Moscow has watched with the concern as the US has ratcheted up tensions around Iran for over a year. Levelling baseless charges and withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Washington has steadily piled on massive sanction pressure and taken actions, including actions of a military nature, intended to provoke Iran, while demanding unwarranted concessions of it, up to and including the de facto abandonment of its absolutely legitimate interests in international affairs, despite the fact that Iran’s nuclear activities are exclusively peaceful and fully supervised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Following the high-profile incident with a US drone, Washington announced individual sanctions against the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a number of high-level military officials. While reaffirming its commitment to dialogue with Iran, Washington seems intent on burning bridges.

This is just the latest example of the continued US propensity to dictate its will to sovereign states. Imagining itself to be the master of the fate of the world, it adopts increasingly aggressive policies and is quick to “punish” those who refuse to submit to American dictates.

Russia stands in full solidarity with the friendly people of Iran and its government. The US government should consider where such a reckless course of action might lead. Not only could it destabilise the Middle East, it threatens to undermine the entire system of international security.