Iranian Government's Spokesman Calls US Untrustworthy


Iranian Government's Spokesman Calls US Untrustworthy

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Spokesman for the Iranian Government Mohammad Baqer Nobakht slammed the US government for its recent decision to seize nearly $2 billion of the Islamic Republic’s assets, describing Washington as untrustworthy.

Speaking to reporters at his weekly press briefing in Tehran on Tuesday, Nobakht pointed to the commitment of parties to the July 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, saying, “We regard the nature of the US as distinct from the other five countries.”

“Basically, they (US authorities) are not trustworthy,” the Iranian spokesman added.

He went on to say that a task force has been established by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani to get the $2 billion back from the US.

He also made assurances that the administration will spare no effort to restore the Iranian nation’s rights.

On April 20, the US Supreme Court upheld the Congress and President Barack Obama’s actions to hold Iran financially responsible for the 1983 bombing that killed 241 Marines at their barracks in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

The ruling allows the families of the Marines and victims of other attacks that courts have linked to Iran to seize some $2 billion in assets held in New York’s Citibank, belonging to the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), which has been blocked under US sanctions.

In 2012, the US Congress passed a law that specifically directed the American bank to turn over the Iranian assets to victims’ families. Obama also entered the battle in an effort to force the payments on Iran.

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