Iran Says US Sanctions Make It Difficult For Them To Get A Vaccine For COVID-19

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the sanctions imposed by the United States (US) had made it difficult for Iran to buy medicines and medical supplies from abroad. The difficulties in question include obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine needed to contain the worst outbreak in the Middle East.

Citing AP News, Thursday, December 10, President Donald Trump's administration has unilaterally imposed sanctions that cripple Iran's banking sector and its vital oil and gas industry. This has been done since the US withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.

But the United States insists medicine and humanitarian goods are exempt from sanctions. Trade restrictions are making many banks and companies around the world hesitant about doing business with Iran for fear of US punishment. Iran has also been cut off from the international banking system making it difficult to transfer payments.

"Our people have to know that for whatever action we plan to import drugs, vaccines and equipment, we have to curse Trump hundreds of times," Rouhani said.

Rouhani said that even simple transactions to buy drugs from other countries were extremely difficult and took weeks to transfer funds. The Iranian president also said the authorities are still doing what they can to buy vaccines from abroad.

The Iranian government hopes to give vaccines to individuals at high risk of COVID-19 as soon as possible. Last week Iran said it was working on its own vaccine, with testing on human patients expected to begin in January 2021.

Still, Iran plans to buy 20 million doses of vaccine from abroad for a population of more than 80 million people. Iran has reported more than 50,000 deaths from COVID-19 with more than one million confirmed cases.

The authorities are reluctant to impose the types of lockdown measures taken in other countries. Partly because of concern that it will further exacerbate an already dire economic crisis.

US sanctions have contributed to the plunge in the Iranian currency in recent years. This caused the price of basic goods to soar and wiped out much of the life savings of Iranians.

Throw sanctions at each other

The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, December 9 imposed sanctions on the US ambassador to Yemen, Christopher Henzel for his alleged assistance in organizing and providing financial and weapons support to the Saudi-led coalition. The coalition is waging war in Yemen against the Houthis.

Under the move, which is primarily symbolic, Henzel would be denied an Iran visa, if he ever applied for one. He is also prohibited from having accounts at Iranian banks and financial institutions and from conducting financial transactions with Iranian entities.

On Tuesday, December 8, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Iran's envoys for Yemen's Houthi rebels, Hasan Irlu, and Iran's Al-Mustafa International University. This is because they are considered to be recruiting fighters for the Revolutionary Guards to spark instability in Yemen and Syria.

Iran and the US support opposing sides in the Yemen conflict. In August, Iran imposed similar symbolic sanctions on Richard Goldberg, a former hawkish expert on the White House National Security Council. In 2017, Iran sanctioned 15 US companies for their alleged support for Israel, terrorism and repression in the Middle East.