The joint statement was read out by Director-General for International Legal Affairs at Iran’s Foreign Ministry Abbas Bagherpour Ardekani during the 13th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC, also called the Palermo Convention) in the Austrian capital of Vienna on Wednesday.
“The states that are adopting, imposing, maintaining, or promulgating unilateral coercive measures shall be held accountable for the tragic consequences of such illegal and illegitimate actions,” the seven countries said in their statement.
Expressing deep concerns about and strong opposition to cruel sanctions, particularly those with extraterritorial effects, they also stressed that such bans are contrary to the UN Charter and international law.
They added that unilateral coercive measures constitute a clear interference in the sovereign affairs of states and undermine multilateralism and international cooperation.
Illegal sanctions undermine countries’ ability to combat transnational organized crime by restricting their access to financial services, essential equipment, technology, technical assistance and capacity-building programs, they warned.
Meanwhile, the seven countries stressed that secondary sanctions and the over-compliance of financial institutions with those restrictions have created additional obstacles to judicial cooperation and the implementation of national and regional plans to combat organized crime.
They also called for the immediate, complete and unconditional lifting of unilateral coercive measures.
Additionally, the signatories to the statement warned that the continued imposition of illegitimate sanctions has devastating and sometimes fatal consequences as they exacerbate humanitarian and economic crises while jeopardizing food, energy and financial security in the affected countries.
They further urged all states to refrain from recognizing or enforcing unilateral coercive measures and take the necessary legal and administrative steps to counter their extraterritorial effects.
Iran has been subject to oppressive American sanctions since 1979, after the Islamic Revolution overthrew the US-backed monarchical regime of the time.
Over the past years, Washington has approved other restrictive measures against Iran. Under US pressure, the United Nations, the European Union, and other countries have also imposed inhumane sanctions on the nation, citing false accusations.
