US Sanctions Endangering Health of Iranians, Regional Nations: VP
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri said the “inhumane” move by the US government to impose severe sanctions on the Islamic Republic has put the health of the Iranian people and regional nations at risk.
Addressing the 7th World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2019 on the southern island of Kish on Monday, Jahangiri deplored Washington’s acts of sabotage against Iran’s medicine sector and said the US move to threaten international pharmaceutical companies not to cooperate with Iran has prevented the purchase and imports of needed medicines.
“We expect international bodies, especially the World Health Assembly, not to remain silent on the unilateral and illegal policies of the US government, especially in the area of health, which is directly related to the lives of people and is completely a humanitarian subject,” he said.
They should use leverage against the American government's inhuman and anti-social policies, the first vice-president added.
“…We believe that,given the role of Iran in providing a large part of the pharmaceutical needs of regional countries, the sanctions on Iran’s health sector is tantamount to sanctions on the health sectors of regional countries,” he went on to say.
Back in February, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Iran exports drugs to neighboring and non-neighboring countries and even to Europe.
In November, the Middle East’s biggest pharmaceutical factory specializing in the production of anticancer drugs was inaugurated in Iran.
As the US sanctions against Iran have made it difficult for the people of the country to have access to some medications such as anticancer drugs, the factory is providing a wide range of such medicines for patients.
Iranian experts have in recent years made great headways in using modern medical technology to cure a broad range of diseases inside the country, making Iran a top destination for medical tourism.