(The following is a translation from a Radio Farda interivew. A link to the Farsi-language original can be found below.)
Interview with Dr. Mehrdad Emadi, Economic Advisor to the European Union
Radio Farda - (Fahimeh Khazar Haydari)
September 8, 2010
Mehrdad Emadi - We received news from Tehran two days ago from an assistant professor of Medicine in Tehran University, who expressed grave concern about the news spreading in Tehran of sanctions on certain medications for kidney ailments. There are currently three comprehensive lists in place that contain all products and services that fall under the terms of the sanctions: A mother list by the United Nations, another by the European Union and one for the administration of the sanctions. None of these include a single pharmaceutical product. In fact, the European Union insisted at the time of proposing the sanctions, on the absolute exclusion of medicine and medical products.
Host – It has been said that certain countries may sanction these products even though they are excluded from these lists that you mention. Is that at all possible?
Mehrdad Emadi – Well, because of the close cooperation of the European Union, Canada and the United States in this regard I can say that no, it is not possible since decisions of this nature must be conferred upon and agreed to by other countries-- and obtain a lawful approval, due to the fact that medical products both from civil rights and essential-medical-needs perspectives, hold a very high legal priority.
Host – The question is precisely because of the personal and the civil legal importance of this issue; why is it that the UN and EU administrators of the sanctions do not explain this to enlighten the public?
Mehrdad Emadi – Well, this news has not been announced by an Iranian official and until such time that it will be addressed by government officials, no diplomatic protocol is warranted. I will briefly add that about three days ago we encountered a situation with an organization in one of the Islamic countries that was exporting chemical products to Iran and because of its ties with Iran’s security forces; it ended up facing problems. But our investigations proved that the said organization was at no time involved in buying or exporting of pharmaceutical products for treatment of kidney ailments. But we do know that this organization’s assets and management were connected to regime elements and that it was exporting strictly chemical products to Iran.
Host – Mr. Emadi, with respect to your explanations, is it likely that the sanctioning and closing of the bank accounts of such organizations could indirectly affect the medical products as well?
Mehrdad Emadi – Assuming that there is an organization that exports both medicine as well as dual-use products, and gets sanctioned, then that organization can immediately appeal for a separate account for all its activities that involve the purchasing and exporting of its pharmaceutical products. Such measures have also been taken into consideration within the framework of the sanctions. Also the aforementioned organization was indeed contacted and asked to submit a list of any medical products included in its exported items. However, since no action has been taken by the company, the assumption is that there were none.
***
Original