The development comes as the United States and Iran are experiencing a new low in their relations on the heels of the recent drone attack against Saudi oil refineries that Washington and its allies have swiftly blamed on Tehran – a claim that the Islamic Republic vehemently rejects.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned the latest batch of sanctions introduced against Iranian institutions, calling them “illegitimate”.
“This will not affect our approaches to Iran. As we planned, we will continue to cooperate with Iran in the banking sector. This will have no effect [on Russia's position],” Russian Foreign Ministry Second Asian Department Director Zamir Kabulov said.
The announcement comes as President Trump stated that the United States is introducing sanctions on Iran.
“We have just sanctioned the Iranian national bank,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, later clarifying that he was referring to the Iranian central bank.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump said that the new sanctions represent the “highest sanctions ever imposed on a country”. He also added that the latest sanctions against Iran go “right to the top”.
Later, the president said that he expected the sanctions to work on Iran. Trump added that the military option could also work, but he hoped that Washington will never have to resort to it.
Additionally, United States Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said that the…
