Malaysia ‘bullied’ into closing Iranians’ bank accounts, Mahathir says

Banks in Malaysia are reportedly closing the accounts of Iranian individuals and companies in a sign that US sanctions are having far-reaching effects

The Malaysian PM said banks were ‘forced to do this, because if we don’t, they will close our banks abroad’, without naming who ‘they’ are

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Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad with Iranian President Hassan Rowhani (centre) at the 18th Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Azerbaijan. Photo: Iranian Presidency/DPA

Published: 9:01pm, 30 Oct 2019Updated: 9:01pm, 30 Oct 2019

Malaysia’s prime minister told reporters on Wednesday his nation was being forced to “make it difficult” for Iranians to live normal lives in the country.

Banks in Malaysia are closing the accounts of Iranian individuals and companies, according to nearly a dozen affected people, in a sign that US sanctions are having far-reaching effects on citizens of the Islamic republic.

“Our ties are very good with Tehran, but we face some very strong pressures from certain quarters, which you may guess,” Mahathir Mohamad said, without naming where the pressure was coming from.

“We are forced to do this because if we don’t, they will close our banks abroad. It’s a kind of bullying by very powerful people.”

Iranian President Hassan Rowhani shakes hands with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad during a meeting on Friday. Photo: Iranian Presidency/DPA

The affected Iranians and one embassy official said there had been “mass closures” in the Southeast Asian country in recent months.