TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that a Swiss humanitarian channel, a payment mechanism to enable humanitarian goods to be delivered to Iran, does not show the United States’ good intention.

“This is a small step taken by the Swiss government’s effort and we appreciate it. However, it does not show the United States’ good intention,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting at the AJA University of Command and Staff.

He also said that the International Court of Justice has ordered the U.S. not to prevent shipment of food and medicine to Iran, however, Washington’s policy is still exerting pressure on the Iranians.

A humanitarian channel to bring food and medicine to Iran has started trial operations.

“On 27 January, an initial payment for the shipment of medicines to Iran was approved in the form of a trial run,” said a statement published on the website of Switzerland’s embassy in Tehran.

“The aim of the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA) is to ensure that exporters and trading companies in the food, pharmaceutical and medical sectors based in Switzerland have a secure payment channel with a Swiss bank through which payments for their exports to Iran are guaranteed,” the statement added.

NA/PA