Iran requests India to allow open accounts in multiple banks

HYDERABAD: Iran has requested the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India to allow it open accounts in multiple banks to facilitate better non-oil trade between the two nations.

At present, only UCO Bank facilitates transactions with Iran and those are oil related.

According to Iranian Ambassador to India Gholam Reza Ansari, as the UCO Bank account deals with only oil transactions, the Persian Gulf nation needs to open accounts in different banks for better non-oil trade between the two countries.

"We want to remove this monopoly of UCO Bank. This is why we are looking for diversifying our banks and make business more competitive. Definitely it would be in the benefit of Indians as well as the Iranians," Ansari told reporters on the sidelines of an interactive programme organised by Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI).

"We request the RBI to give us permission to deal with more Indian banks in this country. This proposal has been given to Ministry of Finance as well as the RBI," he said.

India had since July 2011 paid in Euros to clear 55 per cent of its purchases of Iranian oil through Ankara-based Halkbank. The remaining 45 per cent due amount was remitted in rupees in accounts Iranian Oil Company opened in Kolkata-based UCO Bank.

Tougher sanctions blocked the payments in euro through Turkey from February 6 last year but the rupee payments for 45 per cent of the purchases continued through UCO Bank.