TEHRAN, Iran — With the removal of nuclear-related sanctions on Iran, domestic opponents of the administration of President Hassan Rouhani have changed tack, shifting to criticism of his handling of the economy. In their latest attack, these critics are now questioning whether Iran has really been readmitted to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, known as SWIFT.
The criticism has become so intense that Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, a senior member of Iran’s nuclear negotiating team, has stepped in to the aid of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI). Addressing critics on state television, Araghchi said, “Anyone who has any doubts can go to the SWIFT room in the Central Bank of Iran and see for themselves that the banking system has already joined SWIFT.” This is the first time that a Foreign Ministry official has come to the direct defense of Iran’s economic sector in this manner.
