The Latest from Iran (5 September): Admission --- The Sanctions Hurt Both the People and the Regime

0550 GMT: We pick up where we left off last night, with the recognition that sanctions are hurting both "ordinary people" and the regime.

The argument of Western governments that they do not wish to affect every-day lives of Iranians was challenged in an article by Najmeh Bozorgmehr citing the damage to health care:

The tightening of U.S. banking sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program has had an impact on all sectors of the economy but is increasingly hitting vulnerable medical patients as deliveries of medicine and raw materials for Iranian pharmaceutical companies are either stopped or delayed, according to medical experts.

The effect, the experts say, is being felt by cancer patients and those being treated for complex disorders such as hemophilia, multiple sclerosis and thalassemia, as well as transplant and kidney dialysis patients, none of whom can afford interruptions or delays in medical supplies.

On the other hand, the illusion of the Islamic Republic's leadership that it has not been weakened by the restrictions --- propped up by the injunction to publish only stories of "hope and joy" and by the ongoing assertions of some Western observers --- was dented by none other than President Ahmadinejad. In his televised interview last night, he admitted that Iran was having problems selling oil and that the "psychological warfare" of the enemy was causing wider difficulties.

from EA WorldView: EA Iran

Posted via email from lissping