Rakhshan Bani-Etemad Urges the West to Lift Sanctions on Iran

on August 30, 2014 | 7:12:13

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Top Iranian filmmaker Rakhshan Bani-Etemad urged the West to liftsanctions on her country as she presented her latest film “Tales” at the 71st International Venice Film Festival on Thursday.

“Our children who are sick with diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis are paying the direct consequences of the embargo because they cannot get the medicines they need,” Bani-Etemad said during a press conference for the film.

Bani-Etemad lashed out against the impact of US economic sanctions, saying the “Tales” was a realistic portrayal of life on the skids in an Iran.

Here’s what she said during the press conference for the film:

– The economic situation in Iran is critical due to the sanctions, which penalise the people. They must be lifted, and the people compensated

– Our sick children, those with cancer or multiple sclerosis for example, are paying the price.

– Hundreds of thousands of seriously-ill Iranians are affected by both dire shortages of life-saving medicines and their inability to pay for them.

– Under an interim agreement with world powers which came into effect in January, Iran agreed to scale back part of its nuclear programme in return for a partial lifting of Western sanctions. November has been set as the deadline for a final deal.

– When will people realize that it is the people who suffer the consequences of international decisions?