Iran declares major lender bankrupt

TEHRAN: Iran declared one of the country’s largest private banks bankrupt with its assets absorbed by the state, official media reported Saturday, in a rare move in the country grappling with international sanctions.

Founded in 2012, Ayandeh Bank had a network of 270 branches across the country, including 150 in the capital Tehran alone. But it had more recently been crippled by debt, with accumulated losses amounting to the equivalent of about $5.2 billion and roughly $2.9 billion in debts, according to the ISNA news agency.

On Saturday, queues of customers could be seen outside a former Ayandeh Bank branch in Tehran, with police also present, an AFP journalist reported.

The state-owned Melli Bank has absorbed the assets of the now-defunct Ayandeh Bank, following a decision by the Central Bank, which has given assurances that depositors will be able to recover their savings.

“The transfer from Ayandeh Bank to Melli Bank is now complete,” said Melli director Abolfazl Najarzadeh on state television on Saturday.

On Thursday, Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said Ayandeh Bank customers had “nothing to worry about”.

In September, the United Nations reimposed tough sanctions on Iran.

The move came after months of tense diplomacy aimed at reviving nuclear talks derailed since June, when Israeli and US forces bombed Iranian nuclear facilities.

The sanctions are a “snapback” of measures frozen in 2015 when Iran agreed to major restrictions on its nuclear programme under a deal negotiated by former US president Barack Obama.

The snapback measures against Iran initiated by three European powers, the UK, France and Germany.

The United States already imposed massive sanctions when President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in his first term.