TEHRAN - Nathan Tarcov, a professor at the University of Chicago, has said that it is essential to remove sanctions against Iran.

“The United Nations’ high commission has called for re-evaluation of sanctions given the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. However, it had no result,” Tarcov told ILNA in an interview published on Tuesday.

He noted that the United States claims sanctions do not include humanitarian aid and medical equipment.

“But, this issue is complicated. Sanctions have affected Iran’s interaction and have made problems for the Iranians in meeting their needs,” the professor stated.

In a letter to Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on May 6, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the United States’ “illegal sanctions” against Iran hamper fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

“Russia constantly notes illegal nature of the United States’ unilateral sanctions on Iran. We have always called on the United States to remove the sanctions and stop obstructing fight against the coronavirus,” Lavrov stated.

The chief Russian diplomat also urged the European countries not to be afraid of the U.S. threats and continue interaction with Iranian partners.

“Our persistent and coordinated diplomacy with like-minded countries will bring about certain results. In his letter to heads of G20 countries, [Antonio] Guterres, the UN Secretary General, urged removal of sanctions.  Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner, has made criticisms regarding the human rights,” Lavrov stated.

In a letter to the G-20 economic powers on March 24, Guterres called for rolling back international sanctions regimes around the world. 

Guterres said sanctions are heightening the health risks for millions of people and weakening the global effort to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, Foreign Policy reported.

“I am encouraging the waiving of sanctions imposed on countries to ensure access to food, essential health supplies, and COVID-19 medical support. This is the time for solidarity, not exclusion,” he said.

“Let us remember that we are only as strong as the weakest health system in our interconnected world,” the UN chief said.

Bachelet also said on March 24 that “in a context of a global pandemic, impeding medical efforts in one country heightens the risk for all of us.”

“At this crucial time, both for global public health reasons, and to support the rights and lives of millions of people in these countries, sectoral sanctions should be eased or suspended,” she said in a statement.

Renowned American scholar Noam Chomsky has said it is “sheer sadism” that the United States maintains sanctions on Iran during the coronavirus pandemic.

“The sanctions are illegitimate in the first place, and maintaining them during the pandemic is sheer sadism,” Chomsky told IRNA in an interview published on May 2.

Speaking from his office in self-isolation to Croatian philosopher and author Srecko Horvat in April, Chomsky blasted U.S. President Donald Trump for continuing sanctions on Iran.

“When the U.S. imposes devastating sanctions – it’s the only country that can do that, everyone has to follow ... the master. Or else they are kicked out the financial system,” said Chomsky, according to Aljazeera.

NA/PA