Medical Official:

US Sanctions, Economic Terrorism Endangering Iranians' Health amid Coronavirus Pandemic

President of Iran’s Academy of Medical Sciences Seyed Alireza Marandi, in a letter to the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, warned that Washington’s economic terrorism against Tehran is hurting the health status of ordinary people amid the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus in the country.

News ID: 449884

Date: 03 April 2020 - 14:54

RNA - "Instead, despite the urging of scientists, physicians and even some elected US officials to lift sanctions amid a worldwide Covid-19 disease pandemic, this irrational, ruthless American government has further tightened sanctions against the Iranian people," Professor Marandi, a former health minister and parliament member, wrote in his letter to Guterres.

The following is the full text of Professor Marandi to the UN chief:

United Nations Secretary General

His Excellency, António Guterres,

Excellency,

Following correspondence about the US government's illegal sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its direct impact on the health of the Iranian people, unfortunately, so far, the United Nations and other relevant organizations including the World Health Organization, which claim to defend the rights of humanity, have taken no effective measures to lift the cruel sanctions against our dear children, women, men and patients.

Instead, despite the urging of scientists, physicians and even some elected US officials to lift sanctions amid a worldwide Covid-19 disease pandemic, this irrational, ruthless American government has further tightened sanctions against the Iranian people.

Nevertheless, the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran's health authorities and officials in the face of inhumane US sanctions have been successful in managing the recent pandemic. Even if a small part of these sanctions were imposed on European countries and the United States, those nations would surely collapse under the strain. As you know, we have been one of the worse-hit nations in this pandemic and would not have reached this difficult state had it not been for the repressive US sanctions imposed on all the world in order to punish Iran.

It is certain that history will judge the ineffectiveness and silence of international organizations claiming protection of international law and human rights against such crimes. These institutions have become toothless, if not complicit, and we will undoubtedly see the unraveling of our world order because of this refusal to take action against crass violations of international and humanitarian law by the US regime.

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting approximately all countries and territories around the world. The virus was first reported in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. It has so far killed more than 48,000 people and infected over 950,000 others globally.

As for Iran, the Iranian health ministry announced on Thursday that 2,875 new cases of infection to COVID-19 virus have been identified in the country, adding that 3,160 patients have died so far.

“According to definite diagnostic standards, a sum of 2,875 new cases of infection to COVID-19 virus have been identified in Iran during the past 24 hours, increasing the number of infections to 50,468,” Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said.

He added that fortunately, 16,711 patients infected with COVID-19 virus have also recovered and been discharged from hospital.

Jahanpour said that 124 coronavirus patients have passed away during the past 24 hours, noting that the death toll has increased to 3,160 so far.

The Iranian foreign ministry declared that despite Washington’s claims of cooperation to transfer drugs to Iran via the new Swiss-launched payment mechanism, the US is troubling the process amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Although US claims that medicines and medical equipment are not under sanctions, they have practically blocked the transfer of Iran’s financial resources in other countries into the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA), Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi said.

As the death toll from the virus surges, Iran intensifies its preventive safety measures. Closures of schools and universities have been extended until early April.

The government also imposed travel restrictions, specially on Iran’s North, which is among the red zones. The country has also adopted strict digital health control procedures at airports to spot possible infections.

Health Minister Saeed Namaki announced earlier this month that a new national mobilization plan would be implemented across the country to fight against the coronavirus epidemic and more effectively treat patients.

Namaki said that the plan will include all the 17,000 health centers and the 9,000 medical and clinical centers in all cities, suburban areas and villages.

He added that the plan will include home quarantine, noting that infected people will receive the necessary medicines and advice, but they are asked to stay at home.

Namaki said that people with a more serious condition will stay at the hospitals, adding that the public places will be disinfected, the entries of infected towns and cities will be controlled to diagnose and quarantine the infected cases.

He added that the necessary equipment and facilities have been provided, expressing the hope that the epidemic would be curbed.

According to the latest statistics of Health Ministry, the number of medical laboratories to test coronavirus infection has reached 90 across the country.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says Iran's response to the virus has so far been up to the mark. Still, it says the US sanctions are a big challenge, and Washington would be complicit in the rising death toll in Iran if it would not remove its sanctions.

The World Health Organization has considered priorities in combating coronavirus and Islamic Republic of Iran obeys and follows up priorities as defined by WHO.

The WHO is dispatching separate delegations to all countries.

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