Vehicle imports were expected to increase following the signing of the recent nuclear deal between Iran and Western powers and the resultant lifting of sanctions. However, the insular government appears to be resisting the opening of the floodgates. Particularly to American brands like Chevrolet.

“Even the Americans are not interested in buying such cars because of their weight and high fuel consumption,” Khamenei declared regarding Chevy products to a gathering of hundreds of workers in Tehran, according to his official website. “Why should we import the cars from a bankrupt American factory? This is very odd.” Reuters reports that the Iranian government has removed Chevy from the list of approved imports, and stopped a shipment of 200 Bowtie-branded vehicles that were scheduled to set sail for the Iran – even though they were coming from South Korea, not from the United States.