Iran c.bank head denies report on selling reserves

Sun Jun 6, 2010 2:04am EDT

(Adds background)

TEHRAN, June 6 (Reuters) - Iran's central bank chief denied reports over the country planning to sell 45 billion euros from the country's reserves to buy dollars and gold ingots, the Arman newspaper on Sunday quoted Mahmoud Bahmani as saying.

"Such reports are sheer lies and I strongly deny reports on Iran planning to convert 45 billion euros of its reserves to dollars and gold," Bahmani said.

On Wednesday, Iran's English language Press TV quoted a report in Jam-e Jam newspaper in which unnamed "reliable sources" said the decision had been taken in reaction to the euro zone crisis.

But Bahmani blamed foreign media for publishing false reports. Iran's central bank officials declined to comment on Wednesday.

Following the report, the euro eased slightly versus the dollar from around $1.2227 to $1.2213.

The switch announcement was seen as a policy reversal for Tehran, which for many years has shunned the dollar as part of its opposition to its arch foe, the United States.

At a 2007 OPEC summit, Iran -- the world's fifth-largest oil exporter -- suggested oil should be priced in a basket of currencies rather than dollars, but it failed to win over other member states except Venezuela.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly said that the dollar was a "worthless piece of paper".

At recently as last November, Governor Bahmani said Iran's then policy of moving away from the dollar, both in its reserves and in the currency it received for its oil exports, had been beneficial.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi, Editing by Sugita Katyal)

We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/
Comments (1)
lipservice13 wrote:
IT IS A BRIBED CONSPIRACY SANCTION ON IRAN FOR NOTHING ON BEHALF OF UNBREAKABLE BOND ISRAEL.

THEREFORE, MIDEAST NATIONS NEED TO HAVE PERMANENT IMPARTIAL VETO WIELDING MEMBER AT UN SECURITY COUNCIL NOW !!!. IT NEEDS A CHANGE NOW

U.S. policy on nuclear Iran underscores bias toward Unbreakable bond Israel,
AFTER IRAQ WITH NEVER BEEN FOUND WMD, IT IS CLEAR BY NOW US ANTI IRAN TIRADE
RHETORIC DOUBLE STANDARD IS ONLY ON BEHALF OF UNBREAKABLE BOND ISRAEL, NOT THE
NON PROLIFERATION TREATY OR THE WORLD, TO MAKE SURE THAT ISRAEL IS THE SOLE
NUKES POSSESSOR IN MIDEAST. HISTORY PROVES ITSELF.
THERE IS NO SINGLE CREDITABLE EVIDENCE THAT IRAN FLOUTS THE NPT RULES OR DEVELOPS NUKES.US AND ZIONIST MEDIA USING PROPAGANDA LIES TO CREATE ILLUSION AND MAKE BELIEVE THAT IRAN IS TO DEVELOP NUKES. US NEVER CLEARLY STATES WHAT IRAN HAS DONE WRONG WITH NPT.

Washington’s “double standard” on Iran, a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), while selling “nuclear technology to Israel and India,” a non-signatory to the NPT.
US continues its annual $3 billion assistance to Israel, despite an American law forbidding aid to any country producing weapons of mass destruction. Not only did ISRAEL THREATEN TO SEND SYRIA BACK TO STONE AGE BUT ALSO Israel offered to sell apartheid-era South Africa nuclear warheads in 1975.

Iran is a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, is at the moment
FULLY in compliance with it, has no nuclear arsenal, and does not even have a
nuclear weapons program. (The treaty allows countries to enrich uranium for fuel, which is all that Iran
is known to be doing). NPT signatories have treaty-based rights to seek civilian energy production, either by enriching uranium or separating plutonium.

Article IV: 1. Nothing in this Treaty shall be interpreted as affecting the inalienable right of all the Parties to the Treaty to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with Articles I and II of this Treaty.

2. All the Parties to the Treaty undertake to facilitate, and have the right to participate in, the fullest possible exchange of equipment, materials and scientific and technological information for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Parties to the Treaty in a position to do so shall also co-operate in contributing alone or together with other States or international organizations to the further development of the applications of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, especially in the territories of non-nuclear-weapon States Party to the Treaty, with due consideration for the needs of the developing areas of the world.

In addition, the International Atomic Energy Agency has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran’s civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.

With more than 200 nuclear weapons and the capacity to deliver them against its enemies or use them to buttress its policies, Israel refuses to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty or to open its nuclear facilities for International Atomic Energy Agency inspection. On the other hand, Israel and the United States insist on applying the harshest possible sanctions against Iran, which they fear may be developing nuclear weapons. The United States furthermore is responding to a regional initiative to make the Middle East a zone free of weapons of mass destruction by linking it to progress in the peace process, which means a peace customized by and suited especially to meet Israel’s interests, naturally, because Israel is the sole nuclear power in the region. In promoting this deal, imposed by a nuclear Israel on a much weaker region, the United States is affirming that it certainly pays to be a nuclear power — you get things done on your terms — It is making mockery of other nations when the white house spokesman says Iran must assure THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. In fact more than hundred countries support Iran’s right to nuclear technology UNDER NPT but the white house spokesman and the media do not consider that number of countries as international community. Only the bullies are entitled speak for other countries.
INDONESIA CERTAIN IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME NOT FOR DEFENCE PURPOSES.
OIC backs Iran nuclear declaration
The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) has backed an Iranian declaration which aims to end a standoff over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Jun 06, 2010 3:54am EDT  --  Report as abuse
This discussion is now closed. We welcome comments on our articles for a limited period after their publication.