Tehran: Unilateral coercive measures impede Syria’s reconstruction efforts

Iran’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi has renewed Iran’s condemnation of the unilateral coercive measures imposed by western countries on Syria while these countries continue at the same time to claim that they are interested in the humanitarian situation in the country.

During a Security Council meeting on Friday, Ravanchi said that continued unilateral sanctions have impeded Syria’s reconstruction efforts, hampered humanitarian aid delivery in various ways and even delayed the return of refugees and the displaced.

He pointed out that conflict, foreign intervention, terrorism, and occupation have wreaked havoc on the Syrian people for over a decade and unilateral sanctions have also exacerbated the economic and humanitarian crisis in Syria in recent years.

 These illegal measures have also hampered the Syrian government’s ability to achieve economic and social stability and improve the living conditions of Syrians, he pointed out.

It is irresponsible, immoral, and illegal under international law to use unilateral sanctions to starve Syrian civilians, Ravanchi said, reiterating that these illegal and disruptive measures must immediately end.

He affirmed the importance of cooperation between the Syrian government and the United Nations as well as numerous humanitarian organizations in providing humanitarian aid to the Syrian citizens and in preventing aid deliveries from ending up in the hands of the terrorist groups.

Hamda Mustafa