On Thursday, June 18, Iran criticized new package of US sanctions against its regional ally Syria, calling them inhuman and promising to intensify its trade ties with Damascus.
The United States on Wednesday imposed its toughest sanctions concerning Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to block revenue for his government and make it take part in U.N.-led negotiations on ending his country’s war.
“As the world is involved with the Corona pandemic, the imposition of such inhumane sanctions will only exacerbate the suffering of the Syrian people”, – Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told state media.
“We will continue our economic cooperation with the resilient Syrian nation and Syria’s government, and despite these sanctions, we will strengthen our economic relations with Syria”, – Mousavi said.
Iran, which itself suffers from tough U.S. sanctions, is a close regional ally of Syria. Tehran has sent thousands of fighters to back the Syrian central government, including Iranian-trained Shi’ite militias whose members are from Afghanistan and other countries.