Iran protests to UN over new US sanctions, says measures aim to harm civilians

Iran protested to the United Nations on Friday over the latest sanctions imposed by the US government, calling the measures “extremely dangerous” and aiming to harm civilians.

Iran’s UN Ambassador Mohammad Khazaei said in a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that “continuation of this awkward (US) policy is extremely dangerous and will never serve to the maintenance of international peace and security.”


The protest was made one day after the US government banned dealings with the national airline Iran Air and a port operator owned by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Both were accused of involvement in banned weapons and technology transfers helping Iran’s nuclear program.

Iran faces four rounds of UN sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment. Tehran denies Western allegations that it is trying to build a nuclear bomb.

The US government “has sought recourse to a set of untrue and void allegations against my country in order to justify its unfair treatment towards the Iranian people,” the ambassador said in the letter, part of which was released by the Iranian mission.

“There is no doubt that the main purpose of such an unrealistic and hostile policy is to affect the lives of the entire Iranian population” and breached international law on harming civilians populations, Mr. Khazaei said.
AFP