Sanctions on Iran are preventing the government from implementing necessary measures to protect its population and mitigate the fatal effect of the escalating outbreak of COVOD-19 on Iranian citizens.

The worst affected country in the Middle-East cannot respond to the pandemic properly because of sanctions imposed by the US and implemented by many countries. Sanctions were in fact renewed on Wednesday by the Trump administration despite the situation in Iran which is struggling to face the pandemic. The sanctions are preventing the ill from accessing medication and medical equipment as Iran’s financial channels are blocked. 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, China’s foreign ministry and président Rouhani call for sanctions to be lifted to allow Iran to get humanitarian aid, access life-saving medicine and ensure food security in this unprecedented crisis. The International Court of Justice has ruled that the humanitarian sanction exemptions are insufficient and are having a ‘serious detrimental impact’ on the Iranian population. 

Iran is at fault for its delayed recognition of the existence of the coronavirus and reaction to the pandemic but let’s separate government mistakes from population suffering! 

We are all in this pandemic together and eradicating is in everybody’s best interest.