WASHINGTON — Amid a flurry of diplomatic activity with Iran over the weekend that saw US prisoners freed, the nuclear deal go into effect and sanctions lifted, the United States permitted the removal of two Iranian banks from a United Nations sanctions list, US officials said Jan. 19.
The delisting of the Iranian banks — Bank Sepah and Bank Sepah International — occurred at the UN Security Council on Jan. 17 at the request of Venezuela. The United States decided not to block the request, US officials said.