Iran's Envoy urges lifting US sanctions to fight COVID-19

“These sanctions severely hinder and damage the ability of our governments to mobilize the required resources, either nationally or internationally, for combating and containing this virus, especially by hindering access to the international financial system,” Takht Ravanchi said in his letter which was written on the occasion of ratifying the General Assembly resolution entitled “Global Solidarity to Fight COVID-19”.

The full text of Iranian envoy’s letter is as follows:

For combating the COVID-19 pandemic effectively, there is a need for the full and immediate removal of all unilateral coercive measures as they are seriously inhibiting the ability of targeted nations in preventing the outbreak of COVID-19 that is spreading like wildfire across all regions and nations.

Despite the fact that Iran’s medical facilities, doctors and nurses are among the very finest in the world, currently, its ability to identify and treat patients and effectively prevent the spread of the virus has seriously been undermined by such inhumane sanctions of the United States.

As indicated in the letter dated 25 March 2020 by a group of countries, including Iran (S/2020/238), the current situation “is hard – if not possible – deed for those countries that are currently facing the application of unilateral coercive measures which are illegal and blatantly violate international law and the Charter of the United Nations”.

These sanctions severely hinder and damage the ability of our governments to mobilize the required resources, either nationally or internationally, for combating and containing this virus, especially by hindering access to the international financial system.

While this trying situation requires all nations to demonstrate solidarity and strengthen cooperation with one another, unfortunately, the United States instead follows its hostile political agenda against Iranians by holding hostage their dire needs for combating this deadly virus.

The United States flagrantly denies and ignores the ongoing strong international calls for lifting illegal unilateral sanctions, made, including by the UN Secretary-General, WHO Director-General, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and some other international dignitaries, as well as many political and religious leaders, academia, parliamentarians, non-governmental organizations, and civil society institutions.

Now it has become quite clear that in combating COVID-19, all of humanity is on the same front and we must win this battle.

It requires that all unilateral coercive measures, which seriously hinder the ability of targeted countries as well as those of countries imposing or implementing them, be removed promptly and completely.

END