The White House says U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a bill into law that imposes new sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea.
Various Islamic Republic officials have been strongly criticizing the sanctions bill that the U.S. Congress passed and now president Trump has signed.
U.S. lawmakers in late July passed the bill that targets Russian energy firms with sanctions and would require Trump to seek congressional approval in order to ease sanctions against Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin responded angrily to congressional passage of the bill, even before Trump signed it on August 2, ordering on July 30 that Washington must cut its U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia by 755 personnel.
The Russian response escalated tensions in relations that already have been damaged by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, its role in the war in Syria, and its alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
The Kremlin has called the U.S. legislation an example of “extreme aggression” and has accused Washington of trying to unjustly and “illegally” isolate Russia with sanctions and other measures.
U.S. lawmakers modified the bill after initial complaints by European leaders that it was too harmful to companies working with Russia on the Nord Stream pipeline project.
Germany’s economics minister on July 31 urged the European Union to fight back against the new sanctions by the United States, saying that it could penalize Western companies doing business with Russia.
