Russian anger - Medvedev
Photo: AFP
Russia slams US, EU sanctions
Moscow 'extremely disappointed' by additional Iran sanctions, says they're 'unacceptable'
Russia told the United States and European Union Thursday it was extremely disappointed they were imposing additional sanctions on Iran beyond those approved by the UN Security Council with Moscow's backing.
"We are extremely disappointed that neither the United States nor the European Union is heeding our calls to refrain from such steps," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, according to the Interfax and Itar-Tass news agencies.
Moscow called the US and EU sanctions "unacceptable" and warned the West it risked losing Russian support for concerted efforts to rein in Tehran's nuclear activity.
Iran Threat
News agencies
'Hard-hitting' measures go substantially beyond those approved by UN, to focus on trade, banking, insurance and key sectors of gas and oil industry. Russia 'extremely disappointed'
EU leaders agreed tighter sanctions Thursday targeting Iran's oil and gas sector, a day after the US Treasury imposed sanctions on some Iranian banks, companies and Revolutionary Guard Corps members.
Before joining the United States, Britain and France in supporting a fourth round of sanctions in the Security Council last week, Russia had urged Washington and the EU not to hit Tehran with additional measures.
"For us, attempts to place oneself above the Security Council in this way are unacceptable," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website
'The same story time and again'
The Russian remarks darken the backdrop for President Dmitry Medvedev's trip next week to the United States, which is meant to build on recent improvements in ties.
The Foreign Ministry said the additional sanctions would harm joint efforts to press Iran to halt suspect nuclear activities and ensure that it does not acquire atomic weapons.
The US and EU moves "undermine the foundations for our dialogue and interaction in seeking optimal ways to resolve the situation surrounding Iran's nuclear program," it said.
"The same story is repeated again and again: as soon as we reach a common understanding in the UN Security Council on a package of finely calibrated measures to influence Iran through sanctions, the United States and EU don't stop at that and, strictly speaking, display political disregard for their partnership with Russia," the statement said.
