Scientific Director of the International discussion club “Valdai” Fyodor Lukyanov

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

MOSCOW, March 29. /TASS/. The United States can go further to strengthen pressure on Russia both diplomatic and economic spheres – from the next closing consulates to financial sanctions modeled on those that were imposed against Iran. This was stated on Thursday, TASS chief editor of the magazine “Russia in global Affairs”, Director of scientific work of the international club “Valdai” Fyodor Lukyanov.

Earlier, the Russian foreign Ministry announced the expulsion from Russia of 60 American diplomats and opinion on the resolution of the General U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg in response to similar measures taken by Washington in connection with the case Skripal.

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“Except for the fact that the Consulate in Seattle and St . Petersburg are not in equilibrium, that is, settlements of different caliber and significance in the rest of the mirror taken steps, as promised”, – he stated. The expert drew attention to the words of foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that these measures are not exhausted.

“Informal St. Petersburg is much more important than Seattle, so I do not exclude that now the Americans can shut down, for example, new York,” – said Lukyanov. According to experts, Russia and the United States are still at the beginning of the sanctions war. “Rounds such expulsions and closures will be even higher than his head,” he said.

However, the diplomatic side of the conflict, with all its “volume”, not so bad, says Lukyanov. “Now we have a phase relationship which provides a much more active measures of mutual impact,” he said, drawing attention to the words of the US Ambassador in Russia John Huntsman about the possibility of arrest of the Russian accounts in the USA. “This is more serious than the expulsion of diplomats”, – said the expert.

He recalled that the US has “a serious instrument of pressure on any country due to the unique position of America as Issuer of the world reserve currency”. “If the deterioration will continue at the same pace, I think we’ll see up to sanctions similar to Iran,” concluded Lukyanov.