By Iran Press/Homeland Media Group
Saeed Khatibzadeh called the US government’s announcement of new sanctions against Russia a wrong move in the wrong direction, which was completely rejected.
Khatibzadeh said: “Apparently, the US government’s addiction to sanctioning other countries under false excuses has become an institutionalized approach in this country, and the change of administrations has not had an effect on correcting this attitude.”
The Biden administration has announced new financial and banking sector sanctions against Russia and simultaneously expelled 10 Russian diplomats.
Based on a presidential executive order, the sanctions target 32 entities and individuals, plus six Russian technology sector companies, over alleged Russian meddling in the 2020 elections and hacking attacks, including the SolarWinds incident.
The 32 designated entities and individuals are targeted for their supposed involvement in “Russian government-directed attempts to influence the 2020 US presidential election, and other acts of disinformation and interference.”
Significantly, the Treasury restrictions target all Russian sovereign debt -both ruble and non-ruble denominated, issued after 14 June 2021 by the Central Bank of Russia, Russia’s National Wealth Fund and the Ministry of Finance.
“This directive provides authority for the US government to expand sovereign debt sanctions on Russia as appropriate,” a release by the White House said.
The 10 expelled diplomats have been ordered to leave Washington on the pretext that they were working as intelligence officers under diplomatic cover.
