TEHRAN, Mar. 21 (MNA) – Washington believes that Russia has to stop the military operation in Ukraine in order to lift the US sanctions, Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics Daleep Singh said.

"Well, we’re nowhere near that point (lifting sanctions against Russia - TASS). The first thing [the Russian leadership] has to do is to stop [conflict] in Ukraine. That’s not happening," Singh said. "Secretary of State Antony Blinken told <...> ending Russia’s economic isolation would require [Russia] to stop [conflict]," he said in a CBS interview, according to TASS.

According to Singh, the US objective is "to demonstrate resolve" that sanctions should have the power to impose overwhelming costs.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to conduct a special military operation in Ukraine. The Russian leader said that Moscow does not intend to occupy Ukrainian territories.

After that, the US, EU, and the UK, as well as several other states, announced that they were imposing sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities.

MNA/PR