LONDON (Sputnik) – Earlier in the day, the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 271 employees of Syria's Scientific Studies and Research Center, which is suspected by the US authorities of being responsible for producing chemical weapons.
"The UK welcomes US action to sanction individuals connected to the use of chemical weapons in Syria. The abhorrent attack on Khan Sheikhoun is a stark reminder that the international community must work together to deter the future use of chemical weapons in any circumstances … We welcome the role sanctions play in increasing pressure on the Syrian regime to turn away from its military campaign." Johnson said, as quoted by the UK Foreign Office.
He also called for bringing those responsible for the attack to account and facilitating the Syrian peace process.
"We will continue our efforts to hold accountable those responsible for chemical attacks, including through the UN and EU, and to energise international support for the UN-led political process. Only a political settlement will bring an end to the war in Syria," Johnson added.
Russia and Iran offered to launch an independent investigation into the incident but last week, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) turned down the proposal. On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called this decision strange as the Russian-Iranian initiative did not stipulate anything other than conducting "an independent, impartial, transparent investigation" with experts visiting the site.
