U.S. to present UN resolution to extend arms embargo on Iran

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:55, August 06, 2020

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday the United States would present a resolution in the United Nations Security Council next week to extend an international arms embargo on Iran despite lukewarm support for the bid.

"We're not going to let the arms embargo expire on Oct. 18 of this year," Pompeo said at a press briefing.

He also threatened to trigger the snapback mechanism in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal to reimpose UN sanctions against Tehran.

Despite his threats, the United States appears to be isolated on the issue. Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said in late June that the United States is no longer a participant of the Iran nuclear deal, thus has no right to trigger the snapback mechanism at the Security Council.

Foreign ministers of Britain, France, and Germany also noted in June that they would not support any unilateral attempt to trigger UN sanctions snapback.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last month that any attempts to extend the arms embargo against Iran indefinitely are illegitimate.

Under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, the arms embargo will be lifted this October. Tehran said it would not accept a renewal of the embargo.