The message came following the message by Director of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO) Abouzar Ebrahimi Torkaman addressed to world religious leaders, calling on them not to remain indifferent toward the US inhumane sanctions on Iranians, in particular amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The letter reads that "in this Easter season, the central point in the annual church calendar for Christians around the world, and as Muslims approach the holy month of Ramadan, we confront a challenging new reality requiring us to refrain from gathering together in our faith communities, in order to protect ourselves and our societies from illness and harm."
"In this unprecedented situation, we have a special opportunity and responsibility for deep reflection, and for renewal and seeking new beginnings."
Calling the novel coronavirus as the common enemy of humanity everywhere, the letter said that it threatens all people regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, politics or any other human affiliation, discriminating only in the severity of its impact on people and communities already made vulnerable by pre-existing health conditions and poverty.
The letter highlighted that an effective response to the pandemic demands an unprecedented degree of global solidarity and cooperation, special care for the most vulnerable, and swift action to mitigate the conditions which create additional vulnerability.
"In this context, the World Council of Churches (WCC), ACT (Action by Churches Together) Alliance, and the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCCCUSA) share a deep concern for the impact on the people of Iran of the sanctions imposed by the United States," noted the letter.
Iranian public health response to the coronavirus outbreak is severely impeded by the strict sanctions regime imposed on the country unilaterally by the United States since May 2019, resulting in an almost total economic blockade, the letter highlighted.
Iran’s Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Sunday that the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in Iran has risen to 4,474 with 71,686 confirmed cases.
MNA/IRN83747896
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