging to the Central bank of Iran.
Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi has announced that the ruling dates back to the time before the onset of the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) that resulted in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
According to the diplomat, the property is still in Europe and no new development has taken place recently, saying lawyers of the Central Bank of Iran and of the Luxembourgian company holding the assets are in consultation over the issue.
Over the last two decades, victims of terrorist attacks have racked up more than $50 billion in default judgments against Iran, according to New York Times.
