Zarif calls on Japan to release frozen Iranian assets

SANAA, Feb. 16 (YPA) –  Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday called on Japan to release Iranian assets frozen in Tokyo due to US sanctions.
In his statement to the Japanese “Kyodo” news agency, Zarif expressed his hope that Japan and Europe will be able to persuade US President Joe Biden to cancel the economic embargo imposed on Iran.
Zarif described Japan as an old friend of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and referred to the embargo that the Trump administration imposed on Tehran after America left the nuclear deal.
He added, since the United States has violated international laws, the best role Japan might play is to show the Americans that it will not implement their illegal decisions, according to IRNA.
Zarif indicated that the frozen Iranian assets in Japan and South Korea amount to about 10 billion dollars, including less than 3 billion dollars in Japan, noting that these frozen Iranian assets can be used to buy medicine, food and vaccine to combat Corona.