No new problems for Iranians in British banking system: Official

IRNA- Managing Director of International Bank Persia Mohammad Reza Meskarian said on Saturday that no new problems have been created for the UK-based Iranians in the country’s banking system.

No new problems for Iranians in British banking system: Official

Closure of certain Iranians’ accounts in Britain is not something new and is mainly rooted in the past, he said, noting, “As far as know, no new problem is there now.”

Closure of certain customers’ bank accounts by UK banks can be linked to financial offensives as well as money laundering, he said, noting that of course, the problem can occur for all other nationalities, he said.

Closure of Iranian nationals’ accounts in the UK banks in the past mainly pertained to the way of transfer or receiving money by them which based on European Union and UK’s regulations were considered illegal, the official said.

Money drafts which are officially deposited in individuals’ accounts in Britain are not illegal from the perspective of British banks and have no problems, but if transfer of money is made in cash or via the exchangers, it will have negative impacts on British banks, which may deal with the owners of such accounts, he said.

Meskarian further noted that blocking certain Iranian nationals’ accounts in times of sanctions are mainly rooted in a series of banking operations at source which did not comply with British banking standards.