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(Reuters) - A state-controlled Russian bank is closing down the accounts of Iranian embassy staff in Moscow in a step criticised by Ambassador Seyed Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi as surrendering to U.S.-led financial sanctions against Tehran.
Sajjadi said on Friday that the shutdown had been ordered at short notice by VTB24, the retail banking arm of Russia's second-largest bank VTB, and that his own credit card had been blocked.
The closure of the embassy staff's personal accounts, confirmed by VTB24, comes as Washington steps up efforts to block Iran's ability to conduct financial transactions and force it to the negotiating table over its nuclear programme.
In a blog post headlined "VTB24 surrenders to the mercy of the USA" Sajjadi wrote that the bank had told embassy staff on Thursday to close their accounts by the end of the working day on Friday, or risk losing their deposits.
A spokesman for VTB24, one of the largest retail banks in Russia, said it had informed the embassy in good time of its decision, which was made for business reasons.
Russian bank shuts down Iranian embassy accounts | Reuters