480 thalassemia patients died in 4 years due to U.S. sanctions: Iranian spokesman

TEHRAN, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian government spokesman said 480 thalassemia patients have died in Iran over the past four years because of the U.S. sanctions which impede Iran's import of medicine for rare diseases.

Because of the sanctions, 70 thalassemia patients lost their lives in 2018, 90 in 2019, 140 in 2020, and 180 in 2021, Ali Bahadori Jahromi said in a late Saturday tweet.

In addition, 220 thalassemia patients could die this year for the same reason, while EB (epidermolysis bullosa) patients and those suffering from other rare diseases are also among the victims of the sanctions on Iran each year, he added.

Also on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in an Instagram post that all Iranians have been indiscriminately targeted by Washington's unprecedented sanctions, which are affecting their livelihoods, jobs, and health.

"Every day, a new list of sanctions against Iran is issued under an excuse," he noted.

The U.S. sanctions against Iran have intensified since 2018, the year when Washington pulled out of a nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

Although the United States claims that humanitarian items, including medicine and foodstuff, are not included in the sanctions list, its embargoes on Iran's oil exports and banking sector have, in practice, prevented the country from importing such goods.