TEHRAN – An Iranian diplomat has warned of the severe consequences of sanctions on civilians, especially women and children, urging an end to unilateral sanctions on countries.
Speaking before a UN Security Council meeting on protection of civilians and ensuring their security and dignity in conflict, Iran’s deputy representative to the United Nations Zahra Ershadi said lifting unilateral sanctions will ensure that critical assistance reaches those in need without unnecessary delays or limitations.
She warned that illegal sanctions hamper healthcare systems and humanitarian organizations, restricting access to medical supplies and impeding aid delivery.
Ershadi said warring parties to a conflict should refrain from attacking civilian objects such as food supplies, water sources, and hospitals.
“Under international humanitarian law, all parties to a conflict are required to ensure that civilians have access to essential goods and services, including food and medical care.”
She pointed to the “critical” situation in the Middle East, saying terrorism, occupation, illegal unilateral acts, and the presence of illegal foreign forces continue to wreak havoc on civilians and their infrastructure.
Ershadi said a UN document showed a worrying increase in civilian deaths, with at least 16,988 recorded across 12 conflicts, marking a 53 percent rise compared to the previous year.
The report also highlights the persistent and devastating effects of armed conflicts on food security which has caused continued hunger in many regions, she said.
“These alarming statistics underline the urgent need for concerted efforts to address the impact of armed conflicts on food security and protect civilian populations,” Ershadi added.
She also said the occupying regime of Israel is systematically violating the rights of Palestinians in the occupied territories through constant oppressive, expansionist, and apartheid practices.
According to the UN report, she said, last year witnessed the highest number of Palestinian civilian fatalities in the West Bank since 2005.
Ershadi described the situation in Gaza as “deeply distressing” because it has effectively become the “world’s largest prison.”
She said unilateral U.S. and European sanctions on Syria and the plundering of Syrian natural resources by illegal foreign forces have had a negative impact on the humanitarian situation in the country.