Turkey’s banking watchdog BDDK revoked the operating license of Iranian lender Mellat Bank’s Istanbul branch, according to a notice published in the Official Gazette on Saturday, as the United States pressures other countries to increase economic pressure on Tehran. “It has been decided to revoke the operating license of Bank Mellat, head office in Tehran, head office in Istanbul, Turkey,” the notice said, without citing the US actions or any operational problems. under a clause in Turkey’s banking law, which allows a bank’s license to be revoked or withdrawn if its continued “operation” is deemed to pose a risk to the rights of depositors or the security and stability of the financial system. Earlier this month, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on a small Turkish investment bank and two subsidiaries. The Treasury also said that Turkey and Oman had decided to suspend flights by Iranian airline Mahan Air to their countries as a result of talks with both countries on compliance with US measures against Iran.
