Iran's Permanent Representative to the United Nations called unilateral coercive actions, such as sanctions, illegal, immoral, inhumane, and war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Iran Press/America: Majid Takht-Ravanchi raised this issue in a virtual meeting, initiated by Iran and nine other countries, to review the effects of unilateral actions on the people of the target countries.

He added: "Unilateral coercive actions, including sanctions, are illegal, immoral and inhumane." They explicitly violate international law as well as basic human rights."

"The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a country hit hard by the corona, has been under long-term sanctions for years. These illegal actions have prevented banks and financial institutions from trading and financial transactions with Iran," Takht-Ravanchi stated. "We hear from Western countries that there are exemptions and waivers that are, in fact, only on paper. Such sanctions have severely threatened the health of Iranians, their access to essential medicines, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and medical products."

He added: "Unilateral US sanctions hurt Iranian patients even more. As a result of these sanctions, the annual number of deaths of women, children and innocent people has increased."

"These sanctions primarily target the vulnerable more than others. Sanctions have made it difficult for patients, especially cancer patients, butterflies and those undergoing chemotherapy, to receive medicines and medical supplies," the Iranian diplomat added.

Takht-e-Ravanchi, while reading the statements of one of the Iranian patients who could not receive the necessary treatment due to the sanctions and his illness has become more severe day by day, said: "Endangering the health of others for political purposes is not only illegal but also war crime and crime against It is humanity that needs an international response."

"We have a moral responsibility to stand up to sanctions and demand that they be lifted immediately," he concluded.

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