Iran president writes to Indian PM, says US sanctions impacting fight against coronavirus 

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has written to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over American sanctions impacting fight against coronavirus crisis in the Ismalic Republic. The Iranian leader wrote to other global leaders as well. 

Iranian president in the letter wrote, ''virus knows no boundary and claims, victims, without political, religious, ethnic and racial considerations''. 

In a tweet Iran Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said, "In a letter to counterparts @HassanRouhani informs how efforts to fight #COVID19 pandemic in Iran have been severely hampered by US sanctions, urging them to cease observing them: It is IMMORAL to let a bully kill innocents"

"Viruses recognize no politics or geography. Nor should we," he added.

US imposed punitive sanctions on Iran after pulling out of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in November of 2018. The Iran deal or JCPOA was signed in 2015 after talks between five permanent members of UN Security council --US, Russia, China, Britain, France & European Union, Germany and Iran. The deal led to the removal of UN sanctions on Iran with the latter committing to curtailing its nuclear programme.

Due to US sanctions, anyone importing oil from Iran will also be sanctioned, thus impacting Tehran economically in a major way. While US sanctions made no exceptions, India got wavier for the Chabahar project in which New Delhi has stakes.

The port got major Indian investments and is helping India connect with landlocked Afghanistan. The port got functional last year and has been helping drive trade and connectivity between India and Afghanistan.