US impeding global fight against coronavirus: Zarif

Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Jawad Zarif on Monday slammed the US regime for not heeding a global call on Washington to lift the illegal sanctions on Tehran so that the country can fight the coronavirus outbreak.

According to Press TV, in a Tweet the FM mentioned, “Iranian people appreciate the growing global campaign of government and civil society leaders calling for lifting of illegal US sanctions. US is NOT listening, impeding global fight against COVID-19.”

“The ONLY remedy: DEFY US mass punishment,” he added.

Russia, China, Pakistan as well as different medical organizations and rights groups have called on the US President Donald Trump to lift the illegal sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic.

Iran has called on the United Nations to urge the US to lift the illegal sanctions.

The US regime imposed a new set of illegal sanctions on Wednesday, aimed at the transport of petrochemicals from Iran.

In a message issued to the American people on Friday, President Hassan Rouhani said the "brutal" US sanctions unilaterally imposed on the Iranian nation are robbing a great number of Iranians of health, jobs and sources of income.

"At a time that the Iranian people are harmed by both the deadly coronavirus and the most brutal form of US economic terrorism in history, the US government is not willing to abandon its malicious policy of maximum pressure; and is thus in practice aiding the spread of this virus with its sanctions," he said.

Rouhani urged the American people not to allow the current administration’s hostile attitude toward Iran to tarnish history of their country.

SS