TEHRAN — Even if the Iranian authorities have done non-understandable mistakes in their attempts to control the coronavirus, it is clear that the U.S. sanctions are dramatically worsening the country’s possibilities to counter the pandemic, according to a history professor.

“This is particularly visible in the importation of drugs and medical equipment,” said Tuomo Melasuo, a professor in political history at the University of Turku, in an interview with ILNA published on Monday.

Melasuo said due to the U.S. sanctions and the coronavirus pandemic, Iran has found itself in a more and more difficult situation.

Thus, in this health care situation, the U.S. sanctions have no justification whatsoever, he remarked. “They are simply irresponsible, illegal, and even counterproductive. In the world coming after the corona pandemic, the international community could consider pursuing the USA the same way as certain regimes were treated in war crime special court after the Second World War.”

He also criticized the United States’ policies toward West Asia, citing the Iranian and Palestinian issues as examples.

The U.S. policies “have been and still are very immature as well as dangerous and even counter-productive at the same time.”

“There have been sanctions against Iran because of its nuclear program at least already since 2007,” he remarked. “During all these years the sanctions have had a negative impact on civil society and on the public health in Iran. I recall that some of my Iranian friends here in Finland were worried about the health of their parents and that they sent drugs to their elderly parents in the country.”

Asked why U.S. President Donald Trump is not willing to ease the sanctions despite international requests, he said it is clear that the sanctions are illegal because they do not respect the UN Security Council resolutions.

“In reality, the congressmen have no impact on Mr. Trump because the only thing he is worried about is his re-election in November 2020. This situation is, of course, a proof that there are many problems in the U.S. political culture and especially political system.”

The professor added that the inhabitants of the U.S. should seriously consider making an important reform of their Constitution that starts to be a little bit old, outdated, and “retarded”.

On the possibility of war, Melasuo said everything is possible because Trump is unpredictable. “Let us hope that there are some civilized people in his vicinity, if not in Washington DC, and then maybe in California, Mexico, or Canada, who could advise him that the best way to lose the elections is a war with Iran.”

He concluded, “A real full-scale war between these two countries would be a catastrophe for both of them, but also to the entire Middle East and to the whole Euro-Mediterranean community.”

MH/PA