TEHRAN, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian court said on Monday that it has ruled that part of the proceeds from the sale of a seized U.S. oil cargo will be distributed as compensation to Iranian patients suffering from epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a rare skin condition, for damages caused by U.S. sanctions.
Majid Hosseinzadeh, head of the 55th branch of the Tehran Court of Justice, announced the ruling, according to the Mizan news agency of the Iranian judiciary.
Hosseinzadeh said the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Advantage Sweet was seized in the Gulf in April 2023 while transporting oil from Kuwait to the U.S. state of Texas. After its cargo was confiscated and sold under judicial orders, the vessel was released.
He noted that the proceeds of nearly 37 million U.S. dollars were deposited in an account belonging to the Iranian judiciary.
Under the ruling, 10,000 dollars will be paid through EB Home, an Iranian non-governmental organization, to each of 771 EB patients who filed complaints against the U.S. government over their inability to access essential medicines due to sanctions.
EB patients, often called "butterfly children," have skin as fragile as butterfly wings. Official data show that about 800 such patients have been registered in Iran.
The U.S. sanctions against Iran have intensified since 2018, when Washington withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. After the sanctions were reimposed, a Swedish company halted sales of specialized medical dressings to Iran. ■
