US Deputy Treasury Secretary admits drug sanctions on Iran

Following inflicting pain on Iranian public in food and drugs paucity due to US and EU sanctions, David Cohen emphasized that Iranian public was not intended to be targeted by sanctions. Cohen, who was talking to BBC, reacted to the claims by some international banks on the fact that due to sanctions and complex process of interactions with Iran, international banks are reluctant to any cooperation with Iran, and so, Iranian private sector faces significant difficulties opening credit accounts to import drugs from the abroad. “The paucity of drugs in Iran has been highly overstated,” he said, adding that “Iran tries- I believe- to aggrandize what is totally manageable.”

Drugs paucity is only one implication of sanctions by US and UN on Iran, and despite claims on exemption of food and drugs from sanctions, analysts have warned that Iran’s capabilities to purchase such goods have highly been limited.

Cohen answered the question that “does the Treasury believe that, although not desirable for US, Iranian public should pay the price for Iran’s government decisions?” with “drug imports has decreased, and no doubt that part of this decrease can be attributed to the lack of willingness by financial institutions to trade with Iran, but this is a drawback of Iran’s actions, and we are not to blame.”

He also admitted that drug import pathways to Iran have been straitened, and indirectly rejected Ashton’s claim. “Our assessment is that yet there are some reliable pathways to trade food, drugs, and medical facilities for Iran, but perhaps more restricted compared to last 5 years, however they are open,” he added.

A reporter asked Cohen the question that “you admit that drugs sanction on Iran has worked well, yet you believe current pathways enough for a drug trade to Iran. But from an Iranian patient point of view, these pathways are not enough; those searching drugs for their dear ones, do not rely on your warranty. Did not you think that US should help the neediest in terms of especial drugs?”

Cohen circumvented the reporter’s question with proposing the impossible demands by the west, saying that he thought that the best solution would be eliminating all sanctions. On the question that what would be done to prevent an Iranian public punishment, and, so long as Iranian nuclear problem is unsolved, mortality of Iranian people due to the lack of drugs will become a reality, and “do you think that it is normal?” Cohen said that US would not be indifferent to implications of drug sanctions on Iran. “As said before, our purpose is not to pose expenses to Iranian public,” he added.

Iranian persistence on having peaceful nuclear energy sources, US and its allies have put sanctions on Iran, which has specifically targeted Iranian public. Food and drug sanctions and sanctions on civilian passenger jets facilities have caused the death of many Iranians.

SH/MR
MNA
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