Moscow May Expel about 30 US Diplomats; Freeze Some US Assets in Russia
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Russia may decide to expel about 30 US diplomats and freeze some US assets over the situation over the Russian diplomatic facilities closed down in the United States, media reported on Tuesday.
Two diplomatic compounds belonging to Russia were closed down at the end of 2016 as part of the sanctions introduced by Barack Obama's administration over Russia's alleged interference in the US presidential election, which Moscow has repeatedly denied, Sputnik reported.
“There is a preliminary agreement on holding a meeting between Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Ryabkov and US under Secretary of State Thomas Shannon in St. Petersburg. If the compromise is not found there, we will have to take such measures,” a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry told the Izvestiya newspaper.
Last year, the newspaper reported that Russia was considering freezing the US Embassy house in northwestern Moscow as well as a warehouse also located in the Russian capital.
The issue of the Russian diplomatic property in the United States was raised during the last week’s meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump. Next week, the problem will be discussed by Ryabkov and Shannon.
