Russia Not to Seek US permission for Interaction with Iran

Russia is an independent country which does not seek US permission for interaction with Iran, according to Russian ambassador to Iran Levan Dzhagaryan.

Dzhagaryan made the remarks during a meeting with the governor general of the Iranian northern province of Gilan on Tuesday when he introduced the new Russian consul general to the province.

He reiterated that despite all the sanctions on Iran, Russia will keep standing by the country and supporting the Iranian government.

Dzhagaryan also expressed certainty that Moscow will continue trade ties with Iran.

EU under huge pressure from US over Iran, says French Minister

On the other hand, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday that, European powers are facing huge pressure from the United States to drop its proposed trade channel with Iran.

 Britain, France and Germany, which signed a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran along with the United States, China and Russia, are determined to show they can compensate for last year’s US withdrawal from the accord, protect trade and still prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb, Reuters reported.

As part of those efforts, it is trying to set up a special trade channel known as INSTEX, which will deal essentially with food and medical trade, but it is struggling to become operational.

“Yes, there is American pressure. It’s strong, very strong and very direct on this subject,” Le Maire told reporters in Paris. “There is pressure on political officials, the administration and all those who are implicated on this subject.”

Tension between Washington and Tehran has escalated this month. The US wants its European allies to fall behind its policy of putting maximum pressure on Iran through sanctions to push it to fresh negotiations on a broader arms control deal.

IRNA

R.S