WASHINGTON, January 6. /TASS/. Through accusations of religious intolerance and violation of the rights of believers, the United States is trying to settle scores with geopolitical opponents seeking to gain a reason to interfere in their internal affairs, the Russian Embassy in Washington said in a commentary posted on its Telegram channel.

The embassy drew attention to the State Department’s designation of Russia as a "country of particular concern" regarding the rights of believers.

"Our country is accused without any evidence of involvement in "severe violations" of religious freedom of citizens," the embassy said.

"In this unscrupulous way, the United States is trying to settle scores with geopolitical opponents, seeking to gain a reason to interfere in their internal affairs," the Russian diplomats noted.

"Washington has repeatedly aspired to achieve its narrowly selfish goals by playing the "religious card" and provoking interconfessional tensions in the Middle East, North Africa and the former Yugoslavia," the diplomatic mission added.

The embassy stressed that there is no persecution of people for religious reasons in Russia.

"It is time for the U.S. ruling circles to realize that over the centuries a mutually respectful dialogue has been formed in Russia with representatives of various ethnic groups and religions. There is no persecution on confessional grounds in our country," according to the statement.

The Russian diplomats pointed at the hypocrisy of the U.S. authorities, "as they ignore the hateful rhetoric and abuses of the Zelensky regime against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the seizure of its churches and shrines, and the persecution of novices of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra."

"Instead of moralizing Washington should pay attention to its own shortcomings and problems, including a furious campaign to impose non-traditional family and religious values, a surge of intolerance in the U.S. society amid growing Antisemitism and Islamophobia," the embassy noted.