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U.S. rebuffs calls to ease sanctions on Iran during pandemic crisis

By Brian E. Muhammad -Contributing Writer- | Last updated: Apr 8, 2020 - 5:31:52 PM

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While the world fights a global pandemic, America is increasing its pressure on Iran. The United States is playing hardball with requests to lift economic sanctions from the Islamic Republic of Iran while the Covid-19 pandemic is sweeping the earth. There is a growing list of leaders, organizations and international bodies calling for the U.S. to soften its position on its geopolitical foe. Some critics see U.S. sanctions as a form of war.

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People in protective clothing walk past rows of beds at a temporary 2,000-bed hospital for COVID-19 coronavirus patients set up by the Iranian army at the International Exhibition Center in northern Tehran, Iran, on March 26. Photo: AP Ebrahim Noroozi

“We think in general, sanctions … as economic warfare,” said Paul Kawika Martin, senior policy director with Peace Action, one of the groups that signed a letter sent to the Trump administration. “They typically affect innocent civilians or those without resources more than they may affect those in power,” said Mr. Martin.

Peace Action is one of the organizations advocating for a suspension of U.S. sanctions during this global emergency. “Right now, we’re facing a worldwide crisis in which virus spreading anywhere is virus spreading everywhere,” reasoned Mr. Martin.

During a coronavirus press briefing on April 2, President Donald Trump said he would assist Iran in getting medical supplies, “if they called,” stopping short of stating the U.S. would ease sanctions. “They haven’t even asked us to do that,” said Mr. Trump. “If they want to meet,” he added, “would love to meet ... to settle the whole thing out.”

But Mr. Trump’s gesture contradicts U.S. airstrikes on Iranian-backed militia sites in Iraq on March 12, another escalation toward war. It also contrasts the new set of sanctions against Iran in mid-March targeting individuals and companies allegedly linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The new sanctions come despite pleas from the world community to ease sanctions at this time and was condemned as counterproductive in a letter signed by 34 U.S. lawmakers to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

“Such a decision is both callous and short-sighted in light of the seriousness of the public health crisis and the shared nature of the threat,” the letter said.

The March 31 letter urged sanctions relief on major sectors of the Iranian economy, including those impacting civilian industries, oil exports and the banking sector. The letter suggested the relief should last as long as health experts believe the crisis will continue. Advocates also suggested the administration consider suspending sanctions in other countries facing outbreaks to reduce human suffering, which the administration has so far rejected.

“Our many disputes with the government of Iran or others should not stand in the way of actions that can materially help innocent people weather a pandemic,” said lawmakers.

The letter also said targeting an economy that supports 80 million people with a ‘maximum pressure’ campaign made it harder for ordinary Iranians. “Pandemics know no borders,” said the letter.

Furthermore, Mr. Trump’s remarks were said one day after the U.S. reached a death toll of 5,116 people and more than 215,000 infected making the U.S. by press time, the highest infected with the most fatalities worldwide.

In Iran as of April 1, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases had reached 47,593 with a death toll of 3,036 and over 15,000 recoveries, according to Kianoush Jahanpour, Iran’s health ministry spokesman. By Final Call press time, Coronavirus related figures continue to mount in both countries.

U.S.-Iranian relations have been hostile since the Islamic Revolution toppled the American-backed shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, in 1979 and ushered in an era of theocracy. Limited relief came in 2015 with a nuclear deal signed between Iran and world powers during the Barack Obama administration. The Trump administration unilaterally quit the deal in 2018 restoring crippling sanctions that made it difficult for Iran to import basic goods like medicine and medical supplies.

Advocates say Iran mitigating the coronavirus is compounded by the sanctions adding to the misery and dire impact of the crisis on the Iranian people. Washington’s “maximum pressure” campaign toward regime change had “drastically constrained” the ability of Iran to finance humanitarian imports, including vital medicines and medical equipment.

In a March 29 tweet, Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister said: The “U.S. has gone from sabotage … assassinations to waging an economic war and economic terrorism … to medical terror amidst #covid-19iran.”

“This is the time when the global community must play its real role to make its loud voice be heard,” Mr. Zarif wrote in a March 30 op-ed. “The global community must come to its senses and help Iran in order to stop the economic, medical and drug terrorism (by the U.S.).”

However, U.S. officials maintain food and medicine are exempted from sanctions. A claim Tehran rejects as a “brazen” lie that in practice has foreign banks—under U.S. pressure—fearful of doing any business with the country.

“The United States maintains broad exceptions and authorizations for humanitarian aid including agriculture commodities, food, medicine, and medical devices to help the people of Iran combat the coronavirus,” said Mr. Mnuchin in a late March statement.

“The Trump administration’s current unwillingness to significantly ease sanctions on Iran during this time of crisis is like rubbing salt into a gaping wound,” said Jamal Abdi, executive director for the National Iranian American Council-Action.

Mr. Abdi said in a statement that the U.S. “must be part of the solution rather than part of the problem,” and “Humanitarian assistance shouldn’t come with strings attached.”

A March 20 letter signed by 40 grassroot and advocacy organizations said easing sanctions is “one simple step” that can be taken against COVID-19. The group called for sanctions being withdrawn for at least 120 days.

The U.S. has also rebuffed calls by United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres who outlined a massive financial aid package to assist developing nations in the Coronavirus fight. Along with the package, Mr. Guterres advocates debt cancellation and suspended sanctions for affected nations.

“These sanctions,” said the secretary general, “should be the ones undermining the capacity to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. These are bilateral sanctions that can be waved. We are talking to countries to consider these suggestions.”

Peace Action contend there is a unique opportunity with the current crisis. The Trump administration says it cares about the Iranian people; it can prove it by suspending sanctions. “Neither the U.S. nor Iran can wage war on this pandemic and each other at the same time.”

Even if there is only concern for Americans without considering the humanitarian issue of innocent people dying abroad because of U.S. sanctions. No country is immune to the virus.

“You don’t want to have countries not being able to deal with the crisis,” said Mr. Martin.