Iranian Defense Minister Slams US For Imposing Sanctions On Tehran, Steering World To War

Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Amir Hatami slammed on Monday the United States for imposing sanctions on Tehran, and called on the global community to oppose the alleged US desire to begin a new war.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2018) Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Amir Hatami slammed on Monday the United States for imposing sanctions on Tehran, and called on the global community to oppose the alleged US desire to begin a new war.

"The Americans have imposed sanctions on us because of opting for independence, and even blocked our access to medicine ... The whole world must counter countries intending to beat the drum of war with law-breaking, and should not allow certain countries to steer the world to war," Hatami said at the closing ceremony of the fourth edition of the biennial Military Medicine Congress in Asia-Pacific Region, which was held in the Iranian capital of Tehran.

He added that the global community had also seen Iran "expressing its good will for resolution of the fabricated nuclear crisis."

Hatami went on to say that since Iran was a major victim of chemical weapons, it had produced "hundreds" of products designed for protection against chemical, radioactive and biological weapons, and had also become self-sufficient in producing medical equipment.

The minister said that Iran was ready to share its experience with other states, namely, via running courses on chemical weapons counteraction for the congress participants.

In May, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, and reimpose its sanctions against Iran that had been lifted under the agreement. The first round of the US restrictions came into force in August, and the next sanctions package, targeting Iran's oil sector, among others, is set to be re-imposed on November 5, with more sanction expected to follow. In early October, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi praised the other JCPOA signatories' commitment to the deal and said that Iran would remain in the JCPOA as long as it was beneficial for the country.