Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Alexander Lavrentiev arrived in Tehran, Iran, Monday to express Moscow’s rejection of the fresh round of U.S. sanctions.
“Moscow will do everything it can to preserve and expand international trade, economic and financial cooperation with Iran despite the US sanctions,” the state-run TASS news agency declares, citing the Russian foreign ministry.
On Monday, Putin’s special envoy met with Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Tehran’s Supreme National Security Council, in the Iranian capital.
The Russian envoy said he has traveled to Iran on Putin’s orders for a twin mission: to give a report on a recent 4-party meeting of Russia, Turkey, Germany and France on the situation in Syria that was held in Istanbul, and to voice Moscow’s unequivocal support for Iran against the fresh round of US sanctions … The visiting envoy also called for concreted action by the international community to stand against US unilateralism, and denounced the use of economic and trade options for imposing a country’s political will on others.
Iran and Russia are close allies in Syria. Support from Iran and Russia has allowed the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad to remain in power. The Assad government now controls more territory than any other warring party in Syria, courtesy of Iran and Russia.
As Putin’s envoy met with the top Iranian official on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran’s energy, shipping, and financial industries, marking a return to the policy of maximum pressure against the Shiite Islamic Republic suspended under the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and U.S.-led world powers.
“Eight countries will receive sanctions waivers, however, including four of Iran’s top oil consumers: India, China, South Korea and Japan,” the Jerusalem Post acknowledges, referring to the new U.S. restrictions. READ MORE
