Trump Says He Has No Moral Duty to Ease Iran Sanctions amid Coronavirus Pandemic

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump said his country no “moral responsibility” to halt Iran sanctions if Tehran does not ask for it to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

"No, no, no, they didn't even ask me about it," Trump said on Thursday during a press briefing of the White House Coronavirus Task Force when asked if he had a "moral responsibility" to lift the sanctions.

He added that he would only consider “helping” Iran if “they asked”, which will actually never happen.

Despite repeated calls by Iran, US officials have refused to lift draconian sanctions harming Iran's efforts to contain the coronavirus while simultaneously claiming readiness to “aid Iranians” if “they ask”.

Iranian authorities dismissed Trump’s offer as hypocritical “words without action” and urged the international community to act against Washington’s “economic terrorism” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking in a televised address last week, Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei said that it was among the “weirdest things which they tell us to ask them” for sanctions relief as Washington continues to impose new bans on the country.

The US imposed its latest round of sanctions targeting allegedly Iran-related individuals and companies last week.

Washington’s insistence on unilateral sanctions against Iran comes despite the call of various international leaders and organizations urging sanctions relief for Iran as the country grapples with the coronavirus outbreak.