WANA (Apr 14) – Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy has revisited the country’s experience during the sanctions years, criticizing the repeated indifference of some countries toward Iran’s financial claims and linking it to recent regional developments.

 

Hamid Ghanbari, in a note published on his Telegram channel, referred to the recent wave of urgent communications from various countries requesting safe passage for their vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. He described these messages as a stark reminder of the years when Iran struggled to access its own financial resources under international restrictions.

 

Recalling his time at the Central Bank, Ghanbari explained that Iranian officials repeatedly engaged with foreign central banks and financial institutions, seeking permission to use Iran’s own funds for essential imports such as medicine, medical equipment, and food. Despite acknowledging Iran’s legitimate rights, many countries declined cooperation due to pressure from the United States.

 

According to him, foreign counterparts often cited their banking ties with the U.S. and fears of jeopardizing those relationships as the main reason for refusal. The exchanges, he noted, would typically end with a familiar phrase: “We’re sorry.”

 

Ghanbari stressed that Iran has never sought retaliation and has no intention of transferring the suffering endured by its people to others. However, he described current developments as a quiet reversal of roles—where some countries are now, even if briefly, experiencing concerns that had long been a daily reality for Iran.

 

He also pointed to the continued freezing of Iranian assets abroad, raising questions about whether those now facing uncertainty fully understand the scale and impact of such restrictions on ordinary people.

 

He concluded by emphasizing that a fair understanding of today’s situation requires acknowledging the past—years marked by denied rights, blocked financial access, and a recurring response that, time and again, ended with a single word: “sorry.”