Iran is concerned about the economic pressure the US is putting on Syria, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said.
"We are concerned about the political and economic development of the situation in Syria and the US attempts to exert economic pressure on Syria, which affects ordinary people. The US is doing everything to destabilize our region and Syria but they will not achieve the goal," Zarif said at talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The economic situation has become sharply more complicated in Syria after the new US sanctions came into force under the "Caesar" law, which affects almost all areas of the Syrian economy. The sanctions will also apply to foreign companies and individuals who will interact with the Syrian government. The Syrian Foreign Ministry called Washington's actions "economic terrorism". Russian Ambassador to Damascus Alexander Efimov in his congratulatory speech on Russia Day said that the Russian Federation would not leave Syria alone in confronting the" economic terror " of the West.
During the talks, Zarif also thanked Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov for his efforts to prevent the collapse of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear program (JCPOA).
"What the US is trying to do now is outrageous. I would like to personally thank you for your efforts, for your letters to the UN Secretary-General and I want to express my gratitude for the work that our friends - (Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation ed.) Sergey Ryabkov, and the Russian envoys in Vienna and New York-are doing so that the US plan and, unfortunately, their cooperation with the countries remaining in the JCPOA does not lead to a complete disaster," Zarif said.
He stressed that the US was still pursuing the goal of breaking up the nuclear deal.
Lavrov, in turn, noted that Russia was against manipulating the UN Security Council in the situation with the Iranian nuclear deal.
"We intend to firmly resist any attempts to use the current situation to manipulate the UN Security Council and promote the anti - Iranian agenda," Russian Foreign Minister said. "We will undoubtedly raise this issue in all multilateral international formats."
"The situation around the JCPOA is of concern," Minister said. " Certain events are taking place in Vienna (meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency - ed.), there are some ideas that our Western friends are working on in New York."
Lavrov expressed hope that during the talks, the parties would also be able to discuss the prospects for further interaction within the Astana format on the Syrian settlement and issues of bilateral cooperation in accordance with the agreements reached at the last meetings of the heads of both states.
Lavrov called the talks with Zarif "very timely", and also thanked Iranian Foreign Minister for accepting the invitation of the Russian side and coming to Moscow for a "very useful" conversation.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from RIA Novosti, TASS