OREANDA-NEWS. June 18, 2010. In relation to the US imposition of unilateral sanctions on Iran, and the package of additional penalties against Tehran that has already been agreed on by the European Union foreign ministers, we can state the following.

As noted in our comments on the adoption of UNSCR 1929 on Iran, we regard such actions of the partners as a manifestation of a line that runs counter to the principles of joint work among the six nations and in the format of the UN Security Council. Attempts to put themselves “above” the Security Council in this way are unacceptable to us. We categorically reject such practices.

The additional anti-Iran sanctions approved by Washington go substantially beyond the existing UNSC sanctions regime against Tehran. We are also informed about the package of additional penalties against Iran agreed upon by the EU foreign ministers that has been submitted for approval by the European Council.

We are disappointed by such decisions. They undermine the foundation of our cooperation and dialogue on optimal ways of settlement of the situation around the Iranian nuclear program. In fact, the same story is repeated again and again: once we take significant effort and reach an understanding at the UN Security Council on a set of carefully tuned sanctions on Iran, the US and the EU don't stop at that and, strictly speaking, show their political disregard to partnership with Russia.