Iran calls on NAM members to voice opposition to unilateral sanctions

Kazem Gharibabadi, the Iranian Judiciary chief’s deputy for international affairs and secretary of the country’s High Council for Human Rights, made the request on Tuesday in a meeting with the ambassadors and representatives of the NAM member states on the sidelines of the HRC’s 51st regular session in Geneva, which was also attended by Alena Douhan, the United Nations special rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, ISNA reported.

Gharibabadi said opposition to the unilateral coercive measures are in accord with the NAM’s principled positions.

Listing some of the unilateral sanctions’ negative impacts on human rights in Iran, he noted that such coercive measures and over-compliance with them have prepared the ground for the violation of human rights of the Iranian people.



Gharibabadi added that as a consequence of unilateral sanctions, Iranians’ civil, political, economic, social, cultural and development rights have been violated.

He stressed that although Iran is among the countries that have made good investments in the health sector, and is currently capable of producing a large number of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment domestically, the country needs to import raw materials for the production of some rare medicines for certain patients, which is hindered due to foreign companies’ refrainment from selling them.

Gharibabadi regretted that this has seriously endangered Iranian patients’ right to life and health.

Dismissing as a big lie the U.S. claims that humanitarian items, including foodstuffs and medicines, are not included in the list of sanctions on Iran, he said the claim fails to be based on the realities on the ground.

He noted that U.S. sanctions have directly targeted Iran’s main source of income, oil sales, and banking sector, and thus the people’s right to development and welfare.