The United States has eased sanctions on exports of medical equipment to Iran.
The Treasury department said electrocardiography and dialysis machines are among the items that can now be exported without prior approval.
Iran has chronic medicine shortages due to Western sanctions aimed at pressuring Tehran to abandon its nuclear programme.
The BBC reports the United States has imposed nine sets of sanctions on the oil and gas, financial and automotive industries in Iran, which has rising unemployment, a devalued currency and soaring inflation.
Analysts say exceptions for food, agricultural commodities, medicine and medical equipment in the sanctions programmes have not been effective. The BBC reports many banks are still worried they could be penalised for processing such export transactions.