TASS - The United States demonstrates a non-pragmatic approach when it refuses to ease sanctions against Iran amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said on Tuesday.

"US is not ready to think about sanctions relief for Iran. OK, leave alone humanitarian considerations. In any case this is not pragmatic taking into account that COVID-19 can spill over to neighboring countries and affect 70 000 US troops in the region and a lot of US civilians," the Russian diplomat said in a Twitter post.

The Iranian authorities have repeatedly said that Washington�s sanctions against Tehran hinder the Islamic Republic's effort to contain the virus. According to Iran, US sanctions prevent Iran from importing humanitarian goods, such as food and medicines.

According to latest reports, the overall number of novel coronavirus patients in Iran topped 60,000, with a total of 3,739 deaths.