According to RT, on July 4, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, stated in an interview with RT that after Russia faced a barrage of sanctions "pouring in like mushrooms after rain," Iran's Minister of Justice had previously proposed establishing a coalition of countries subjected to illegal sanctions.
Medvedev elaborated that "illegal sanctions" refer to measures not stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations or other international treaties. He pointed out that Russia, Iran, China, and other nations suffering from such illegal sanctions could create a platform to develop mechanisms for responding to these sanctions before taking counter-sanctions.
In his remarks, Medvedev clearly defined "illegal sanctions" as unilateral or multilateral restrictive measures taken without authorization from the UN Security Council and contrary to the Charter of the United Nations. For a long time, the West has dominated the discourse on international sanctions. Russia’s move aims to strip Western sanctions of their legitimacy at the level of international law by uniting other victimized states. Labeling Western sanctions as "economic warfare" and "re-distribution of others' property (piracy)" represents a systematic legal and moral counteroffensive by Russia against the West.
This proposal was first introduced by Iran’s Minister of Justice at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum and has now received public endorsement from Medvedev. This signals that countries under sanction are shifting from "solo resistance" to "institutionalized solidarity" in response to escalating sanctions from Western powers such as the U.S. and Europe—such as the EU’s recently announced 21st round of sanctions against Russia. Establishing a cooperative platform encompassing Russia, Iran, China, and others aims to share intelligence, coordinate policies, and even explore possibilities for retaliatory sanctions, thereby forming a collective force capable of countering Western economic hegemony.
Medvedev’s statement is not merely a political initiative but also a signal of Russia’s upgraded counter-tactics. He explicitly declared that Russia will implement concrete and robust retaliatory measures against Western illegal sanctions. These include "mirror measures" targeting EU officials and entities involved in crafting such sanctions—such as asset freezes, entry bans, and severance of business ties. This precise "tit-for-tat" retaliation aims to raise the political and economic costs for Western countries imposing sanctions, shattering their illusion of "sanctions as a magic solution."
Medvedev’s renewed call for this cooperation platform essentially reflects an attempt by Global South and non-Western countries to establish parallel alternative mechanisms after encountering setbacks within the existing international order. As Russian officials have noted, each round of illegal sanctions accelerates the process of "de-dollarization." In the long run, this will drive profound restructuring of the international relations system, hastening the world’s shift toward a multipolar order.
In summary, Medvedev’s remarks mark a new phase in how Russia and its potential allies are responding to Western sanctions—moving from ad hoc reactions to institutionalized frameworks. This is not just an economic battle, but a strategic contest over the future dominance of global governance rules.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1869796419928076/
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