Iran Press/ commentary: Zarif emphasized in this letter that despite the scientific capability and commitment of the Iranian health system to combat Coronavirus outbreaks, US sanctions on legal trade in addition to recent preconditions the US authorities devised to ban the sale of drugs, medical equipment, and humanitarian goods, efforts to combat the prevalence of Covid-19 in Iran have faced serious obstacles.
These days, with the coronavirus almost becoming a "pandemic", accountability, global and collective cooperation from countries to control and eventually eradicate it is increasingly vital.
The US's unilateral and cruel actions, however, are a serious obstacle to the fight of countries, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the Coronavirus, and the inert of international organizations, in particular the United Nations, against destructive US policies have paved the way for its continued inhumane behavior.
Sanctions on drugs, medical equipment, humanitarian goods, and food are in violation of basic human rights laws and directly endanger the right to life of human beings.
The sanction on medical and pharmaceutical equipment raises medical costs and disrupts the process of providing health services to people in sanctioned countries such as Iran, and is in breach of the right to health stipulated in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In this regard, Amir Biparva, an international and human rights researcher, argues that sanctions that impede access to drugs and other medical facilities constitute a direct threat to human life and violate the most fundamental human right that is the cornerstone of other human rights.
The sanction and blocking of access to medicine and medical supplies to Iran have affected both the Ministry of Health's efforts to combat coronavirus and the death of some of those infected.
In such circumstances, Article 7 of the Statute of the International Criminal Court raises that the criminal responsibility for perpetrators of sanctions for unilateral coercive measures is charged with crimes against humanity.
The end of the borderless coronavirus is related to the freedom to trade in medical supplies, medicine and to share the experience of all countries involved in the corona outbreak so that in the light of the accountability of all countries and the United Nations everyone's right to life is provided.
With the Islamic Republic of Iran at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus, ending the US economic terrorism and medical terrorism against the Iranian nation is essential.
The United Nations and its member states have to accompany the Iranian people and the government's urgent demand to stop the cruel and destructive US policies so that the Iranian people's right to life is not sacrificed by these policies.
Author: Ali Karami
Translator: Hamed Shahbazian
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