Syrians are preparing to sue the United States for supplying weapons to Israel that later killed Syrians during the Second Lebanon War, said Syria's foreign minister, a day after Washington announced new sanctions against Damascus.

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Speaking at a press conference with his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, Walid Moallem promised that Syria would punish the US for its decision to impose fresh sanctions against Syrian officials.

"This time I tell you we will punish the United States ... There are scores of Syrians who became victims during the Israeli war against Lebanon, they will file lawsuits against America," which provided Israel with the weapons, he said.

'No country more corrupt than US'

On Wednesday, US President George W. Bush, in an executive order, said he was expanding sanctions against senior government officials in Syria and their associates deemed responsible for or to have benefited from public corruption. The order named no specific officials.

A high ranking Syrian official on Thursday ridiculed Bush's decision, saying that a country occupying the land of others has no right to hurl accusations. "The ones who steal the resources of other countries through occupation and corruption have no right to accuse others," said a high-ranking Syrian official to the Associated Press.

"The Bush administration is not matched by any government in the world when it comes to corruption," he said.