UN expert denounces unjust, harmful’ U.S. sanctions on Iran

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 23 (APP):A United Nations expert has criticized the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran following the withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, saying they are driving “millions of people into poverty.”
The re-imposition of sanctions against Iran after the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, which had been unanimously adopted by the Security Council with the support of the US itself, lays bare the illegitimacy of this action, UN Special Rapporteur Idriss Jazairy said in a statement.
His comments came after the Trump administration earlier this month started reimposing sanctions on the Iranian economy that had been lifted under the nuclear agreement in exchange for curbs on Tehran’s nuclear programme. President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the accord in May.
A second round of penalties targeting Iran’s crude exports is due to come into effect in early November.
“International sanctions must have a lawful purpose, must be proportional, and must not harm the human rights of ordinary citizens, and none of these criteria is met in this case,” Jazairy, who is serving as UN special rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, said.
The current system creates doubt and ambiguity which makes it all but impossible for Iran to import these urgently needed humanitarian goods. This ambiguity causes a chilling effect which is likely to lead to silent deaths in hospitals as medicines run out, while the international media fail to notice, Jazairy said.
Calling the U.S. sanctions “unjust and harmful,” Jazairy said they are “destroying the economy and currency of Iran, driving millions of people into poverty and making imported goods unaffordable,” including “urgently needed humanitarian goods.”
The UN expert urged the United States to “demonstrate its commitment to allow agricultural commodities, food, medicine, and medical devices into Iran by taking real and concrete steps to ensure that banks, financial institutions, and companies can quickly and freely be assured that relevant imports and payments are permitted.
Since becoming the president, Trump has been targeting Iran to increase pressure on Tehran to bring about what he has called a “change in behaviour” regarding its weapons programmes and its alleged “destabilizing” activities in the region. Iran firmly denies those accusations.
White House national-security adviser John Bolton said on August 22 that the United States was not seeking to topple Iran’s government, but said Washington does want authorities in Tehran to change their behaviour.
“Just to be clear, regime change in Iran is not American policy. But what we want is massive change in the regime’s behaviour,” Bolton told a news conference in Israel, according to media reports.
Jazairy, who is an expert on international law from Algeria, added, appeal to the United States to demonstrate its commitment to allow agricultural commodities, food, medicine, and medical devices into Iran by taking real and concrete steps to ensure that banks, financial institutions and companies can quickly and freely be assured that relevant imports and payments are permitted, he said.
The expert applauded efforts by the international community to reject economic bullying. I am grateful for the efforts of the European Union in tackling this injustice, both through diplomatic efforts and through legislation to protect European companies from American sanctions. I sincerely hope that the international community can come together to see that the world does not become a battleground for generalized economic war, Jazairy added.
The expert highlighted the UN Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, which urges States to resolve their differences through dialogue and peaceful relations, and to avoid the use of economic, political or other measures to coerce another State in regard to the exercise of its sovereign rights.
These unilateral sanctions, together with other recent developments led the Expert to warn against the generalization of economic war at the world level.