Russia and Syria have slammed the United States for its decision to close Syrian embassy and consulates in the country.
The Russian Foreign ministry denounced the move in a statement posted on its website on Wednesday.
The Russian ministry said this shows Washington is pushing for regime change in Damascus and not seeking to resolve the crisis through diplomatic channels.
The Russian ministry continued by saying the US move demonstrates that Washington is not willing to assist in destroying Syria’s chemical weapons, which cannot be achieved without direct cooperation with Damascus.
Furthermore, the Russian ministry said the US decision contradicts the agreement reached earlier by Moscow and Washington “to work together energetically on a peaceful solution to the crisis in Syria.”
This is while the Syrian Foreign Ministry called Washington's decision illegal, describing the unilateral move as a clear violation of the Vienna Convention that governs diplomatic relations between nations.
On Tuesday, US State Department ordered the Syrian embassy in Washington to suspend its activities in the country and to shut down two Syria consulates in the states of Texas and Michigan. The US department also demanded that all personnel who are not legal US residents leave the country.
Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since 2011. Some sources say around 130,000 people have been killed and millions displaced due to the violence.
According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.
