MNA � Iran�s envoy to the United Nations pointed to the necessity of lifting unilateral US sanctions as they are hampering efforts to control the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country.

�Returned to NY from Tehran last night. People and government of Iran working hard to defeat #Covid_19, but US sanctions impeding their efforts,� tweeted Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi on Friday night.

�High time for US to de-politicize this humanitarian endeavor and lift sanctions. Int'l crises necessitate genuine int'l efforts,� he added.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, urging the body to stand against US� illegal sanctions on Iran.

Iran is among the hard-hit countries by the virus with 11,364 infections and 514 deaths, according to the latest announcement on Friday.