Iran calls on UN to push for removal of US sanctions on medicine imports

Tehran, Nov 19, IRNA – The president and the head of high council of Iranian Medical Council wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday calling for removal of the US sanctions on Iranian imports of medicine and health services. US President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal with Iran on May 8, arguing it did too little to constrain Tehran’s nuclear program. He imposed two rounds of sanctions on Iran, the second of which came into force earlier this month. In their letter to the UN chief, Iraj Fazel and Mohammad-Reza Zafarqandi said the US unilateral and illegal sanctions on Iran have left destructive impacts on the country’s health sector. Access to medical services is vital to the right to health which is among basic human rights, and all the people are entitled to have access to it, the letter wrote. All countries should refrain from creating any obstacle to people's access to medical and health services, the letter added. The letter called on the UN to find an immediate humanitarian solution to the problem. The US is enforcing new sanctions on Tehran while the UN atomic agency has confirmed, in repeated reports, Iran’s compliance with its commitments under the deal. Other signatories to the pact oppose Washington's move and insist that Iran nuclear deal has to be saved.