US calls for Germany to block Iran cash withdrawal

The US ambassador to Germany has called on Berlin to block an Iranian bid to withdraw large sums of cash from bank accounts in Germany to offset the effect of new US financial sanctions imposed after Washington withdrew from a 2015 nuclear deal.

Richard Grenell, a longtime critic of the accord, told the mass-circulation daily Bild that the US government was extremely concerned about Tehran’s plans to transfer hundreds of millions of euros in cash to Iran.

“We encourage the highest levels of the German government to intervene and stop the plan,” Grenell told daily newspaper Bild.

A German Finance Ministry spokeswoman said yesterday German authorities were examining the Iranian request. The ministry had no immediate comments on Grenell’s comments.

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