The US government has come to the aid of Argentina by urging a New York court to block the seizure of the country’s assets as partial fulfilment of a $16bn legal judgment, for fear of reprisals against American interests in foreign territories.

Claimants in the case, who were awarded the record sum from Argentina over what the court deemed to be the illegal expropriation of their shares in energy group YPF in 2012, had asked a judge to order the handover of the country’s remaining multibillion-dollar stake in the company.

Argentina, which is appealing against the original judgment, has fought against the request, arguing it goes against “l(fā)ong-recognised considerations of international comity governing the enforcement of judgments against foreign sovereigns”.