Iranian ambassador says Russia should not fear Western sanctions, step up contacts with Tehran
MOSCOW. March 3 (Interfax) - The significance of Western sanctions against Iran is overrated and Moscow should not fear to develop closer economic contacts with Tehran, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanayee said.
"It seems that the psychological effect of the sanctions and pressure by the United States and the West on economic entities is bigger than the sanctions themselves," he told a conference at the Russian Academy of Sciences' Oriental Studies Institute on Monday.
The Western sanctions are overrated, which closes many opportunities, he noted.
"I call on trade and economic institutions of Russia to step up their work with Iran," the diplomat said.
The psychological atmosphere around anti-Iranian sanctions is fading away, he said. "Hopefully, trade and economic institutions of friendly countries will not lag behind in this process," Sanayee remarked.
