Kazem Jalali, Iran’s new ambassador to Russia, has suggested that Iran and Russia should cooperate to fight Washington’s “economic terrorism” as the United States has hit both countries with sanctions.

“It is necessary for us to strengthen political relations, to expand bilateral, regional and international cooperation, to fight against terrorism together, and also to resist economic terrorism of the U.S., which has imposed sanctions both on our country and on Russia,” Jalali told Sputnik in an interview published on Wednesday.

Tehran has repeatedly said that the United States’ sanctions against Iran are examples of economic terrorism.

President Hassan Rouhani said in June that the U.S. sanctions against Iran constitute examples of “crime against humanity and economic terrorism” because they have targeted ordinary people’s “lives and needs”.

“It should not be said that the U.S. has imposed sanctions on us, because they are not sanctions. They are crime against humanity. They could be called sanctions if they targeted some of our sensitive industries, but they are crime against humanity and economic terrorism when they target the people’s lives and needs,” he said in a cabinet meeting.

‘Iran and Russia may hold joint land drills’ 

Jalali also said that Iran and Russia may hold joint military exercises not only at sea but also on land in the future.

“The countries cooperate in different areas, so yes, there is such a possibility,” the ambassador said.

However, he did not provide any specific time frame.

Tehran’s new ambassador to Moscow said Russia and Iran have already conducted joint maneuvers.

Naval forces of Iran, Russia and China kicked off a large-scale maritime exercise in the northern part of the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman on Friday morning.

NA/PA