Iran accuses US of conspiring to starve people by targeting channels of food, medicine

After United States anunced fresh sanctions on Iranian banks, Tehran accused Washington of conspiring to starve a population amid a pandemic by blocking remaining channels to pay for food and medicine. Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif took to Twitter to deunce new sweeping sanctions as “latest of cruelties”, adding that culprits and enablers of such acts “will face justice.”

Iranian Central Bank goverr Abdolnaser Hemmati said that some of banks facing sanctions are responsible for transferring resources to buy medicine and food. However, he stressed that though banks have struggled to supply medicine and food due to “maximum pressure”, y have t allowed any short of ways and means to allow a scarcity in essential humanitarian goods.

“Rar than having any ecomic effect, American move is for US domestic propaganda and political purposes, and shows falsity of human rights and humanitarian claims of US leaders,” Hemmati said in a statement.

Read: US Imposes Fresh Sanctions On 18 Iranian Banks To Intensify 'maximum Pressure' Campaign

Read: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Anunces Tougher COVID-19 Restrictions Amid Rising Cases

US on humanitarian goods supply

US Treasury Department has maintained that new set of prohibitions didn’t apply to transaction of humanitarian goods like agricultural commodities, food, medicine or medical devices. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that sanctions will continue until Iran stops its support of terrorist activities and ends its nuclear programs. 

“Today’s actions will continue to allow for humanitarian transactions to support Iranian people,” Mnuchin said in a statement.

US has targeted Iran’s financial sector by anuncing sanctions on 18 major Iranian banks as Washington intensifies its “maximum pressure” campaign ahead of vember elections. US State Department said that new tranche of sanctions was aimed at choking off funds used to carry out “its support for terrorist activities and nuclear extortion.”

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei of igring request of health ministry to increase spending amid public health crisis, and instead funding Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and regime’s Basij forces “that terrorize Iranian people every single day."

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