Iran’s Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Gholam-Hossein Dehqani, has criticized U.S. economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba.

“The economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba runs counter to the principles of international law governing relations among states and contradicts the letter and spirit of the Charter of the United Nations,” Dehqani said in a statement read before the General Assembly resolution on “necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”.

Following is the full text of the statement published by IRNA:

The economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba runs counter to the principles of international law governing relations among States and contradicts the letter and spirit of the Charter of the United Nations, which calls for promoting solidarity, cooperation and friendly relations among nations, and the fact that differences and problems among countries should be resolved through peaceful means and dialogue, on the basis of equality and mutual respect for sovereignty of Member States.

The embargo, which has lasted for decades, has seriously jeopardized the legitimate rights and interests of Cuba and other States, as well as freedom of trade and navigation, and serves no purpose other than inflicting tremendous hardship and suffering on the people of Cuba, especially women and children, and therefore has to be immediately lifted, as requested by the General Assembly in all relevant resolutions, including the one just adopted. 

Furthermore, since the international community faces major challenges, such as food crises and thus increased poverty, unemployment and malnutrition, the imposition of the embargo seems unjustifiable and inhumane more than ever and deserves stronger objections at the international level. 

Additionally, the adoption of the General Assembly resolutions for so many years and with such a wide range of support indicates the strong objection of the international community to unilateral economic coercive measures in general, and the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed against Cuba in particular. It is also a sign of increasing sympathy with the Cuban Government and its People to put an end to this unlawful and inhumane embargo. 

Cuba is not the only country that is suffering from the U.S sanctions. Unjustified sanctions introduced or imposed under different false pretexts by the United States against the Islamic Republic of Iran for the past four decades and even after conclusion of the JCPOA and its endorsement by the Security Council, continue to target innocent people and hinder their basic rights. Regrettably, unilateral coercive measures have become a consistent element in the policy of the United States even where a Security Council resolution has evidently prohibited it.

Considering the fact that such unilateral sanctions are contrary to the principles of international law, the sovereign equality of States, non-interference in the internal affairs of States and peaceful coexistence among States, the Islamic Republic of Iran remains opposed to the application of unilateral economic and trade measures by the United States of America against other countries, as well as to the extraterritorial application and effects of such national legislations on the sovereignty of other States and free trade among them. We emphasize on the urgent need to put an end to such erroneous policies and measures and to ensure full implementation of the content of the relevant General Assembly resolutions including the one adopted today.