Money held by Iran in Venezuela has already been withdrawn, the head of the Iran-China Joint Chamber of Commerce said on Monday, as questions grow over Iran’s investments following the arrest and transfer of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the United States.
“Anyone who had money in Venezuela has already taken it out,” Majidreza Hariri said, responding to concerns about Iranian assets worth an estimated two billion dollars.
He added that instability in Venezuela had been evident for at least five to six months, leaving ample time for Iranian funds to be withdrawn, and warned against attempts to use the crisis as a pretext to write off debts.
He said Iran-Venezuela Bank has not functioned as an effective commercial bank in recent years as financial transactions between the two countries were not conducted through this bank.
According to Iran’s foreign ministry on Monday, economic and diplomatic relations with Venezuela remain intact in the wake of Maduro’s arrest, and political developments do not automatically alter bilateral ties.
“Relations between states are based on mutual respect and interests,” said spokesperson Esmail Baghaei earlier in the day.
He said Iranian diplomats and citizens in Venezuela are safe and that Tehran continues to monitor the situation closely.
