Mohammad Ali Hosseini, in his article published in local media on Thursday, said the United States’ government has implemented a regime of economic and medical terrorism against the Islamic Republic of Iran which is a systematic and gross violation of human rights.
He added experience has proved that on time cooperation for preventing proliferation of a crisis are both logic and an issue of public interest.
“Today, the world is witnessing infection of increasing number of people to a scourge called COVID-19. Any inattention by the world leaders to this scourge will lead to a greater and more expansion of the virus even to their own people; the subject that will cause their future responsibility,” he said.
The envoy said while the spread of the dangerous coronavirus is increasingly affecting the whole world and people in more than 150 countries have been infected by it, US inhumane and unilateral coercive measures have negatively impacted the global and concurrent fight against the deadly and contagious disease.
Hosseini added to give extra-territorial impact to its unlawful sanctions, the United States government use political tools against the economic partners and neigboring countries of Iran in an irresponsible, unilateral and bullying manner and in violation of international law and UN Security Council resolutions.
“These sanctions directly affect the development of health system and the ability to respond to health crises in Iran,” he said.
The diplomat went on to say these sanctions not only violate international humanitarian law and the judgments of the International Court of Justice, but also violate the right of the Iranian people to health and their right to life by depriving Iranians of access to medicine and medical equipment.
“Thus, due to the contagious and rapid spread of the virus, the US is endangering the health of all countries in the region and the world,” he maintained.
He said regarding the global aspect and depth of the catastrophe, the leaders' responsibility is not just an internal one and its external aspects can be even more important.
“The leaders cannot immune their nations just by closing their own borders and be ignorant to the other countries. It is absolutely needed to take a holistic measure,” he added.
Hosseini said today, Iran is badly plagued with COVID-19. “The level and dimension of virus expansion in Iran which privileges one of the highest health standards in the world is something quite considerable,” said the envoy.
He said despite the torturous efforts of medical teams, Iranians still suffer a very high death toll of the disease. “The main reason of this situation is unilateral coercive measures and unfair sanctions that hamper Iranian access to medical requirements,” he noted.
“Neither international humanitarian norms nor recent international judiciary verdicts supports such brutal sanctions. The continuation of this situation will lead to a humanitarian catastrophe and needs the immediate reaction of the global and especially neighboring countries’ leaders,” viewed the envoy.
He added any inaction or passive stance of the others towards these opportunistic unfair sanctions will bring the future responsibility of world leaders.
“Eradication of the virus needs a global and collective endeavor and there is no guarantee for other countries to immune itself form the situation,” said the ambassador.
He said the cooperation of relevant international organizations, in particular the World Health Organization, with the support, cooperation and assistance of the people and the government in friendly countries such as China, Pakistan, Turkey, Germany, France, Japan, Qatar, Azerbaijan and Russia is very encouraging and promising.
“The Iranian government and nation will never forget the help of these kind-hearted nations in difficult days,” Hosseini said in the article.
He said so far, truth-seeking and peace-loving states such as China, Pakistan, and Russia have emphasized the negative and destructive effects of unilateral actions and US anti-Iranian sanctions against the spread of the virus in Iran and the region and called on the international community to exert pressure on the United States to lift these inhumane sanctions.
“In this regard, we appreciate the recent call of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for lifting sanctions against Iran and we thank his wisdom in understanding the importance of virus control over political rivalries,” he said.
He said as well Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony giving his reaction on US unilateral sanctions against Iran says the Trump administration’s anti-Iran policy is sheer violation of human rights and principles of humanity.
The ambassador further noted that Dr. Zafar Mirza Pakistan’s Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health has also termed the fight against coronavirus a collective responsibility and urged the international community to press the US to lift medical sanctions from Iran to help the Islamic Republic in defeating the deadly virus.
“This valuable support and wise stance of Pakistani officials means a lot to us. Government and people of Iran will always remember the friends in these difficult days. We can overcome this critical time with empathetic cooperation and with the support of the Almighty,” concluded the ambassador.
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