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The diplomatic missions of Iran, Russia, China, Syria, North Korea, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, asking him to call for lifting unilateral sanctions that are hindering the fight against COVID-19.

The letter described the coronavirus pandemic as the common enemy of mankind, Sputnik reported.

According to the eight nations' diplomatic missions, unilateral sanctions imposed by some countries are complicating the fight against the coronavirus for the restrictions-hit states.

"In light of the above, we respectfully urge you to request the complete and immediate lifting of such illegal, coercive and arbitrary measures of economic pressure – in line with the longstanding and principled position of the United Nations to reject unilateral coercive measures – in order to ensure the full, effective and efficient response of all members of the international community to the coronavirus, and to also reject the politicization of such a pandemic," the letter, which was posted by the Russian Mission to the United Nations in Twitter late Wednesday, said.

The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. More than 471,000 people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 21,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.