Following New U.S. Sanctions Against Iran, UANI Calls on SWIFT to Sever Ties with All Iranian Banks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2012
Contact: Nathan Carleton, [email protected]
Phone: (212) 554-3296
New York, NY - On Friday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) to immediately discontinue services to all Iranian banks, and close banking loopholes that allow the Iranian regime to continue financing terrorism and its nuclear program.
Yesterday, the U.S. government sanctioned at least nine Iranian banks that maintain SWIFT access (listed below), and are still used by the regime to transfer and accept funds worldwide.
Said UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace:
Now is the time for a full banking blockade against the Iranian regime, and SWIFT needs to play its part. SWIFT made the right decision in February to deny access to Iran's Central Bank and some other institutions, but it has thus far failed to cut off all Iranian banks and entities. SWIFT should immediately sever its ties with all Iranian banks, particularly the ten that have been sanctioned by the U.S. government but still maintain SWIFT access.
Every day that SWIFT permits these illegitimate banks to have continued access to its network is a day the Iranian regime will continue to circumvent international sanctions. As the world weans itself off of Iranian crude, there is not a need to maintain conduits for energy related payments, but a need for an international banking embargo against Iran.
UANI launched its SWIFT campaign in January 2012, with a detailed legal explanation to SWIFT, international banking and regulatory officials, and U.S. lawmakers, showing how SWIFT is in violation of U.S. and EU sanctions--as well as its own bylaws--by affording Iranian banks Business Identifier Codes (BICs) and access to the SWIFT system.
As a result, SWIFT discontinued services to Iranian institutions sanctioned by the EU, but permitted others to remain in the network.
The ten banks that have been sanctioned by the U.S. government as of yesterday are:
- BANK OF INDUSTRY (BIC: BOIMIRTH)
- BANK DAY (BIC: DAYBIRT1)
- BANK PASARGAD (BIC: BKBPIRTH)
- EGHTESAD NOVIN BANK (BIC: BEGNIRTH)
- IRANIAN VENEZUELAN BI-NATIONAL BANK (BIC: IVBBIRTH)
- ISLAMIC REGIONAL COOPERATION BANK (BIC: RCDFIQBA)
- KARAFARIN BANK (BIC: KBIDIRTH)
- PARSIAN BANK (BIC: BKPAIRTH)
- SAMAN BANK CORPORATION (BIC: SABCIRTH)
- TAT BANK (BIC: TATBIRTH).
Click here to learn more about UANI's call for an international banking blockade.
Click here to read UANI's full letter to SWIFT on January 30, 2012.
Click here to send a message to SWIFT.
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