Minister Calls Sanctions as Cause of Iran's Medical Progress

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Health Minister Marziyeh Vahid Dastjerdi dismissed western pressures against Tehran as futile, and explained that sanctions imposed on Iran by the western countries have backfired as they have led to the country's self-sufficiency in a large number of areas, including health, treatment and production of medicines.
Speaking to the staff of the Islamic republic news agency, Dastjerdi stressed that sanctions have ironically gifted great achievements to the Iranian nation.

Dastjerdi further quoted her Turkish counterpart as praising Iran's great medical achievements over the past three decades after he visited the country's various medical and health centers and a number of pharmaceutical factories.

She reiterated that the sanctions against the Islamic Republic had resulted in great medical achievements for the country.

Referring to heart, kidney and liver transplants carried out by skilled Iranian surgeons, she said Ankara has voiced readiness to cooperate with Iran in that area.

Iran says its nuclear program is a peaceful drive to produce electricity so that the world's fourth-largest crude exporter can sell more of its oil and gas abroad. Tehran also stresses that the country is pursuing a civilian path to provide power to the growing number of Iranian population, whose fossil fuel would eventually run dry.

The US and its western allies allege that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program while they have never presented corroborative evidence to substantiate their allegations against the Islamic Republic.

Iran is under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down West's calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment, saying the demand is politically tainted and illogical.

Tehran says sanctions and pressures merely consolidate Iranians' national resolve to continue the path.