Iran Blasts US for Blocking Humanitarian Aids to Flood-Hit People

TEHRAN (defapress)- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi blasted the US government for its restrictive measures that are troubling the relief efforts in aid of flood-stricken people across Iran.

News ID: 76569

Date: 02 April 2019 - 21:28

"The US has banned the financial accounts of Iran Red Crescent and such measures have troubled the relief efforts targeting the victims of the recent floods across the country," Qassemi said.

He reiterated that since all the accounts of the Iranian Red Crescent Society have been frozen [by the US], no one can send financial aid from overseas.

The flash rains began in Northern provinces of Iran on March 28 and continued on the following days in other provinces. At least 25 provinces have been struggling with floods during the Nowruz holidays that mark the New Year in Iran.

Official reports in Iran say that 46 people have been killed so far in the recent unprecedented floods across the country.

"46 People have been killed in the country so far (in the floods), 21 of them in the first few minutes of the flood incident in Shiraz," Health Minister Saeed Namaki announced in the flooded Khuzestan province in Southern Iran on Monday afternoon.

He also said that the vacation leave of all presidents of medical universities across the country have been cancelled and they should be on alert for aiding the flood-hit people if the need arises.

In relevant remarks on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blasted US President Donald Trump for his hostile attitude towards the Islamic Republic, and said that the new round of unilateral sanctions imposed by Washington against Tehran is an act of economic terrorism.

"@realDonaldTrump's maximum pressure—flouting UNSC Res 2231 & ICJ ruling—is impeding aid efforts by IranianRedCrescent to all communities devastated by unprecedented floods. Blocked equipment includes relief choppers," Zarif wrote on his Twitter page.

"This isn't just economic warfare; it's economic TERRORISM," the Iranian foreign minister added.

Unprecedented heavy rains caused floods in various parts of Iran over the past two weeks. Scores of people were killed and injured and a large number were displaced across Iran.

In relevant remarks earlier, Head of Shemiranat Red Crescent Society Hassan Farahani in meeting with Norwegian envoy to Iran Lars Nordrum alluded to sanctions which made difficult the process of sending international aids to Iran's Red Crescent Society.

"Sanctions have increased pressure on people, specially those who were damaged in incidents," Farahani said.

Also last week, Zarif underlined that Trump is doing his best to make believe that his policies vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic have not failed, reiterating that the people of Iran will never bow to sanctions and pressures.

"Trump is grasping at every straw to portray his failed policies on Tehran as a success," Zarif said.

The Iranian foreign minister stressed that Iranians will never succumb to pressures.

"The Only thing proven is that he (Turmp) rejoices over the misery that he thinks he has imposed on ordinary Iranians. Like his predecessors, he will learn that Iranians never submit to pressure," Zarif said in a post on his Twitter account on Sunday.

Trump has been pursuing a "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran by using economic sanctions to choke the country’s income sources.

The US president withdrew his country from the multilateral Iran nuclear agreement on May 8, 2018.

In November, the Trump administration announced the re-imposition of the “toughest” sanctions ever against Iran's banking and energy sectors with the aim of cutting off the country's oil sales and crucial exports.

The first round of American sanctions took effect in August, targeting Iran's access to the US dollar, metals trading, coal, industrial software, and auto sector.

In February 2019, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the Iranian nation would stand firm in the face of an “economic” and “psychological” war being waged by the United States against the Islamic Republic.

"Washington is targeting the Iranian nation with an economic, propaganda and psychological war," President Rouhani said addressing a cabinet meeting in Tehran.

President Rouhani's remarks came after Zarif said all US plots against the Islamic Republic have failed thanks to the nation’s steadfastness in the face of Washington’s pressure tactics that have always proved to have reverse outcomes for the US.

"It is necessary for all those friends who are pursuing Iran’s foreign policy to realize that we owe everything to these people. Our attitude towards security is based on domestic development and progress, and the more they exert pressure on us, the more we will rely on the nation," Zarif added.

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