TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran President Hassan Rouhani and his counterpart in Austria stressed the need for all-out international cooperation to tackle the COVID-19 and expressed readiness to share experiences and deepen cooperation in this regard.

In a telephone conversation on Wednesday, Rouhani and Alexander Van der Bellen also described US sanctions against Iran as an obstacle to meeting medical and pharmaceutical needs, and expressed opposition to the continuation of the sanctions.

Despite the current difficult conditions in the fight against the coronavirus, the United States continues its sanctions on Iran’s pharmaceutical and medical needs, Rouhani said, adding, “The American government is also strongly obstructing Iran’s request to receive a loan from the IMF for fighting the virus.

“We believe that the European Union should take more serious actions in the current situation towards its commitments to international affairs and the JCPOA.

“Europe’s commitment to fighting this pandemic and helping countries and putting an end to illegal sanctions is important, and I hope we can see a new action and initiative on the part of Europe.”

Rouhani further stressed that in the current situation of the outbreak of the coronavirus in the world, all efforts should be focused on lifting sanctions and eliminating differences and extinguishing wars and conflicts, and said that Iran seeks peace and stability in the region.

He said Iran expects Europe to put pressure on the Zionist Regime of Israel and not to allow the regime to move the conditions towards a crisis by attacking Syria and Lebanon and the continued siege of Gaza, ignoring the global coronavirus pandemic.

The Austrian president, for his part, said Austria and the European Union “oppose the US sanctions against Iran and will continue their cooperation with Tehran.

He added that his country is keen on deepening ties and cooperation with Iran and sharing experiences in fighting COVID-19.

“We are trying to improve relations between Iran and Europe without being influenced by the United States,” he said, adding that the US move contradicts international treaties and is against international laws.

The two presidents also stressed the need to strengthen the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX).

INSTEX is a payment channel that France, Germany, and Britain – the three European signatories to the Iran nuclear deal, known the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – have devised to continue trade with Tehran and bypass the US embargoes.