Exclusive | Deepening Hong Kong, Iran ties show US curbs have ‘lost their potency’: envoy
Ambassador Mohsen Bakhtiar says measures have been taken to overcome sanctions restricting Iranian firms from accessing services in the city
Iran and Hong Kong’s strengthening ties have shown that the “imperialist” United States’ sanctions are no longer effective, the country’s ambassador to China has said, adding that measures are being implemented to overcome barriers that had “slowed down investment”.
Ambassador Mohsen Bakhtiar called for more official visits between the two jurisdictions during a recent trip to Hong Kong, saying Iran could serve as a “gateway” for the city to access markets in Central and Western Asia.
Iran has faced a slew of US sanctions over its nuclear programme and support for proxy groups across the Middle East. Recently, the Biden administration ramped up its sanctions targeting Iran’s oil and chemical industry, raising the country’s cost for transporting petroleum products to foreign markets.
Washington has also placed Hong Kong in its crosshairs for its alleged support for Iran. The Post asked the Iranian ambassador about US sanctions imposed against 24 local companies earlier this year for their alleged ties to Iran.
In a written reply, Bakhtiar said: “Sanctions are an imperialist instrument used by capitalist countries targeting nonconformist countries. It is an open economic war against those who do not submit to the dictates of the US and some Western countries.”
He conceded that US sanctions had adversely affected relations between Iran and Hong Kong, as Iranian companies had difficulty accessing banking and financial services in the city, which he said had “slowed down investment”.
