Iran Criticizes US Unilateral Sanctions Impact on Access to Medicine
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran's Deputy UN envoy Zahra Ershadi, has strongly criticized the United States' unilateral sanctions against Iran, stating that they hinder Iranians' access to medicine, including children suffering from life-threatening illnesses.
"Nothing could ever justify such horrific measures against people," Ershadi told the United Nations General Assembly.
She pointed out that the Unilateral Coercive Measures (UCMs) violate human rights and have a severe negative impact on people's health, as they limit access to medicine, medical products, and vaccines.
These measures, she argued, violate various economic, social, and cultural rights, including the right to life, health, food, education, and development.
Ershadi shared the story of patients with epidermolysis bullosa, a chronic skin disease that affects children, whose access to vital medical products was halted due to UCMs in 2018. This led to suffering and even deaths among these children, compromising their rights to health and life.
"Nothing could justify the death of a child who could simply not have a medical product due to UCMs," she said, adding that some states justified them during negotiations while avoiding discussions about their inhumane consequences.
Ershadi called for international cooperation to ensure unhindered access to quality and affordable medicines, medical products, and health technologies for developing countries.
She also expressed frustration about the handling of health-related processes at the United Nations, where fairness, transparency, and inclusiveness were lacking. Despite these concerns, Iran decided to join the consensus on the resolutions, with the hope that such unfair processes would not set a precedent in the future.
Ershadi reaffirmed the importance of national ownership and governments' primary role in achieving universal health coverage, pandemic prevention, and response, as well as addressing tuberculosis. She stressed the need for international cooperation, official development assistance, and financial and technical support for developing countries.
She concluded her remarks by stressing that Iran's consideration and implementation of the resolutions and political declarations are subject to its national laws, regulations, policies, and priorities, as well as its cultural and social values.