Top Democrats in Congress Want To Ease Sanctions On Iran, Venezuela, And Other Countries Hit Hard By The Pandemic

People attend a protest in Washington, DC against United States sanctions on Iran, where the death toll from COVID-19 is approaching 1,300 [File: Carlos Barria/Reuters]

Foreign Policy: Democrats Push Back on Sanctions, Citing Coronavirus Fears

They want waivers to speed medical supplies and humanitarian aid to Iran and other sanctioned nations hit hard by the pandemic.

Top Democrats in Congress are urging the Trump administration to ease sanctions on Iran, Venezuela, and other countries badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, citing the need to provide medical supplies and humanitarian support.

In a stream of several letters aimed at Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other top U.S. officials, Democratic members of Congress including presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are pushing for the administration to grant clearly outlined waivers from American sanctions.

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy also spearheaded a call by several Democrats to the Trump administration to ease U.S. sanctions against countries, including Iran and Venezuela, hit hard by coronavirus, saying the measures are hampering the free flow of medicines and other humanitarian supplies to the neediest as the pandemic worsens.

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WNU Editor: Lifting oil and banking sanctions on governments who have a have a history of brutality against their own citizens while actively working hard at destabilizing their neighbouring countries will fail. The onus is on these governments to step up first and outline what they will do if sanctions are released. In the case of Venezuela and their request for a $5 billion IMF loan, they gave no specifics on what they would do with the money. Just generalities. In the case of Iran, doubly so. As for North Korea, President Trump's proposal for direct help was not taken up .... North Korea: Trump letter offers coronavirus cooperation (Al Jazeera).

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