US Sanctions Hampering Iran’s Fight Against Systematic Crimes

ranian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the International Organizations Kazzem Qaribabadi lashed out at Washington for adopting destructive policies, including unilateral sanctions against Tehran, which obstruct the global campaign against systematic crimes like human trafficking.

Speaking in the meeting of the work group of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, Qaribabadi said unilateral compulsory acts are among the most important impediments for global cooperation in fighting transnational systematic crimes.

He described exploitation of human and trafficking them which is still a bitter reality for many children and women around the world as one the biggest violations of human rights and dignity.

Referring to the fact that aggression, foreign intervention, occupation, war, terrorism, political instability, ethnic cleansing, genocide and unilateral compulsory measures are regarded as cause of homelessness and victimization of people in human trafficking phenomenon and their slavery, he said addressing this challenge is the responsibility of international bodies such as United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Stressing that effective confrontation against such phenomena can be achieved through taking coherent and comprehensive approach like negotiations and cooperation, he noted that finding the roots, preventing, protecting victims, punishing smugglers and participating in all international level should be regarded as pillar of any comprehensive approach in fighting human trafficking.

Qaribabadi said regarding the urgent need for promoting international cooperation through presenting technical assistance and building capacity for fighting human trafficking it is emphasized that presenting training courses and boosting awareness will be essential especially for those who are likely to use smugglers’ services.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Iranian diplomat pointed to Iran’s commitment to prevent and fight with all shapes of smuggling, saying over the recent years, Iran has taken major strides in national, regional and international levels in fighting human trafficking.

He noted that in international level, Iran is member of some international conventions and has signed separate MoUs with International Organization for Migration and International Labor Organization for reinforcing its bodies in fighting human trafficking.

Qaribabadi alluded to efforts made in fighting human trafficking, saying Iran believes that unilateral compulsory measures are against international regulations, some UN resolutions, prevent allocating resources for fighting human trafficking and hamper international cooperation.

Such illegal choices which are regarded as economic terrorism prevent rendering technical aids for effective confrontation against human trafficking.

Iran considers as harmful, unilateral illegal sanctions for showing collective reaction to transnational crimes such as human trafficking and expresses its deep concern over the negative impacts of compulsory illegal acts on the domination of the rule of law in all levels, he noted.

Washington’s unilateral sanctions against Tehran began in November 2018, five months after US President Donald Trump withdrew from an international deal on Iran’s nuclear program.

Claiming that the bans were working properly, Trump tightened them in May, turning deaf ear to international condemnations and calls for attentions to Iran’s cancer patients who do not have access to needed medications because of Washington’s measures.

Fars News Agency