CBI: Oberbank Finance Deal Still Valid

EghtesadOnline: The Central Bank of Iran announced that its finance deal with Austria's Oberbank has not been halted after a report suggesting otherwise emerged in the past few days.

News ID: ۷۴۵۱۲۱

07 April 2018

"As Austria's ambassador to Tehran announced, Austria's Oberbank and the country itself have had no policy changes in having financial relations with Iran, and cooperation is continuing," Mohammad Ali Karimi, director of CBI's public relations, told IRIB.

"We have introduced projects to Oberbank based on our agreement and the process of their finance is ongoing and there are no problems in this regard," he added.

Oberbank's chief executive, Franz Gasselsberger, last week told Die Presse, the German-language daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vienna, that projects remain "on hold" due to complications created by the US government, Financial Tribune reported.

The interview was reflected in the Iranian media, prompting IRNA to track down Austria's ambassador to Tehran in Vienna and investigate.

"I can assure you that there have been no changes in policy by the Vienna government in cooperating with Iran to implement the nuclear deal," Stefan Schulz said.

"I will be in Linz next week to participate in the annual meeting of Austria's ambassadors and I will investigate the matter, but I cannot make any definitive comments about the details of business operations," the ambassador responded when asked about the Die Presse article.

On the current policy of US toward Iran based on creating ambiguity and uncertainty, he said taking all the uncertainties is definitely hard for Austria when it wishes to maintain ties with Iran, but added that "there is no reason to be overly pessimistic".

Oberbank in mid-September became the first European bank to clinch a finance agreement with Iranian lenders following the implementation of the nuclear deal. The deal was signed with 14 Iranian banks and was worth €1 billion. It was soon followed by another finance deal worth €500 million with Denmark's Danske Bank and 10 Iranian lenders.