The UN Special Rapporteur Paid a Visit to Pars Isotope .Co
During her visit to Tehran, the UN Special Rapporteur “Alena Douhan” visited Pars Isotope to investigate the negative impact of sanctions on human rights.
The UN Special Rapporteur “Alena Douhan”, who traveled to the Islamic Republic of Iran to gather information and conduct unbiased verification of the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, paid a visit to Pars Isotope and its radiopharmaceutical production line. In addition to the CEO, the production, marketing, sales and public relations managers of Pars Isotope, a group of officials were present at the visit. In this visit, at first, a brief description of Pars Isotope .Co, its activities and the quantity and quality of its medical products were explained, and the target population of its products and services, which are mainly incurable and cancerous patients, were introduced.
It was further stated that the production of a wide range of products in Pars Isotope .Co in line with similar products made in European and North American countries, with acceptable quality and along with their low prices, has made Pars Isotope a leading company in this field in the region and the world. Then it was mentioned that owing to attending the annual European EANM exhibition, Pars Isotope products and services had been exported to countries such as India, Iraq, Georgia, Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey.
It was also stated that after the inclusion of Pars Isotope in the sanctions list, all these services to the mentioned countries were cut off and despite the desire of these countries to continue receiving services, the airlines refused to transport products from Iran. Therefore, exportation has become practically impossible for Pars Isotope. Meantime, these countries have spontaneously prepared and sent letters to related authorities to protest and express their deepest dissatisfaction with this issue.
The activities and correspondence carried out by the company in protest against sanctions imposed by United States Department of the Treasury on Pars Isotope and the unjustified reason given like “contact with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran” and their unclear responses were also discussed. Also, it was explaind that in order to produce radiopharmaceuticals, we need raw radioactive material (radioisotope) and to produce it, we will have to use reactors and strong cyclotrons, which are routinely and everywhere in the world only available to governments. Therefore, being associated with atomic energy organizations is inevitable for all radiopharmaceutical manufacturers.
Moreover, followings were mentioned as other negative signs of sanctions:
– Air logistics problems like airlines’ refusal to carry radioactive raw materials into and out of Iran
– Non-continuation of cooperation of European companies in supplying the required raw materials and equipment
– Financial issues and problems associated with international payments due to banking sanctions
Then, Ms. Douhan had a visit to the production line of Pars Isotope products and some explanations about the variety and application of diagnostic and therapeutic products were presented to her.
Finally, it should be noted that Ms. Alena Douhan is a person with global responsibility and far from discriminatory and imposed behaviors, so it can be said that her responsibility and work ethic is very different from people who do not help countries but to pursue biased and political goals.
Douhan, the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures (UCMs) on the enjoyment of human rights, in a press conference pointed out the negative impact of sanctions on Iran’s economic growth, academia, arts and cultural heritage, sports, and its overall engagement with international organisations and associations. Also, she added: “Sanctions negatively affected the lives of the people, in particular the most vulnerable groups, and humanitarian aid has not been received through international agencies due to the inability to process international payments.”
The independent expert expressed concerns that the existing unilateral sanctions violate, at the very least, obligations arising from universal and regional human rights instruments. “I am gravely concerned about the life-threating consequences of the high costs of medicine caused by buying from third-countries due to sanctions-induced trade and financial restrictions” she said. The UN special rapporteur said: “The ban on the import of medicine has caused many problems in Iran and this is an example of violation of human rights.” These sanctions have prevented the humanitarian aid to be delivered to Iran. Unilateral sanctions by no means are justified. In this regard I call on sanctioning States, in particular the United States, to observe the principles and norms of international law, including with regard to the peaceful settlement of international disputes and to lift all unilateral measures, in particular on those areas affecting the human rights and the lives of all the people in Iran,” Douhan said. These sanctions have prevented the humanitarian aid to be delivered to Iran.
Pars Isotope Company as the only manufacturer and supplier of radiopharmaceuticals in Iran, despite all the banking sanctions and the resulting difficulties in the supply of raw materials, etc., which, according to the UN rapporteur, are not justifiable from a human rights perspective, has always striven to meet the country’s need for radiopharmaceuticals to diagnose and treat various cancers and other types diseases.
