Iran Press/ Europe: Berne’s humanitarian supplies plan — which is the subject of delicate ongoing talks with the US and Iran — comes as leading EU powers hope within weeks to set up a much-touted mechanism to finance broader trade with Tehran.
The simultaneous efforts highlight the transatlantic schism since US President Donald Trump pulled out of a landmark international nuclear deal with Iran in May, Financial Times reported.
While Switzerland’s work is consistent with Washington’s claim that it will continue to allow humanitarian trade with Tehran, US officials have denounced the EU for its efforts to defy reimposed US sanctions on industries ranging from oil to finance.
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The Swiss economic affairs department told the Financial Times it was “striving” to set up the humanitarian payments channel “as soon as possible” but could not give a start date. “Discussions are still ongoing with US authorities, Iran and Swiss companies,” it said.
Switzerland — which is not an EU member and has a large pharmaceuticals sector and a tradition of neutral diplomacy — has strong credentials to be a base for the mechanism.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman said on December 17 that the EU-Iran trade mechanism, aimed at bypassing US sanctions against Tehran, is not restricted to transactions regarding medicine and food products.
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The EU hopes its payments channel for non-dollar denominated Iran trade could be in place as soon as the end of this month, Federica Mogherini, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, said last week.
The initiative — led by France, Germany and the UK — has struggled to make headway because of technical problems, notably a reluctance by countries to host it because of a possible US backlash. 101/ 211 /202
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