Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, wearing face masks as protection against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), meet in Damascus, Syria, April 20, 2020. Photo: SANA / Handout via Reuters.

Iran on Thursday condemned as inhumane a fresh round of US sanctions against its regional ally Syria and said it would expand its trade ties with Damascus.

The United States on Wednesday imposed its toughest sanctions targeting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to choke off revenue for his government and force it back to UN-led negotiations on ending his country’s war.

“As the world is involved with the Corona pandemic, the imposition of such inhumane sanctions will only exacerbate the suffering of the Syrian people,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told state media.

“We will continue our economic cooperation with the resilient Syrian nation and Syria’s government, and despite these sanctions, we will strengthen our economic relations with Syria,” Mousavi said.

Separately, Iran welcomed a two-day debate at the UN Human Rights Council this week about alleged US police brutality and racial discrimination.

“Systemic racism, police brutality & violence against peaceful protests represent just the tip of the iceberg. It’s high time (the world) works for the US regime’s human rights accountability at home & abroad,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a Twitter post.

Iran, which itself faces heavy US sanctions, is a close ally of Assad. Tehran has sent thousands of fighters to back the Syrian central government, including Iranian-trained Shi’ite militias whose members are from Afghanistan and other countries.