President of Iran in the letter wrote, ”virus knows no boundary and claims, victims, without political, religious, ethnic and racial considerations”.
New Delhi| President of Iran Hassan Rouhani on Friday wrote to many world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over how the efforts to fight coronavirus (Covid-19) has been “severely” impacted by the US sanctions.
In a tweet, Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif said, “In a letter to counterparts @HassanRouhani informs how efforts to fight #COVID19 pandemic in Iran have been severely hampered by US sanctions, urging them to cease observing them: It is IMMORAL to let a bully kill innocents,” adding that “Viruses recognize no politics or geography. Nor should we.”
In letter to counterparts @HassanRouhani informs how efforts to fight #COVID19 pandemic in Iran have been severely hampered by US sanctions, urging them to cease observing them: It is IMMORAL to let a bully kill innocents
Viruses recognize no politics or geography. Nor should we
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) March 14, 2020
Viruses recognize no politics or geography. Nor should we,” he added.
It comes as the third batch of Indians evacuated from Iran landed in India on Sunday.
“It’s time for the international community to stand up against US inhumane sanctions. Fighting #CoronavirusPandemic requires the concerted global action,” said a tweet from Rouhani which was reposted by the Iranian embassy in New Delhi.
Iranian envoy to the UN also called on the US to lift sanctions on the country and to “depoliticise” its approach toward efforts related to containing the coronavirus outbreak.
Also Read: US to ask India and four others to end completely Iranian oil imports: Report
US imposed punitive sanctions on Iran after pulling out of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in November of 2018. The Iran deal or JCPOA was signed in 2015 after talks between five permanent members of UN Security council –US, Russia, China, Britain, France & European Union, Germany and Iran.
The deal led to the removal of UN sanctions on Iran with the latter committing to curtailing its nuclear programme.
Iran is the worst-affected country in the Middle East due to the COVID-19 outbreak and said on Thursday it had asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for $5 billion in emergency funding to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
The Iranian economy was already battered by US sanctions that curb oil and gas exports crucial for government revenues. A slowdown in economic activity caused by the virus outbreak and sustained closure of its borders are expected to lead to a contraction this year, analysts have said.
US President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions on vital Iranian sectors including oil after withdrawing the United States from the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal with six world powers.
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