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Iran's cabinet appointed new heads at two of the government's top economic institutions, as the country grapples with a faltering economy and a sliding currency that have provoked public protests.
Abdul Nasser Hemmati was appointed to replace Valiollah Seif as governor of the central bank, according to the IRIB news agency. The agency gave no explanation for why Seif was dismissed.
In May, the United States imposed sanctions on Seif, accusing him of "moving millions of dollars" for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
The U.S. stands "ready" to strike a new nuclear accord with Iran, President Donald Trump said Tuesday.“We’ll see what happens, but we’re ready to make a real deal, not the deal that was done by the previous administration, which was a disaster,” Trump said at a Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Kansas City, Missouri.The U.S. and Iran engaged in a heated exchange of words over the weekend with Trump responding to a warning from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani by saying on Twitter: "NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED."Trump has drawn Tehran's ire and unsettled close allies by unilaterally withdrawing the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear accord struck between Iran and the P5 1 group -- the permanent five members of the UN Security Council and Germany -- of world powers. Iran has insisted it will not renegotiate the deal.Tehran received billions of dollars in sanctions relief in return for instituting a robust international nuclear inspection regime and allowing curbs on its nuclear program.The U.S. was a driving force behind the agreement under former President Barack Obama, but Trump has long taken issue with the accord, repeatedly calling it one of the "worst" deals he has ever seen.Following the U.S.'s unilateral exit, the Trump administration has been seeking to have other countries follow suit by raising the specter of snapped-back sanctions which would punish businesses and governments from activities that were allowed under the agreement.The first round of sanctions, largely targeting Iran's banking sector, are set to take effect Aug. 6. A second, more robust, wave of oil-related sanctions is set to snap back Nov. 4.
US 'ready' to make new Iran deal amid heated exchange
Hemmati was formerly the managing director of Bank Melli and Sina Bank, IRIB said.
Separately, Ali Tayebnia was appointed head of the Management and Planning Organization of Iran, which drafts the country's annual budget, according to the Tasnim news agency.
Tayebnia served as Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance during President Hassan Rouhani's first term.
Turkey is not obliged to go along with sanctions imposed by the U.S. or Britain against Iran, according to Turkish foreign minister on Tuesday.Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu made the remarks while visiting Azerbaijan’s capital Baku at a joint news conference alongside Elmar Memmedyarov, his Azerbaijani counterpart.Highlighting that Turkey opposes U.S. sanctions on Iran, Cavusoglu said: "We go along with UN sanctions like every country, but we do not necessarily need to go along with sanctions imposed by U.S. or U.K. against Iran."He added Turkey also does not agree with U.S. sanctions on Russia."We do not find those sanctions right. This is a principle stance. It does not depend on any other condition," he said.U.S. officials met Turkish companies on July 19 and with Turkish officials of the Foreign Ministry, Treasury and Central Bank on July 20 about the issue of a new round of sanctions against Iran.Many Turkish companies are prime trade partners with Tehran.The U.S. announcement in May that it would unilaterally withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and re-impose sanctions has drawn criticism worldwide.- F-35 jet dealAbout the U.S. Senate's decision to block the delivery of F-35 jet fighters to Turkey, Cavusoglu said: "The administration holds the authorization rights regarding this deal. There are no setbacks about the purchase of F-35 jets. Two of the jets have already been received and training [of Turkish pilots] continue."American senators voted overwhelmingly to block the delivery of F-35 jet fighters to Turkey on Monday."The United States and any other country should understand this. You cannot get any results from Turkey by imposing sanctions or insisting. Dialogue, diplomacy and respect help getting results from Turkey," he added.Meanwhile, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday dismissed reports about the U.S. Senate and Congress aiming to prohibit the transfer of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.In reply to questions after his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's parliamentary group meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said: "You know the matter, it is completely at the disposal of the U.S. president once the bill passes. Mr. Trump has shown me the written statement he made during our discussion in Brussels and such a thing [prohibiting the transfer] is not in question."- Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railwayAzerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Memmedyarov, who also spoke at the news conference, said the two top diplomats exchanged views on how to use Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway "effectively"."Afghanistan is facing difficulties in its freight train transportation. Therefore, with the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, more loads can be transported along with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan," he said.Azerbaijan and Turkey have several joint projects, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum Gas Pipeline, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway and Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP).
'No need for Turkey to go along with US Iran sanctions'
Rouhani had come under increasing pressure from hardliners to reshuffle his economic team, and senior government officials had suggested a shakeup was imminent.
Ordinary Iranians have also criticised the government on social media, emphasising the difficulties they face in making ends meet.