Iran Press/Iran news: "About a month ago, after the International Monetary Fund officially announced it would be ready to provide immediate and unconditional assistance to countries involved in the fight against the coronavirus I announced Tehran's request to utilize of its right, but people abroad have tried to distort the facts about Iran's efforts and its legitimate request.", Abdul Nasser Hemmati wrote on his Instagram page.
"I would like to inform everyone that the European mechanism of INSTEX and even the Swiss Financial Channel called Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA), which is claimed by the United States to be an exception to the unilateral sanctions, those are available channels for some humanitarian aid," Hemmati added.
Referring to the US opposition toward IMF financial support of Iran, CBI official wrote that the "European countries and other countries are in the process of using these two channels," the central bank governor said, referring to US opposition to the International Monetary Fund's assistance to Iran.
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He also expressed hope that at this juncture, US opposition not cause any harm to the fund's professional task and its ability to help member states, especially Iran.
Hemmati stressed, "Iran is interested in following its request in the framework of Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI)."
"We expect the Fund to respond quickly and positively to Iran's request, as one of the Fund's founders," he concluded.
CBI urges IMF quick response to Iran's legitimate financial rights
The United States opposes Iran’s $5 billion emergency loan request from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help it cope with the coronavirus pandemic amid US illegal sanctions, a US State Department spokesperson said.
For the first time in six decades, Iran has requested a loan from the IMF to fight the coronavirus outbreak.
While the EU has said it will support Iran's request for help from the IMF, the US is the Fund's largest shareholder, which effectively gives Washington veto power over any lending decisions.
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Rouhani: IMF discrimination against Iran is not acceptable
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaking today at a cabinet meeting on April 8 said that discrimination in the IMF to pay the loans is not acceptable and the body should fulfill its responsibilities in the face of the outbreak of the Coronavirus.
"We are a member of the International Monetary Fund and the request we made for the loan but we see that there is a discrimination in the body to pay the loans which is not acceptable," Rouhani said.
Last month, the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) asked the IMF for $5 billion emergency funding to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Under the US sanctions and pressure, billions of dollars of Iran’s oil money and other funds are held up in several countries at a time when they are urgently needed to fight the novel coronavirus.
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