Russia: New US sanctions on Iran unacceptable

Russia's Foreign Ministry denounced new US sanctions against Iran on Tuesday as "unacceptable and contradictory to international law," Interfax news agency reported.

The United States, worried by Tehran's nuclear programme, named Iran on Monday as an area of "primary money laundering concern" in a step designed to dissuade non-US banks from dealing with it. It also blacklisted 11 entities suspected of aiding its nuclear programmes and expanded sanctions to target companies that aid its oil and petrochemical industries. (Reuters)