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| ▲ A local Iranian newspaper reports that the Iranian government is outraged at the South Korean government’s proposal to sell ambulances instead of frozen funds. | |
| Ⓒ IFP |
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It is known that the Korean delegation, who had visited Iran, offered to sell an ambulance to Iran, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs replied that “Iran first proposed.”
In an article posted on the government website on the night of the 13th (Iran time), Iran’s presidential secretary Mahmoud Baejji accused the Korean delegation of proposing to sell an ambulance to Iran instead of frozen assets, saying, “Iran does not need an ambulance.”
The Korean delegation, including the 1st Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-gun, visited Iran for 2 nights and 3 days from the 10th to the 12th, met with high-ranking Iranian officials, but went back to their country after confirming each other’s differences.
“We’ve been running the country for the past three years, even in the face of economic wars and pressures,” said Baejji’s chief secretary in this article. “You don’t need a few ambulances.” “Instead, we want the money that is tied to Korea, and (freeze) should be released.”
He said, “The South Korean vice-minister’s visit to Iran was prepared last month due to pressure from the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Iran’s Central Bank.”
“The Korean delegation came to Iran and made some comments, but the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Iranian Central Bank responded firmly.”
“The Koreans have promised to go back and get permission to release Iranian assets from the Korean government,” he said. “Iran has taken preliminary steps to enter into legal action if Korea fails to lift Iran’s frozen assets.”
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| ▲ Choi Jong-Geon, the first vice minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is visiting Iran in an interview with Iran’s Vice Minister of Justice Mahmoud Hekmatnear. | |
| Ⓒ Provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
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The government seems to have proposed providing humanitarian goods… There was no’creative’ plan
However, the position of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs was a little different.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Choi Young-sam said at a regular briefing on the afternoon of the 14th, “Consensus that the expansion of humanitarian exchanges between South Korea and Iran is desirable (to avoid US sanctions), discussions have been conducted on various methods.” “There was a suggestion that they wished to introduce an ambulance.”
In other words, the Iranian side did not suggest it first. Another official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said, “Iran says that this is a new proposal from our side, but it seems to be very different from the facts.”
From the arguments of both sides, the Korean delegation seems to have proposed to the Iranian government to purchase and provide various humanitarian goods such as ambulances, medicines, and corona vaccines, instead of the Iranian crude oil export proceeds, which are tied to Korean banks.
Before Vice Minister Choi’s visit to Iran, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters that “this delegation is thinking of a’creative’ way to solve the frozen fund problem.”
However, even if ambulances are outside the argument, there seems to be no’creative’ plan as it has already been discussed over and over again about how we purchase and provide medicines or vaccines with frozen funds.
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| ▲ Choi Jong-gun, the first vice minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is visiting Iran is talking with the captain of the detained Korean oil tanker “Korea Chemie”. | |
| Ⓒ Provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
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Iran’s tougher issue of frozen funds… Government, deepening concerns
As the Iranian government showed such a tough stance, the Korean government’s worries over another task of the early release of detained oil tankers and crews deepened.
The Iranian side rejects the South Korean proposal and demands the immediate release of the frozen funds, but this is not a matter that the South Korean government can decide independently without the US government’s permission.
Iranian petroleum exports amounting to about $7 billion (7.6 trillion won) are frozen in the won accounts of the Iranian Central Bank of two Korean banks, including Woori Bank and IBK Industrial Bank. It is a huge sum of 9 billion dollars (about 9.8 trillion won), including the 2 billion dollars deposited by the Bank of Korea as a reserve for payment by the Bank of Korea.
Since 2010, Korea and Iran have been paying for goods without direct transactions in dollars through this account, but in May 2018, the operation of this account was suspended when the US administration of Donald Trump placed the Iranian Central Bank under sanctions. done.
On the other hand, Vice Minister Choi told reporters after returning home on the afternoon of the 14th, “We have seriously taken our demands from Iran and listened to their frustrations (due to US sanctions) politely.” “I haven’t been able to get it, but I believe the Iranian government’s action on ships and crew will continue as soon as possible.”