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US sanctions can harm talks on Iran’s nuclear program - report

The expansion of US anti-Iranian sanctions can considerably harm the talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Friday
Russian Foreign Ministry ITAR-TASS/Stanislav Krasilnikov
Russian Foreign Ministry
© ITAR-TASS/Stanislav Krasilnikov

MOSCOW, February 07. /ITAR-TASS/. The expansion of U.S. anti-Iranian sanctions can considerably harm the talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Friday.

“The fact that the U.S. expanded the ‘black lists’ just before the talks on working out a comprehensive agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme arouses concern. The U.S. actions run counter the ‘Geneva spirit’ and can considerably harm the negotiations,” the ministry said.

“Moscow voices concern about the U.S. State Department’s decision to add Iranian and foreign organisations and citizens to the blacklists. This is Washington’s second decision of such kind in the past two months. Restrictions are being imposed amidst the successful launch of the Joint Plan of Action that was adopted by the Sextet foreign ministers and Iran in Geneva on November 24, 2013,” the ministry said.

“We reiterated that such decisions run counter the spirit of the Geneva agreements saying Washington will refrain from imposing new sanctions related to Tehran’s nuclear programme. We consider this step unacceptable. It runs counter international law,” the ministry said.

Russia “categorically rejects any attempts to project the U.S. legislation on third countries and use sanctions against companies and physical persons that comply with the U.N. Security Council resolutions on Iran”, the ministry said.