Swiss envoy says efforts underway to launch payments channel for Iran

Markus Leitner, Swiss ambassador to Tehran, met with the head of Iran-Europe parliamentary group Kazem Jalali on Tuesday, during which he stressed the European countries’ resolve to preserve the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) in the wake of US’ unilateral withdrawal and re-imposition of sanctions against Tehran.

“Although Switzerland is not a member of European Union, it is following up in earnest on the launching of the Special-Purpose Vehicle,” he added.

The Swiss diplomat maintained that in addition to the SPV – the EU’s promised trade mechanism for Iran to bypass the US sanctions – Switzerland is also making efforts to launch its own independent payments channel for Iran.

Back in December, Switzerland announced it was close to launching a payments channel to let companies sell food, medicine, and medical devices to Iran in the face of US sanctions. The Swiss initiative has reportedly the US approval.

For his part, Jalali voiced hope that the European countries’ effective measures to preserve the JCPOA, in particular the launch of the SPV, would put an end to Europe’s shortcomings in its commitment to the agreement, and help revive a part of Iran’s violated rights.

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