Fighting COVID-19 Needs Global Action, Iran’s Rouhani Tells World Leaders

In this letter, the president expressed the policies and programmes of the Islamic Republic of Iran in this regard, emphasising the need to break and lift the unjust sanctions of the United States against nations with regard to the current global situation and the development of common health protocols between neighbouring countries, adding, “No country can manage this huge, dangerous crisis alone, let alone if it has many difficulties accessing international financial markets and supplying its needed goods”.

In a letter sent on Friday addressing leaders of several countries, President Hassan Rouhani referred to the spread of coronavirus and its turning into a global epidemic, and wrote, “This virus does not know any borders and chooses its victims without any political, religious, ethnic and racial consideration.”

“Confronting the virus requires coordinated regional and international actions on the one hand, and taking tough measures, meeting the basic needs of the people, providing financial support to those affected by the suspension of economic businesses, enormous health and medical costs, etc. on the other hand; the implementation of these measures requires a strong economic power and tens of billions of dollars in funding,” wrote the President.

In his letter, President Rouhani has pointed out to the heads of addressed countries that the Islamic Republic of Iran, unlike other countries grappling with the virus, faces serious obstacles and restrictions stemming from two years of widespread illegal sanctions, maximum pressure policy and systematic government obstructions by the American government. The US regime has imposed more than 100 sanctions against the Iranian people and government in recent years, adding about 1,200 Iranian individuals and entities to its sanctions lists.

Pointing out that these sanctions have caused about $200 billion direct damages to the Iranian economy in less than two years, Dr Rouhani added, “Most foreign national and companies, even nationals and corporations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) member states, have practically followed these sanctions, while these actions are in clear breach of human principles, international regulations, including the JCPOA and Security Council Resolution 2231”.

Rouhani also wrote that the US government, even at the height of this widespread crisis, has continued to push for unlawful efforts to thwart Iran’s efforts, saying, “Their Secretary of State has impudently urged other countries to make sending humanitarian aid to Iran subject to the fulfilment of America’s irrational and inhumane demands”.

The President pointed out that the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the utmost transparency after identifying the first person to have the virus, began confronting it and, as acknowledged by the WHO representative, the Iranian government has made tremendous progress in combatting and controlling COVID-19, stressing that no country can manage this huge, dangerous crisis alone, let alone if it has many difficulties accessing international financial markets and supplying its needed goods.

Rouhani continued, “There is no doubt that in the face of a dangerous global epidemic, Tehran and Qom are not far from Paris, London and New York, and any policy that weakens the economic structure and medical system, and limits financial resources for crisis management, will have direct effects on the fight against the epidemic in other countries”.

Reminding that defeating coronavirus is an “international” task, the President addressed the recipients of the letter that you are expected to think of measures to implement the commitments of all countries under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 and humanitarian obligations, so that the illegal US sanctions against the Iranian people become ineffective, and the their economic terrorism, which has shown its ugliest and most inhumane image, is confronted‌

The president emphasised, “It is time for the international community to stand up to US’ illegal and inhumane bullying and not let the unjust US sanctions against Iran affect the fight against the deadly virus”.

“US sanctions against Iran -and following them by other nations- are not only illegal and contrary to UN Security Council resolution, but also unethical and inhumane, and its inhumane dimension today concerns no longer only the Iranian people, but the people of the region, and it encompasses other countries as well; this is not a collective punishment of the Iranian people, but a collective punishment against all humanity,” wrote Rouhani.

 

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• No Country Except Iran Could Deal with COVID-19 under Sanctions: Rouhani

• Lift Medicine Sanctions First If You Want to Help, Rouhani Tells Foes

• ‘US Sanctions Impeding Coronavirus Treatment in Iran’

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