US sanctions Cuban bank accused of ties to Iran bank

The United States has imposed sanctions on Cuba’s Banco Internacional de Comercio S.A. (BICSA) for its alleged connections to Iran’s Karafarin Bank, which has been sanctioned by the US since 2020. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Cuba has been allowed to operate as an outpost for malign actors and terror groups, including Iran, to target the United States.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez described the action as "aggressive," calling BICSA a legitimate bank and criticizing the US for imposing maximum collective punishment on the Cuban people. Additionally, the US has imposed sanctions on the Iraq-based International Development Bank for Investment and Finance and several Iranian banks, companies, and individuals.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.