For whatever reason, e-gold has freezed the accounts of its Iranian users. According to a group of e-gold users supposedly from Iran, e-gold freezed their accounts on November 24th 2006. They have signed a petition addressed to US Treasury Dept. and (G&SR), Inc.
Dear Sirs
Gold & Silver Reserve (G&SR), Inc has suspended all of Iranian accounts on 24 November 2006 without any notification. we are a group of Iranian people who are working in international markets by e-gold accounts due to lack of reliable Internet banking and high jobless in Iran. we wonder why (G&SR), Inc as a US company is fighting with Iranian people as our government is doing the same ! the tele communication company of Iran who has all the the power of Internet policies in Iran and is a governmental company blocked access to e-gold website about 1 year ago , to cut Iranian communications and businesses with the world, and now (G&SR), Inc is helping them to keep Iranian people isolated from the world. it seems we should tell to our government that they have some partners in US !
we think it is against the announced US policies , blocking the money of Iranian individuals and not to let them work and communicate with the world doesn’t help to expand democracy in Iran and gives Iran government the opportunity to advertise its anti-US policies.
we think if US wants to stay popular in Iran should not fight with Iranian people instead of Iran government , blocking the money of Iranian youths doesn’t give them a good feeling about US ! I can say 95% of these account belongs to youths below 25 years old.
if you want to do something useful , block the terrorism funds and budget. blocking the accounts of some normal people trying to work and live in this country will not help you.WE ASK FOR IMMEDIATE ACTIVATION OF OUR ACCOUNTS BY (G&SR), Inc.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
See http://www.e-goldstrong.com/
It is interesting to know that this is the time e-gold chooses to wake up from its deep slumber, and realize that Iran is amongst the countries that OFAC bans US institutions from doing business with. Speculations are rife that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) forced e-gold to freeze all Iranian accounts.
According to Wikipedia, “The Office of Foreign Assets Control (or OFAC) is an office of the United States Department of the Treasury that administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on U.S. foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign countries, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers, and those engaged in activities related to the unapproved proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”
According to the OFAC website, its sanctions apply to all U.S. persons and entities (companies, non-profit groups, government agencies, etc.) wherever located.
It will be interesting to note that Iran is not the only country on the OFAC’s list, which also includes Belarus, Burma, Ivory Coast, Cuba, D.R. of the Congo, Liberia, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and Zimbabwe. One can only wonder what happens to e-gold users in these countries.
