S. Korea negotiating with US about resuming humanitarian exports to Iran

Financial transactions between Seoul and Tehran even for shipments of food and medical items became effectively impossible after Washington toughened sanctions against the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) in September, requiring third countries to provide information on trade with the Middle Eastern nation.

"We are in talks with Iran and the US frequently so that the shipments of humanitarian goods like medical supplies can be resumed using the won-based transaction system," a South Korean foreign ministry official said. 

Officials from the South Korean foreign, finance and industry ministries in Korea reportedly visited Washington last week and held talks with U.S. officials over the issue, according to sources familiar with the matter, Yonhhap reported.

On December 14, the US delegation in the 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent impeded ratification of an article over the negative impact of sanctions on rendering humanitarian aid to those affected by natural disasters.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry announced that the US has blocked Red Crescent’s accounts and hampered issuing humanitarian aids from other countries to Iranian flood-stricken people.

US’ use of economic embargo as a means to reach its goals has aroused serious worries about violation of human rights, Iranian officials say.

Despite the correspondence with international organizations, the path to the arrival of specific drugs to Iran remains closed due to US sanctions.

MNA/YNA