Russia's Foreign Ministry slams new US sanctions as clumsy

The United States’ attempts to accuse Russia of facilitating oil supplies to Syria look like a statement of support for terrorists and show a desire to prevent the reconstruction of Syria, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, commenting on Washington’s move to expand sanctions on Russia.

"At the same time, the main reasons for sanctions are rooted in the domestic political struggle in the United States, where each of the parties seeks to score points by whatever means, particularly by taking steps at the international level. As a result, these steps turn out to be clumsy," the statement reads.

"Accusations concerning oil supplies to Syria - a country whose armed forces have been fighting terrorist aggression for over seven years - look like a statement of support for terrorists and also show a desire to prevent the reconstruction of the war-torn country, where many people live without electricity and heating. Is it what the United States really wants?" the Russian ministry added.

According to the statement, "Washington has been demonstrating its inability to make our country change its independent stance at the international stage." "US politicians should start getting rid of illusions about the United States’ omnipotence that they convinced themselves of. Self-deception is a dangerous thing," the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed.

On Tuesday, the United States sanctioned two Russian companies - Global Vision Group and Promsyrioimport - on suspicion of supplying Iranian oil to Syria. Promsyrioimport Director General Andrei Dogayev was blacklisted. According to US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the move is aimed "against a complex scheme Iran and Russia have used to bolster the Assad regime and generate funds for Iranian malign activity."

According to the US Department of the Treasury, Global Vision Group and Syrian national Mohammad Amer Alchwiki who controls "are central to the delivery of oil from Iran to Syria, and the transfer of funds to the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Quds Force] IRGC-QF’s lethal proxies [Hamas and Hezbollah]."

In addition, the United States also blacklisted two Iranian nationals, one Lebanese citizen, one Syrian and one Iraqi, as well as the Iran-based Tadbir Kish Medical and Pharmaceutical Company.