Copy in clipboard...
Envoy calls on countries to condemn US ‘unilateral coercive measures’
Iran called on governments to reject and condemn the extraterritorial application of US unilateral coercive measures, warning that Washington is seeking to force other states to subordinate their sovereign rights and lawful policies to its demands.
Gholamhossein Darzi, Iran’s deputy UN ambassador, made the appeal at a Security Council session on conflict and food security, a day after the US Treasury announced a new campaign of “economic terrorism” against Iran.
Darzi said the latest measures, together with US actions against Iranian commercial shipping, amount to an effort to impose an economic blockade on Iran and sharply condemned Washington for using trade, food and energy as instruments of pressure, Press TV reported.
“We call on all states to reject and denounce the extraterritorial application of unilateral coercive measures by the United States regime,” Darzi said.
He referred to the measures announced on Aug. 24 by the US Treasury secretary as the “so-called Operation Economic Outcast,” saying the “unlawful measures ... are seeking to impose an economic blockade on brave Iranian people”.
He hit out at Washington for “weaponizing food, energy, trade and access to essential goods as instruments of pressure and warfare,” and said they cannot be justified under the pretext of security or freedom of navigation.
The Iranian envoy said the US measures violate fundamental principles including sovereign equality, non-intervention and freedom of navigation, while also seeking to circumvent responsibilities entrusted to the Security Council under the UN Charter.
Darzi linked the economic campaign to a wider US maritime confrontation with Iran, saying Washington has demonstrated an “utter disregard for international law.”
“The US maritime blockade of Iran, and attacks on Iranian commercial vessels in international waters constitute grave violations of Iran’s sovereignty, freedom of navigation and international law of the sea,” he said.
He cited a US Central Command statement from Aug. 12 saying American forces had redirected 59 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two.