Crescent International
The Islamic Republic of Iran has condemned the latest round of US sanctions and described them as “an example of state terrorism”.
Iran’s envoy to the United Nations (UN), Majid Takht-Ravanchi denounced America’s move on October 8 evening when the US treasury department blacklisted 18 major Iranian banks–16 of which were targeted for “operating in Iran’s financial sector”.
The US treasury department alleged that one bank was controlled by a sanctioned Iranian bank and another one is affiliated with Iran’s military.
Washington’s aim is to bring Iran to its knees by crippling its economy and imposing severe hardships on ordinary Iranians.
In addition to imposing sanctions on its oil and steel industries, the US has also targeted its banking sector.
The latest sanctions will cut off Iran from all international transactions, even to obtain medicines or food.
While the Europeans have denounced the new round of US sanctions that have no legality, it is unlikely that they would do anything beyond verbal denunciations.
Iran’s UN envoy said Washington’s ‘maximum pressure’ campaign was aimed at creating suffering and social unrest in the country.
This is the classic definition of terrorism.
He made the remark at a meeting of the UN General Assembly’s sixth committee on counter-terrorism on October 8 evening.
“The policy of maximum pressure by the US on Iran is designed to deliberately and indiscriminately target innocent civilians with the aim of creating suffering and hardship, as well as stoking social unrest in accordance with the flawed policy of regime change,” Takht-Ravanchi said.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns terrorism in all its forms, including state terrorism and economic and medical terrorism, which are carried out through unilateral coercive measures,” he added.
Displaying customary hypocrisy, the US Treasury said the sanctions will not apply to transactions for the provision of agricultural commodities, food, medicine or medical devices to Iran.
In practice, however, Iran is unable to import even desperately-needed medicines because of such sanctions.
European banks and companies are unwilling to trade with Iran for fear of being blacklisted by the US.
Many European diplomats have stated quite clearly that US sanctions will have dire humanitarian consequences.
Despite repeated calls from the World Health Organization and the United Nations to lift all such sanctions because of the pandemic, the US has continued to act as a rogue regime.
Visiting death and destruction on other people and states is a long-established US policy.
This is what makes the US a terrorist state and its officials international outlaws that need to be hauled before the International Crimes Court (ICC) to face war crimes charges.
Ambassador Takht-Ravanchi said that terrorizing countries has long been a major global challenge for the international community, as it kills countless innocent people and at the same time leads to devastating consequences for the stability and security of all countries.
Pointing to impact the pandemic has had on the health condition of many communities, the Iranian diplomat said imposition of US laws and regulations with an extraterritorial impact on his country and other countries is, by definition, tantamount to terrorism.
US policies have severely exacerbated general health conditions during the epidemic.
“Coercive measures are a manifestation of structural violence that violates human rights, the right to peace, the right to development, the right to health and, above all, the right to life,” Ambassador Takht-Ravanchi noted.
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has also condemned US sanctions amid the global pandemic.
Last month, he said the Trump regime knows nothing about humanity.
Following the new round of US sanctions, President denounced them as “cruel” and aimed at “sowing terror”.
Donald Trump has become totally unhinged. And he confirmed this yet again on October 13 when he announced that he would not certify Iran’s...
