Trump leased space to blacklisted Iranian bank

Washington : One of the tenants of Republican presidential contender Donald Trump's property company was an Iranian bank that US authorities blacklisted for its links with terrorist activity and Iran's nuclear programme, according to the daily USA TODAY.

"Bank Melli" was an existing tenant in the General Motors building when Trump bought the Manhattan office tower in 1998 and he continued to rent the space to the Iranian bank until 2003.

In 1999, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Bank Melli as being "owned or controlled by the government of Iran". This bank sent at least $100 million to a branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard that supports terrorist organizations.