LETTER: Amid a chaotic economic and political reality in the United States, we are amazed at the world's silence on the US' fresh sanctions on Iran's financial sector.
The US has targeted 18 Iranian banks in an effort to further shut Iran out of the global banking system. This is an obvious violation of human rights and an aggression on the rights of the people of Iran.
The move is state terrorism that aims to destroy the daily livelihoods of civilians, in the hope of stirring up their anger. We are registering our solidarity with Iran to resist the US agenda of imperialism.
The sanction is a crime against the sovereignty of Iran and defies every international and multilateral principle agreed in the Charter of the UN. Washington's ramping up of pressure on Tehran is a form of intimidation to force Iran to surrender. This must be condemned.
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the intentional financial blockade on Iranian banks by the US is also a crime against universal civility and against humanity.
The US Treasury Department targeted the financial sector of the Iranian economy pursuant to Executive Order 13902. By the prohibition, it aims to cut every avenue for any transaction for Iran to get basic needs for its people.
Though it said the prohibition does not apply to transactions for the provision of agricultural commodities, food, medicine or medical devices to Iran, in reality, the US is attacking the livelihood of Iranians.
What right does the US have to impose its sanction and block the financial operations of banks to transact with financial institutions of other countries with Iran? The world and the UN, therefore, cannot stand still at this injustice.
Moreover, the US itself is facing economic meltdown, an unfit president, a chaotic mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic and a regime fighting against its own citizens.
The US is incapable of handling its worst ever economic crisis amid the presidential election. Even Trump is now questioned on his fitness to lead as he had contracted Covid-19.
It is high time that all Muslim nations unite against the hegemonic agenda of Washington.
Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid
President, Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (Mapim)
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times