MOSCOW, June 23. /TASS/. The US seeks to influence the internal political situation in Syria by its sanctions ahead of the upcoming elections, Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Walid Muallem said Tuesday.

"The Syrian people do not accept this meddling in their internal affairs, so we say to Washington: President Bashar Assad will remain in power for as long as the Syrian people would want him to," the top diplomat said, according to the Al Mayadeen TV channel.

According to Muallem, Washington seeks to impose upon Syrians a Constitution that "corresponds to the American and the Israeli views."

"But our people would accept only the Constitution that corresponds to their national aspirations," he said. "Neither [US Special Representative on Syria James] Jeffrey, nor anyone else will define the future of Syria, this choice belongs to the Syrians themselves."

On July 19, elections to the People’s Council (parliament) of Syria will take place. The vote was postponed twice due to the coronavirus pandemic. Elections to the unicameral parliament take place in accordance with the Constitution, approved during the February 26, 2012 referendum.

New presidential election is planned for 2021. In 2014, Assad won the election, securing, according to official data, the support of 88.7% of voters.