TEHRAN, May 5 (NNN-IRNA) – Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, blamed the U.S. sanctions, for causing negative impact on Iran’s environment, which harms Iranians’ lives and welfare.
Amir Saeid Iravani made the remarks, in a letter to UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and President of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Korosi.
The Iranian diplomat urged the U.S. to lift all its “illegal” sanctions against Iran, which are in contradiction with international law and the UN Charter.
Iravani said that, the U.S. sanctions against Iran have exacerbated the country’s environmental problems, posing risks to the health of Iranian citizens.
He cited that, the U.S. sanctions have been preventing foreign investments in Iran’s environmental projects, blocking the country’s access to modern technologies in the area, and depriving Iranian scientists of engaging in joint environmental research projects abroad.
The Iranian envoy added that, the U.S. coercive measures have “destructive” impacts, by denying Iran’s access to clean energies to minimise the greenhouse gas emission, hindering the implementation of environmental projects, and harming Iranians’ health and welfare.
Iran has been under U.S. sanctions for the past four decades. The sanctions intensified, following the U.S. unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in May, 2018.
Although the U.S. claims that its sanctions do not include humanitarian items and areas, they have in fact negatively impacted Iranians’ lives. Among the disastrous consequences of the U.S. sanctions includes air pollution, particularly during the cold seasons.
On Dec 20, 2022, a group of UN human rights experts announced, “It is no surprise that the Iranian capital, Tehran, is one of the world’s most polluted cities, as U.S. sanctions force people to prolong the use of older vehicles that burn fuel less efficiently, while making it impossible for the country to obtain equipment and technology to reduce vehicle emissions.”– NNN-IRNA
