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Foreign Intelligence chief: US slaps spontaneous sanctions regardless of allies’ opinion

As an example, Naryshkin cited the US decision to include Iran’s elite military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in its lists of terrorist organizations
Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS
Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin
© Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS

UFA, June 18. /TASS/. The United States is introducing new sanctions spontaneously and impulsively without taking into account even the opinion of its closest allies, Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin told an Ufa international meeting of high representatives overseeing security issues.

"It’s no secret that over the past several years they [sanctions] have become a favorite method of the US policy," Naryshkin said. "What is especially alarming is that the restrictions are introduced absolutely arbitrarily, spontaneously and impulsively."

"Their initiators do not take into account not only the long-term consequences, but also the opinion of the closest economic partners," Naryshkin stressed.

As an example, he cited the US decision to include Iran’s elite military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in its lists of terrorist organizations. According to Naryshkin, this organization "has made a huge contribution to the fight against ISIL [the Islamic State terror group, outlawed in Russia] in Syria and Iraq." Naryshkin also recalled the bans on cooperation with "undesirable players", which the US imposes on other countries and actually creates a competitive advantage in trade.