US Said to Approve Iran Bank Transfer to Buy Coronavirus Vaccines

The United States, which continues to place sanctions on Iran’s economy including on Iranian banks, has approved funds transfers from one Iranian bank to allow the county to purchase coronavirus vaccines, the country’s head banker said. Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati announced that the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is allowing an Iranian bank to transfer the money to a Swiss bank to pay for the vaccines. Iran expects to pay approximately $244 million for close to 17 million doses from COVAX, the international consortium that is pledged to provide fair access to vaccines for poorer nations. The Americans “have put sanctions on all our banks. They accepted this one case under the pressure of world public opinion,” Hemmati told Iran’s state TV. The US Treasury has not commented on Hemmat’s announcement.