Araghchi: U.S. and Allies’ Sanctions Are Crimes Against Humanity

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said today (Wednesday, August 12): “The time has come for inhumane sanctions, imposed by the United States and its allies, to be recognized as crimes against humanity.”

Referring to the claims made by Western countries in justifying the sanctions they impose on other nations, he said: “Western regimes have always claimed that sanctions are a bloodless alternative to war.”

The Foreign Minister then posed the question: “What is the reality?” He answered: “A recent study published in the reputable journal The Lancet shows that unilateral sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States, can be as deadly as war.”

The head of the diplomatic apparatus noted: “Since the 1970s, more than 500,000 people have died annually as a result of sanctions; and the primary victims have been children and the elderly.”

On the social media platform X, he wrote: “The time has come for these inhumane sanctions, imposed by the United States and its allies, to be recognized as crimes against humanity.”

He added: “Countries under sanctions must respond to this organized injustice through coordinated efforts, acting in unity and collectively.”