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US must withdraw sanctions so Iran can combat coronavirus: Analyst

Friday, 28 February 2020 12:37 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 28 February 2020 4:42 PM ]

Rodney Martin

The United States must withdraw sanctions against Iran so it can import the needed medicines and medical equipment to combat the coronavirus, says an American political analyst.

The United States Treasury Department on Thursday granted a license to allow for certain humanitarian trade transactions with Iran’s sanctioned central bank, a move it said was in step with the formalization of a Swiss humanitarian aid channel, according to Reuters.

The Treasury said the newly created channel became fully operational on Thursday as it granted the license, saying that it would allow for companies to send food, medicine and other critical supplies to Iran.

US grants Iran sanctions waiver to ease humanitarian aid via Swiss channel

The United States has issued a license to permit some humanitarian trade transactions to be conducted with Iran

“The Western media continues to be intellectually dishonest with regard to the coronavirus and its spreading infections within the Middle East, as our Western governments and their Islamophobia and racist and anti Iranian policies,” said Rodney Martin, a former congressional staffer based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“While Iran has taken impressive steps in regards to transparency and disclosing to the world, the number of cases of coronavirus in Iran and taking preventive steps via its public health system and medical facilities,” he told Press TV on Thursday.

“There have been no reported cases by the Turkish government or by the UAE both of which are major international flight hubs to and from China. Now, this is intellectually dishonest. It is not credible to think that the two major international flight hubs in the Middle East and Turkey and the UAE have not reported any infections of the coronavirus,” he said.

“In the meantime, Western media is silent on this huge discrepancy, while at the same time engaging in their drumbeat of Islamophobia and anti-Iranian sentiment. The world should condemn the UAE and Turkey for its fake approach, and lack of preventative measures and lack of transparency with regard to the coronavirus, and the world should commend Iran for having been transparent on the international stage and reporting the number of cases and for addressing the issue medically,” he stated.

“This is also a stronger case for the world to condemn and withdraw international sanctions against Iran so it can begin importation of needed medicines and medical equipment to combat this pandemic,” he noted.

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