Iran speaker calls on Asian parliaments to launch campaign against unjust sanctions in pandemic era

Tehran, IRNA - Iran's Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf called on Asian parliamentarians to approve laws against unjust sanctions in the pandemic era.

Qalibaf made the remarks at the virtual meeting of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) on Thursday.

At his speech, Qalibaf also underlined the importance of the Asian parliaments' role in economic boom among the member countries.

He presented two proposals for achieving the goals.

First, the secretariat of the APA should give comprehensive report on Asian parliaments' potentials for getting closer to each other to reach economic and trade prospects.

Second, the Asian parliaments in post-coronavirus era should find ways to develop economic relations, accelerate implementation of agreements among the APA member states and support measures to stand against unfair sanctions which are obstacles to promotion of economic cooperation.

The aims will be achieved when policies and approaches are adopted correctly, Qalibaf stressed.

Parliamentary cooperation is more important today than any other time, said Qalibaf, highlighting big responsibilities for the APA.

World countries should review strategies to resume economic relations [as they have been postponed like other activities and events after the coronavirus outbreak in December 2019], Qalibaf stressed.

Elsewhere at his remarks, Qalibaf called for condemning the US maximum pressures on world nations including Iran and take serious measures against the US inhuman behavior.

Many world officials believe that the US sanctions have created obstacles to medical humanitarian aid to wold countries to fight the coronavirus pandemic which has killed over 552,000 worldwide.

Turning to the issue of Palestine, the speaker called on all international communities, APA in particular, to take a firm stance on supporting the Palestinians and preventing the Zionist regime of Israel from following occupation and oppression against the Palestinians.

At the end, Qalibaf expressed readiness of the new Iranian parliament which took office in May after the February elections to hold talks with other world parliaments to develop relations.