"During our visit, we were able to identify (the) devastating humanitarian impact of sanctions," said Alena Douhan, the UN special rapporteur focused on the impact of unilateral sanctions.
"The measures imposed against Iran violate international law -- they are illegal," Douhan added, speaking to reporters at the end of a 12-day visit to Iran, the first to the Islamic Republic by a special rapporteur since 2005.
"The best option is that they are lifted," said Douhan, whose official title is "special rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights."
Her mission comes during a stalemate in talks between Iran and world powers to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which gave Iran sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear program.
Following former US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement in May of 2018, the US imposed crippling sanctions on Iran. In return, Iran has gradually scaled back its compliance with the 2015 deal.
Iran has held several rounds of indirect talks with the US on a return to the agreement. Negotiations nearly reached completion in March, but the deal also run into trouble over Iranian demands that the US lift its designation of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
Enrique Mora, the EU diplomat seeking to revive the 2015 deal, recently visited Tehran as the EU makes a last-ditch effort to save the agreement.
