Iranian FM slams US sanctions as crime against humanity
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has condemned US sanctions as crimes against humanity, citing research linking them to over 500,000 deaths annually.
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Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi gives a joint press conference with the Omani Foreign Minister in Tehran on Dec 30, 2024. (AFP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has denounced American sanctions, calling them a “crime against humanity” and urging targeted nations to unite against Washington’s pressure tactics.
“High time for inhumane sanctions imposed by the US and its accomplices to be recognized as crimes against humanity," Araghchi said on social media. "Targeted nations should coordinate efforts to forge [a] unified and collective response.”
Western regimes have long claimed that sanctions are a bloodless alternative to war.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) August 13, 2025
Reality check: New study by @TheLancet says unilateral sanctions, particularly by the US, may be as lethal as war. 500+k lives claimed annually since 1970s, mostly children and the elderly.… pic.twitter.com/02tIQiAFA5
Araghchi criticized American foreign policy and the long-standing narrative from Western governments that sanctions are a “bloodless alternative” to war. He stressed that such measures are a direct assault on civilian populations and require a coordinated global response.
Sanctions kill hundreds of thousands
Citing a new study by The Lancet medical journal, Araghchi said unilateral sanctions, particularly by the United States, may be “as lethal as war,” causing over 500,000 deaths annually since the 1970s, mostly among children and the elderly.
The journal's findings state that unilateral sanctions are estimated to be associated with an annual toll of 564,258 deaths, a number similar to the global mortality burden tied to armed conflict.
The Lancet also studied the "evolution of deaths" caused by global sanctions for each age group.
"The largest incidence of global sanctions occurred in children younger than 1 year, followed by the 60–80 years age segment," the report read. "Altogether, deaths of children younger than 5 years represented 51% of total deaths caused by sanctions over the 1970–2021 period."
The medical journal highlights that most deaths occurred in the 0–15 years and 60–80 years age groups, implying that the majority of the mortality effects target groups who are not traditionally in the labour force.
"Over time, deaths attributable to sanctions among younger age groups have decreased, whereas those for the older age groups have increased," The Lancet report states.
US expands sanctions on Iran
On July 31, the US Treasury Department announced its largest-ever package of sanctions on Iran, targeting more than 50 individuals and entities. The move further underscores Washington’s escalating pressure campaign on Tehran.
The sanctions package in late July targeted over 115 individuals, vessels, and entities linked to Iran across 17 jurisdictions, including shipping firms, front companies, and tankers, with the goal of limiting Iran's oil revenues without disturbing global markets.
