Russia and Iran will look for new methods of countering the negative effect of sanctions on bilateral economic relations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Iran’s state television and radio broadcaster on Saturday, TASS reports.
Moscow and Tehran are taking measures not to allow bilateral trade and economic cooperation "to shrink," Russia’s top diplomat pointed out.
"On the contrary, it is growing, in particular, thanks to the refusal to use the US dollar, the shift of the gravity center towards national currencies in settlements and new creative schemes of economic interaction. It works," he stressed.
"I am convinced that we will be looking for new methods of ignoring the sanctions’ negative economic effect," Russia’s top diplomat said.
There can be no reliance on the Western countries that are applying sanctions and there should be reliance on the states that firmly follow the principles of international law, Lavrov said.
It is necessary to build up the campaign in the UN and at other multilateral forums for denouncing unilateral sanctions, promoting the general understanding of the need to terminate them, Russia’s foreign minister said.
"For many years, we have been voting together with Iran and an overwhelming majority of UN members in support of the resolution on the illegitimacy of the economic blockade of Cuba. Only 2-3 members of the organization, together with the United States, do not support it," Lavrov said.
The post of the special rapporteur on illegitimate unilateral economic sanctions has been set up at the UN, Lavrov recalled.
"It is necessary to support the activity of this important institution in every possible way. It has prepared several reports based on the UN Charter principles, first of all, equality, the peaceful settlement of disputes and non-interference in internal affairs. We will necessarily continue work in this direction," the Russian foreign minister said.
