Based on media reports from October 25, 2008.

Based on media reports from October 25, 2008.

Yesterday the U.S. Department of State announced that it is imposing sanctions against Rosoboronexport. The Russian arms supplier, together with 12 other companies in China, Sudan, North Korea, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and Syria, is accused of supplying Iran, Syria and North Korea with technologies and materials that can contribute to the development of weapons of mass destruction or vehicles for their delivery (including ballistic missiles). The State Department emphasized that the introduction of sanctions is in response to the delivery of technologies and materials that are banned by international treaties and U.S. law. The sanctions will remain in place for two years and will affect the companies and their "subsidiaries and successors." U.S. government agencies are prohibited from providing the companies included in the sanctions list with any assistance or from acquiring their products and services. Furthermore, the sanctioned companies will not be allowed to sell U.S. military equipment.

The State Department declined to provide any comment concerning the nature of the violation committed by Rosoboronexport. The state arms supplier blames the U.S. decision on its delivery of Tor-M1 systems to Iran. Rosoboronexport notes that the Tor-M1 is a short-range air Defense system whose sale to Iran does not violate any international treaties and that it "gives [Iran] the capability to defend important small-scale sites." Rosoboronexport sees the reason behind Washington's sanctions as the fact that "the United States is deliberately trying to use its administrative capacity to hinder Russia in its foreign business and political activities, particularly in the sphere of military and technical cooperation with foreign states."

Yesterday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sharply criticized the U.S. actions. "These sanctions have absolutely no basis in international law and correspond only with American laws and American rules," Lavrov said. He also suggested that by enforcing sanctions against Rosoboronexport the United States hopes "to force Russia to be more compliant with the American approach to resolving the Iranian nuclear problem." Lavrov called the move "a mistake." He then issued a warning that the sanctions will affect future relations between the U.S. and Russia.

Lavrov's statement indicates that Moscow regards Washington's decision as purely political and will answer in kind. This was confirmed by Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the Federation Council International Affairs Committee.