UN expert: Iran sanctions are 'unjust and harmful'

United Nations Special Rapporteur Idriss Jazairy slammed on Wednesday the recent U.S. sanctions against Iran, calling them "unjust and harmful".

In a written statement, the special rapporteur on the negative impact of sanctions said: "These unjust and harmful sanctions are destroying the economy and currency of Iran, driving millions of people into poverty and making imported goods unaffordable."

On Aug. 6, the U.S. re-imposed a first round of economic sanctions on Iran, which mainly target the country's banking sector.

The sanctions are intended to hinder Tehran's acquisition of U.S. currency, its precious metals trade, bank transactions denominated in the Iranian rial, activities related to Iran's sovereign debt, and the country's automotive sector.

In his statement, Jazairy questioned whether the United States would provide food and medicines to the millions of Iranians no longer able to afford them.

"The current system creates doubt and ambiguity which makes it all but impossible for Iran to import these urgently needed humanitarian goods. This ambiguity causes a 'chilling effect' which is likely to lead to silent deaths in hospitals as medicines run out, while the international media fail to notice," he said.

The special rapporteur urged the U.S. to "demonstrate its commitment to allow agricultural commodities, food, medicine, and medical devices into Iran by taking real and concrete steps to ensure that banks, financial institutions and companies can quickly and freely be assured that relevant imports and payments are permitted"

"Sanctions must be just, and must not lead to the suffering of innocent people," Jazairy added.