Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi urged his French counterpart to lift sanctions against Iran immediately and expand humanitarian assistance to the nation to save precious human lives amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis, a media source said.

In a telephone conversation with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, FM Qureshi stressed a concerted strategy by the international community to counter the spread of coronavirus.

“COVID-19 has spread to almost all countries of the world, and the situation demands a coordinated approach,” Qureshi told the French foreign minister.

Qureshi also shared concern about the loss of precious lives and praised measures taken by the French authorities to contain the virus. He also thanked his French counterpart for taking care of 13 infected Pakistanis in France.

FM Qureshi also briefed him on the steps taken to control the outbreak in Pakistan.

Throughout the call, Qureshi also expressed deep concern about the blockade of contact and movement in occupied Indian Kashmir. He said the lockdown deprives eight million Kashmiris of the vital information needed to effectively control the COVID-19 pandemic and necessary medical supplies.

Read More: World must lift sanctions on Iran to deal with coronavirus crisis: FM Qureshi