Imran Khan calls for removal of ‘unjust’ US sanctions against Iran amid COVID-19 outbreak

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has called on the US to remove its “unjust” sanctions against Iran as the country is struggling to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

“I would stress and insist to the international community to lift the sanctions on Iran,” Khan told reporters on Friday.

He added, “It is very unjust they are dealing with such a large outbreak on one side, and on the other they are facing international sanctions.”

Imran Khan’s call echoed an outcry on national and international levels against US sanctions, with Russia, China, as well as different medical organizations and rights groups urging the administration of US President Donald Trump to lift sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Iran’s Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi said on Friday that the total number of infections had reached 19,644 in the country.

“With 149 new deaths in the past 24 hours, the death toll from the virus has reached 1,433. Unfortunately, we had 1,237 new cases since yesterday,” Imran Khan said on state TV.

Raisi also put the number of those so far recovered from the infection at 6,745.

The deputy minister further said that the provinces of Tehran, Isfahan, and Gilan have registered the highest number of cases of infection while 13 provinces have seen a big drop.