MOSCOW (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova — Adamantopoulos' statement comes after Iran and a group of international mediators signed on July 14 a final nuclear agreement stipulating the lifting of international sanctions against Tehran in exchange for a guarantee of the peaceful nature of its nuclear program. The restrictions, which imposed arms embargo on Tehran and significantly hindered its oil trade, have hard hit the country.
"I don’t think it is an efficient tool against Russia. But in a case of Iran, for example, they were efficient, because the country was on its knees and forced to sign the deal, but Iran does not have as strong an economy as Russia," Adamantopoulos said.
In June 2015, EU leaders extended sanctions against Russia for an additional six months.
The lawyer added that Russia is a large country that can "balance those sanctions" and has imposed restrictions against the European Union in return, making the actions against Moscow ineffective.
On Monday, Sarosh Zaiwalla, a London-based lawyer, who previously helped Iran's Mellat bank win lawsuits in Britain's Supreme Court and the EU General Court over Western sanctions, told the BBC that the 2014 restrictions imposed against Russia by the West over its alleged involvement in Ukraine conflict can be successfully challenged in court.
