October 05, 2018
A United Nations special rapporteur has railed against the US for re-imposing sanctions on Iran, saying the action is “unjust” and lacks a lawful purpose.
“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,” said UN Special Rapporteur Idriss Jazairy in a statement August 22.
“This illegitimacy was confirmed by the opposition of all other permanent members of the Security Council and indeed of all international partners,” he said, calling the reimposition a “wanton” attack on ordinary citizens as they lacked a lawful purpose and harmed “the human rights of ordinary citizens.”
“These unjust and harmful sanctions are destroying the economy and currency of Iran,” Jazairy stressed, warning the embargoes could risk the supply of medicines and even foodstuffs.
Jazairy, an Algerian, is the special rapporteur on “the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights,” so the use of sanctions comes right up his alley.
He said, “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.”
He highlighted what he called the need for UN member states “to avoid the use of economic, political or other measures to coerce another state in regard to the exercise of its sovereign rights.”
He said, “I 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.”