Russia Will In 'No Way' Follow US Demands To Suspend Cooperation With Iran - Lavrov

Russia will in "no way" base its policy proceeding from the aggressive demands of the United States to suspend cooperation with Iran, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday after a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2020) Russia will in "no way" base its policy proceeding from the aggressive demands of the United States to suspend cooperation with Iran, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday after a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif.

"Yes, we hear what has been announced in Washington, all those who will not follow Washington's interpretation of the current situation as returning all of us to the need to restore sanctions against Iran, all of them will be punished with additional measures by the United States, economic and other. I can only speak for the Russia. Russia will in no way base its policy on these aggressive illegal demands, which have no legal effect," Lavrov said at a press conference.

The minister also expressed hope that other countries cooperating with Iran will also take a principled position and will be guided by their national interests and by the US interests.

The United States has repeatedly threatened third countries with sanctions for continuation of cooperation with Iran. Earlier in September, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that all previously scrapped UN sanctions against Iran were now brought back into effect under the snapback mechanism of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The statement was already rejected as false by Russia, a permanent UN Security Council member, and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the coordinator of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).