Iran medics urge UN action on Saudi crimes against Yemen

Iran’s Academy of Medical Sciences has called on the UN to adopt “immediate” measures to stop the Al Saud regime’s brutal military campaign against Yemen, which is taking a heavy toll on civilians in the Arab state.

In a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President of the Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences Seyed Alireza Marandi urged the world body to shoulder its responsibility and prevent “further loss of life and injury to civilians” in war-torn Yemen.

Marandi also criticized the UN for remaining tight-lipped in the face of Riyadh’s crimes against the Yemenis, stressing, “It is wholly disappointing that the United Nations, a body that was established to resolve international conflict, is indifferent to the suffering of the people of Yemen.”

“The actions of the Saudi Regime are nothing short of genocide and will be remembered in history as such.  This episode will also be remembered as a failure of the United Nations through its silence and inaction,” the letter said.

Marandi also referred to the Saudi military’s blockade on the flow of humanitarian aid to Yemen and said, “The injured and those left homeless are deprived of basic medical and health provision and are without safe places in which to seek shelter from the ongoing Saudi military campaign.”

He further reiterated Iran’s preparedness to provide relief aid to the Yemeni nation, stressing, “Iranian medical community is ready to help and assist the oppressed people of Yemen in any way possible.”

On May 17, some 4,000 Iranian physicians and medical workers sent a letter to President of the International Red Crescent Society (IRCS) Peter Maure, urging the body to take immediate action to dispatch medical assistance to the Yemeni people injured in the ongoing Saudi airstrikes.

Riyadh has blocked Iranian aid deliveries to Yemen. Last month, it prevented two Iranian civilian planes from delivering medical aid and foodstuff to the impoverished people.

Iran has also sent a cargo ship of relief aid to the war-wracked Yemeni people.

The cargo ship dubbed Nejat (Rescue) carrying Iran’s humanitarian supplies is scheduled to arrive in the western Yemeni port city of Hudaydah on May 21.

Saudi Arabia’s air campaign against Yemen started on March 26 without a UN mandate in a bid to restore power to fugitive former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.

Yemen’s health facilities say over 1,800 people have been killed and 7,330 injured due to the conflict in the Arab state since March 19, according to the UN.

The full text of letter can be found below:

Dear Mr. Secretary General

With respect, during the past two months we have, as you know, been witnessing inhumane crimes in Yemen.  Unfortunately, because of extreme censorship, the actual depth of these crimes has not been shown.

The Saudi regime is engaged in bombing cities; in the process, it is destroying infrastructure—including hospitals, schools and relief facilities—and killing women, children, and innocent civilians.  The injured and those left homeless are deprived of basic medical and health provision and are without safe places in which to seek shelter from the ongoing Saudi military campaign.  Even international aid organizations have been prevented from helping civilian casualties; a plane carrying Red Crescent medical aid for injured children and women was forced to cancel its humanitarian missions as Saudi air forces bombed the airport.

As the crimes of the Saudi regime increase day by day, the international community has remained silent and failed to condemn this military attack against a sovereign nation.  It is wholly disappointing that the United Nations, a body that was established to resolve international conflict, is indifferent to the suffering of the people of Yemen.

The actions of the Saudi Regime are nothing short of genocide and will be remembered in history as such.  This episode will also be remembered as a failure of the United Nations through its silence and inaction. We therefore expect the Secretary General to take immediate and effective action against the Saudi Regime to prevent further loss of life and injury to civilians and destruction of civil infrastructure.

The Academy of Medical Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran declares that the Iranian medical community is ready to help and assist the oppressed people of Yemen in any way possible.

Sincerely,

Seyed Alireza Marandi , M.D.

President

Academy of Medical Sciences

MKA/HMV

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk