[rad-green] Weaponizing Coronavirus: Despite One of World's Worst Outbreaks of Deadly Virus, US Hits Iran With 'Brutal' New Sanctions
"Sid Shniad" (via rad-green Mailing List) <[email protected]> Wed, 18 Mar 2020 15:44:15 -0700
| Newsgroups | gmane.politics.communism.environmental |
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| Message-ID | <CACKppcy5WA3KswtVzgoFCeJsUyvdX4d0QFZ3uc7wKYqnJi3FQg@mail.gmail.com> |
This is a multi-part message in MIME format... ------------=_1584571489-7785-145723 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000007c62aa05a128cb88" --0000000000007c62aa05a128cb88 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable *https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/03/18/literally-weaponizing-coronav= irus-despite-one-worlds-worst-outbreaks-deadly-virus-us <https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/03/18/literally-weaponizing-coronav= irus-despite-one-worlds-worst-outbreaks-deadly-virus-us>Common Dreams March 18, 2020'Literally Weaponizing Coronavirus': Despite One of World's Worst Outbreaks of Deadly Virus, US Hits Iran With 'Brutal' New Sanctions"As Iranians are ravaged by the coronavirus, the U.S. is complicit in their death. This is a crime against humanity."by Julia Conley, staff writer* *General view of a hospital where health officers, wearing masks and special protective suits, take care of a patient infected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) at a hospital in Tehran, Iran on March 02, 2020. (Photo: Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)* "How evil and heartless can this government get?" peace activist Medea Benjamin asked Wednesday after the State Department announced it would impose new sanctions on Iran as the country faces one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the world. The move by the U.S. government flew in the face of demands from advocacy groups and the Iranian government to suspend sanctions to ensure Iranians can access life-saving medication and supplies. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced <https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/488208-us-slaps-new-sanctions-= on-iran-amid-renewed-rocket-attacks-in-iraq> the U.S. will introduce fresh sanctions on nine entities and three individuals who the U.S. says provide the Iranian government with revenue, in order to "deprive the regime of critical income from its petrochemical industry and further Iran's economic and diplomatic isolation." The move follows rocket attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq, which the Trump administration claims were linked to Iran-backed forces. Benjamin, co-founder of the anti-war group CODEPINK, called the State Department's move "unconscionable." "Pure evil," wrote <https://twitter.com/BenjaminNorton/status/1240040484418064384>journalist Ben Norton. "This is Nazi behavior." Iran is one of the hardest-hit countries in the world by the coronavirus pandemic. More than 17,300 people <https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/world/coronavirus-maps.html?actio= n=3Dclick&pgtype=3DArticle&state=3Ddefault&module=3Dstyln-coronavirus&varia= nt=3Dshow®ion=3DTOP_BANNER&context=3Dstoryline_menu> had tested positive for the respiratory disease at press time, and more than 1,100 have died. Under normal circumstances, U.S. sanctions on Iran=E2=80=94which were last strengthened last year=E2=80=94have kept people in the country from accessi= ng medication as well as raising prices on food and rent. As Iran faces the coronavirus outbreak, however, the impacts of the sanctions have been heightened, as Iran is left <https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/03/17/coronavirus-death-toll-contin= ues-rise-iran-global-calls-mount-us-lift-immoral>without sufficient testing kits, ventilators, antiviral medicine, and other life-saving supplies. As the death toll in Iran rose Wednesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted that the U.S. "should not be contributing to this humanitarian disaster." On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called the United States' refusal to lift sanctions "medical terrorism," as CODEPINK called on European countries to disregard the sanctions. The imposition of fresh sanctions as the country battles the outbreak amounts to the U.S. "literally weaponizing the coronavirus," said <https://twitter.com/arjunsethi81/status/1240307992551096325> human rights lawyer Arjun Sethi. Assal Rad, research fellow at the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), said the new sanctions would make the U.S. "complicit" in the deaths of an untold number of Iranians, while Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute accused the Trump administration of "inhumanity." Benjamin called on Americans to loudly reject the new sanctions, circulating a petition on social media. "Are we, the American people, really going to stand by and watch as the U.S. administration makes it more and more difficult for Iranians to=E2=80=94literally=E2=80=94breathe?" Benjamin wrote. "Adding even more sa= nctions today is immoral and wicked." --=20 ---=20 You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "= Sid-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an e= mail to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/= sid-l/CACKppcy5WA3KswtVzgoFCeJsUyvdX4d0QFZ3uc7wKYqnJi3FQg%40mail.gmail.com. --0000000000007c62aa05a128cb88 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default"><b><font face=3D"georgia, ser= if" color=3D"#000000"><a href=3D"https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/03/= 18/literally-weaponizing-coronavirus-despite-one-worlds-worst-outbreaks-dea= dly-virus-us" target=3D"_blank">https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/03/1= 8/literally-weaponizing-coronavirus-despite-one-worlds-worst-outbreaks-dead= ly-virus-us</a><br><br><font size=3D"4">Common Dreams=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 March 18, 2020</font><br><br><font size=3D"6">'Literally = Weaponizing Coronavirus': Despite One of World's Worst Outbreaks of= Deadly Virus, US Hits Iran With 'Brutal' New Sanctions</font><br><= br><font size=3D"4">"As Iranians are ravaged by the coronavirus, the U= .S. is complicit in their death. This is a crime against humanity."</f= ont><br><br><font size=3D"4">by Julia Conley, staff writer</font></font></b= ></div><div class=3D"gmail_default"><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"= #000000"><br></font><div style=3D"font-size:17px;box-sizing:inherit"><div s= tyle=3D"box-sizing:inherit"><div style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"><div style=3D= "box-sizing:inherit"><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif"><img s= rc=3D"https://www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_large/publ= ic/headlines/gettyimages-1204807196_1.jpg?itok=3DYR0uvX-n" width=3D"472" he= ight=3D"247" alt=3D"" style=3D"box-sizing:inherit;border:0px;margin-right:0= px"></font></div></div></div></div><div style=3D"font-size:12px;box-sizing:= inherit;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-siz= e:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-cl= ip:initial;padding:5px 10px"><div style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"><div style= =3D"box-sizing:inherit"><p style=3D"box-sizing:inherit;margin:0px"><font co= lor=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif"><b style=3D"background-color:rgb(25= 5,255,255)">General view of a hospital where health officers, wearing masks= and special protective suits, take care of a patient infected by the coron= avirus (COVID-19) at a hospital in Tehran, Iran on March 02, 2020. (Photo: = Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)</b></font></p></div></div>= </div><div style=3D"font-size:17px;box-sizing:inherit"><div style=3D"box-si= zing:inherit"><div style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"><div style=3D"box-sizing:in= herit"><p style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"geor= gia, serif">"How evil and heartless can this government get?" pea= ce activist Medea Benjamin asked Wednesday after the State Department annou= nced it would impose new sanctions on Iran as the country faces one of the = worst coronavirus outbreaks in the world.</font></p><p style=3D"box-sizing:= inherit"><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif">The move by the U.= S. government flew in the face of demands from advocacy groups and the Iran= ian government to suspend sanctions to ensure Iranians can access life-savi= ng medication and supplies.</font></p><p style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"><font= face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">Secretary of State Mike Pompeo= =C2=A0<a href=3D"https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/488208-us-slap= s-new-sanctions-on-iran-amid-renewed-rocket-attacks-in-iraq" style=3D"box-s= izing:inherit;background:0px 0px;text-decoration-line:none" target=3D"_blan= k">announced</a>=C2=A0the U.S. will introduce fresh sanctions on nine entit= ies and three individuals who the U.S. says provide the Iranian government = with revenue, in order to "deprive the regime of critical income from = its petrochemical industry and further Iran's economic and diplomatic i= solation."</font></p><p style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"><font color=3D"#0= 00000" face=3D"georgia, serif">The move follows rocket attacks on U.S. forc= es in Iraq, which the Trump administration claims were linked to Iran-backe= d forces.</font></p><p style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"><font color=3D"#000000"= face=3D"georgia, serif">Benjamin, co-founder of the anti-war group CODEPIN= K, called the State Department's move "unconscionable."</font= ></p><div align=3D"center" style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"></div><p style=3D"b= ox-sizing:inherit"><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">"Pu= re evil,"=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://twitter.com/BenjaminNorton/status/12= 40040484418064384" style=3D"box-sizing:inherit;background:0px 0px;text-deco= ration-line:none" target=3D"_blank">wrote=C2=A0</a>journalist Ben Norton. &= quot;This is Nazi behavior."</font></p><p style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"= ><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">Iran is one of the hardest= -hit countries in the world by the coronavirus=C2=A0pandemic.=C2=A0<a href= =3D"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/world/coronavirus-maps.html?ac= tion=3Dclick&pgtype=3DArticle&state=3Ddefault&module=3Dstyln-co= ronavirus&variant=3Dshow&region=3DTOP_BANNER&context=3Dstorylin= e_menu" style=3D"box-sizing:inherit;background:0px 0px;text-decoration-line= :none" target=3D"_blank">More than 17,300 people</a>=C2=A0had tested positi= ve for the respiratory disease at press time, and more than 1,100 have died= .=C2=A0</font></p><p style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"><font color=3D"#000000" f= ace=3D"georgia, serif">Under normal circumstances, U.S. sanctions on Iran= =E2=80=94which were last strengthened last year=E2=80=94have kept people in= the country from accessing medication as well as raising prices on food an= d rent.=C2=A0</font></p><p style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"><font face=3D"georg= ia, serif" color=3D"#000000">As Iran faces the coronavirus outbreak, howeve= r, the impacts of the sanctions have been heightened, as Iran is<a href=3D"= https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/03/17/coronavirus-death-toll-continu= es-rise-iran-global-calls-mount-us-lift-immoral" style=3D"box-sizing:inheri= t;background:0px 0px;text-decoration-line:none" target=3D"_blank">=C2=A0lef= t=C2=A0</a>without sufficient testing kits, ventilators, antiviral medicine= , and other life-saving supplies.</font></p><p style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"= ><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif">As the death toll in Iran = rose Wednesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted that the U.S. "sho= uld not be contributing to this humanitarian disaster."</font></p><div= align=3D"center" style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"></div><p style=3D"box-sizing= :inherit"></p><div style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"></div><p style=3D"box-sizin= g:inherit"><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif">On Tuesday, Iran= ian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called the United States' refusal to l= ift sanctions "medical terrorism," as CODEPINK called on European= countries to disregard the sanctions.</font></p><p style=3D"box-sizing:inh= erit"><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">The imposition of fre= sh sanctions as the country battles the outbreak amounts to the U.S. "= literally weaponizing the coronavirus,"=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://twitte= r.com/arjunsethi81/status/1240307992551096325" style=3D"box-sizing:inherit;= background:0px 0px;text-decoration-line:none" target=3D"_blank">said</a>=C2= =A0human rights lawyer=C2=A0Arjun Sethi.</font></p><p style=3D"box-sizing:i= nherit"><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif">Assal Rad, research= fellow at the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), said the new sanct= ions would make the U.S. "complicit" in the deaths of an untold n= umber of Iranians, while Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute accused the Tr= ump administration of "inhumanity."</font></p><div align=3D"cente= r" style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"></div><div align=3D"center" style=3D"box-si= zing:inherit"></div><p style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"><font color=3D"#000000"= face=3D"georgia, serif">Benjamin called on Americans to loudly reject the = new sanctions, circulating a petition on social media.</font></p><div align= =3D"center" style=3D"box-sizing:inherit"></div><p style=3D"box-sizing:inher= it"><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif">"Are we, the Ameri= can people, really going to stand by and watch as the U.S. administration m= akes it more and more difficult for Iranians to=E2=80=94literally=E2=80=94b= reathe?" Benjamin wrote. "Adding even more sanctions today is imm= oral and wicked."</font></p></div></div></div></div></div></div> <p></p> -- <br /> <br /> --- <br /> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups &= quot;Sid-l" group.<br /> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an e= mail to <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">sid-l+unsubsc= [email protected]</a>.<br /> To view this discussion on the web visit <a href=3D"https://groups.google.c= om/d/msgid/sid-l/CACKppcy5WA3KswtVzgoFCeJsUyvdX4d0QFZ3uc7wKYqnJi3FQg%40mail= .gmail.com?utm_medium=3Demail&utm_source=3Dfooter">https://groups.google.co= m/d/msgid/sid-l/CACKppcy5WA3KswtVzgoFCeJsUyvdX4d0QFZ3uc7wKYqnJi3FQg%40mail.= gmail.com</a>.<br /> --0000000000007c62aa05a128cb88-- ------------=_1584571489-7785-145723 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Disposition: inline Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit --- To unsubscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> List help: <https://riseup.net/lists> ------------=_1584571489-7785-145723--