TEHRAN — Iran’s Judiciary had condemned Washington’s cruel sanctions, which have negatively impacted Iran’s ability to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

During a presser on Tuesday, Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaeili said such measures are a clear violation of international human rights laws, Mehr reported.

Esmaeili referred to Washington’s economic terrorism against Tehran, especially under the current circumstances of the pandemic outbreak, saying, “None of the U.S.’s measures are compatible with human rights.”

Pointing out that everybody with any race, nationality, and language has an equal right to live, he said Washington’s approach amid the new virus outbreak clearly breaches these rights.

“The U.S. moves, including medical embargo, and piracies are a clear sign of discrimination among the humans across the world,” the Judiciary spokesman said. Esmaeili also  said, “although Washington has failed to contain the pandemic in the U.S., the history will never forget such criminal measures.”The U.S. moves, including medical embargo, and piracies are a clear sign of discrimination among the humans across the world,” he said, adding that “although Washington has failed to contain the pandemic in the U.S., the history will never forget such criminal measures in the international arena.”

The U.S. has been accused of hijacking medical supplies in different instances.

Germany has accused Washington of redirecting three million Germany-bound masks for its own use, in a move condemned as "modern piracy".

France has also said while the regional leaders are struggling to secure medical supplies as American buyers outbid them.

Esmaeili urged the international bodies to stand up to the U.S.’s bullying and fulfill their human responsibilities in the current situation.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has also called on the United States government to ease the unjust sanctions against Iran, saying, “The U.S. should take immediate action to ease sanctions and expand licensing of sanctions-exempt items to ensure Iran’s access to essential humanitarian resources during the pandemic.”

The HRW noted that as the burden on the country’s health care system has dramatically increased due to the pandemic, the broad U.S. economic sanctions resulting in severe international banking restrictions have drastically constrained the ability of the country to finance humanitarian imports, including medicines and medical equipment. 

While the U.S. government has built exemptions for humanitarian imports into its sanctions regime, Human Rights Watch research in October 2019 found that in practice, these exemptions have failed to offset the strong reluctance of U.S. and European companies and banks to risk incurring sanctions and legal action by exporting or financing exempted humanitarian goods.

The Human Rights Watch added that under international law, a country or coalition of states enforcing economic sanctions should consider the impact on the human rights of the affected population, especially regarding their access to goods essential to life, including medicines and food.

MH/PA