Alireza Marandi, President of Iran Academy of Medical Sciences in a letter warned against "the illegality of U.S. sanctions on food and drugs."

In his letter to the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, Marandi described as unjust sanctioning access to food and drug for those who are in urgent need.

"The effects of these sanctions have been documented. For example, an article published in the Lancet in November 2018 shows the clear detrimental effect these sanctions are having on children suffering from cancer in our country. The U.S. sanctions policy on the Islamic Republic of Iran has been devised in such a way that prevents all banking exchanges, including access to essential medicines and medical equipment which are now virtually impossible," the letter reads.

"We expect the UN to act against the United States' incessant violation of human rights. When will the lives of children, and women and men across the globe be protected from the criminal behavior of the United States? Until when should cancer, organ transplant and other patients fear death because they are deliberately denied medicine and medical equipment?"