World Bank chief opposes sanctions on Iran’s central bank

07 May 2012 | 17:44 Code : 1900958 Latest Headlines

(MNA) – The World Bank managing director opposes sanctions against Iran’s central bank, the Iranian central banker announced on Monday.

Mahmoud Bahmani had visited the IMF and the World Bank Annual Spring Meetings in Washington last month.

Bahmani said during the meetings he explained that Iran has no problems in terms of reserves and imports and “chairman of the World Bank acknowledged that sanctions against the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) is meaningless.”

He added, “The meetings that we had with chiefs of banks and officials of countries in the international conference, countries announced readiness to have commercial ties with us.”

On May 1 the International Monetary Fund rebuffed an anti-Iran American group’s call to cut its relations with the CBI in order to comply with U.S.-led economic sanctions against Tehran for its nuclear program.

The IMF insisted that its account with the CBI is in line with Iran’s membership with the IMF and does not contravene Western sanctions.

Bahmani said the IMF chief for the Middle East section described Iran’s complaints against sanctions “logical” and vowed to take steps to resolve the problems.