Iran and Cuba Address Impact of US Sanctions at BTWC Meeting

According to SAEDNEWS, In a significant discussion at the fourth meeting of the Working Group on Strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention (BTWC) in Geneva, officials from Iran and Cuba highlighted the detrimental effects of illegal and unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States on the use of biological sciences and technologies in various countries.

Representatives from Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with the Pasteur Institute of Iran and the Razi Vaccine & Serum Research Institute, collaborated with their Cuban counterparts to underscore how these sanctions have created significant obstacles to scientific advancement and international cooperation in the field of biological sciences.

During the meeting, officials from the Razi Vaccine & Serum Research Institute and the Pasteur Institute of Iran presented the achievements made by Iran in biological sciences. They outlined successful collaborations with nations like Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Uzbekistan, and Cuba in vaccine and serum production, as well as various training initiatives in biological sciences. However, they also addressed the challenges faced by Iran in exercising its international rights due to ongoing US sanctions.

The BTWC is an international treaty aimed at prohibiting weapons of mass destruction, which came into force in March 1975, and has garnered membership from 187 countries to date. In their presentation, Iranian and Cuban officials asserted that the United States, by imposing illegal sanctions and barriers, violates its international legal obligations. They claimed that these actions infringe upon the rights of countries to engage in international cooperation and leverage the capabilities available through biological sciences.

In conclusion, the meeting served as a platform for Iran and Cuba to shed light on the broader implications of US sanctions on global health and scientific progress, emphasizing the need for collective action to uphold the principles of international cooperation in the life sciences.