US Sanctions Hampering Countries’ Efforts to Battle COVID-19: Iran’s Qalibaf
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf called for an end to unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States on various countries, including Iran, that are grappling with the COVID-19 crisis.
Addressing a virtual meeting of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) on Thursday, Qalibaf said, “Since the outbreak of the dangerous virus, despite pressures and calls from international organizations to halt or reduce the US-led sanctions against various nations, including Iran, Washington’s maximum pressure has been on the rise”.
Stressing the need for lifting of sanctions to counter the spread of the viral disease in the targeted countries as well as across the world, he said the sanctions have hampered the world’s concerted fight against the coronavirus and this “inhumane act” by the US must be strongly condemned by all.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian parliament speaker said world countries should review strategies to resume economic relations as they have been postponed like other activities and events since the coronavirus outbreak in December 2019.
In recent months, calls have been growing inside the US and abroad for Washington to lift its unilateral sanctions, which are throwing a wrench into global efforts to rein in the respiratory disease.
The United States reinstated its sanctions against Iran in May 2018 after leaving a UN-endorsed multilateral nuclear agreement with the Islamic Republic and five other countries.
Iran has been among the countries hardest hit by COVID-19, recording 250,458 infections and 12,305 deaths so far.
The anti-Iran measures have blocked the country’s access to global markets and lifesaving medical supplies.
The new coronavirus emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year and quickly spread to the rest of the world.
The number of people infected with COVID-19 across the world has surpassed 12.1 million and the death toll has exceeded 552,000.
