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Iran calls for US to ease banking restrictions

Iran calls for US to ease banking restrictions

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks to a crowd in the northern city of Mashhad, Iran, on Sunday, March 20, 2016. Photo: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP

TEHRAN: Iran says it will pressure the United States to ease its access to non-American banks as part of last year's landmark nuclear deal. Mohammad Javad Zarif said Saturday that under the deal, 'the other parties, particularly the United States, are required to implement commitments to remove barriers in banking cooperation.' He spoke during a joint press conference with visiting EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. Iran says the US and the European Union have locked it out of the international financial system despite the deal. The US and other world powers lifted all nuclear-related sanctions in exchange for Iran curbing its nuclear program under the deal reached last summer. However, Washington has kept other sanctions in place over Iran's alleged support for terrorism and its ballistic missile program.