Russian envoy: US seeks to extend Iran arms embargo while selling weapons to region

A senior Russian diplomat has taken the United States to task for making increasing efforts to extend an arms embargo on Iran while it is itself selling huge amounts of weapons to countries in West Asia, thus destabilizing the region.

"The #US attempts to make arms #embargo against #Iran indefinite and comprehensive look extremely questionable in the light of US enormous arms supplies to the region," Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov made the remarks in a tweet on Monday.

The remarks come amid US efforts to exert pressure on the United Nations Security Council to extend the arms embargo against Iran as part of Washington’s so-called “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran in violation of the 2015 international nuclear deal -- officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -- and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorses the accord.

Under the JCPOA, the restrictions imposed on Iran's purchase and sale of arms should be lifted in October.

In his tweet, Ulyanov held Washington liable for pursuing policies that are in fact leading to "destabilization of the situation in the Middle East."

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi warned on Saturday that the country will take "effective measures" if European countries cave in to the US pressure aimed at extending the arms embargo on the Islamic Republic.

Iran warns of effective measures if Europe yields to US pressure over arms embargo extension

Iran says it will take effective measures if Europeans cave in to the US pressure on extending an arms embargo against Tehran.

"We have warned the European countries that if they give in to the US political and diplomatic pressures and trigger the restrictions, Iran has envisaged effective measures [to take in kind], but we hope that things would not end up like that," the Iranian spokesperson said.

France, Britain and Germany -- the three European signatories to the JCPOA – have argued against the lifting of the arms embargo against Tehran, resonating the US claims.

E3 agrees with Iran: US is out of JCPOA, cannot push for arms embargo renewal: Reports

The European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal appear to be in full agreement with Iran’s position that the US is no longer a party to the accord and thus not entitled to push for the extension of a UN arms embargo on Tehran.

Tehran, however, has firmly rejected Washington’s plans, arguing the US is no longer a party to the nuclear deal ever since it withdrew from the multilateral agreement in 2018.

China and Russia, which are both signatories to the JCPOA, have echoed Tehran’s position.

Russia slams Europe’s dual standards on JCPOA, ‘destructive’ US actions

Russia has censured the European signatories to a 2015 nuclear deal for claiming commitment to the accord while putting pressure on Iran over its nuclear program,

The US recently served the Security Council with a draft resolution on extension of the arms embargo, with American Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft saying Washington will push the Council to vote on the draft as soon as mid-July.

Amid the US’ unashamed drive targeting the 2015 nuclear agreement, the United Nations secretary general has urged exhaustion of all possible means to prevent “destruction” of the JCPOA.

UN chief urges all-out push to prevent Iran deal ‘destruction’

The United Nations secretary-general urges exhaustion of all possible means to prevent “destruction” of the 2015 Iran nuclear accord.

“Our position in relation to the JCPOA has always been the same. We consider [that] the JCPOA was a very important step forward in relation to the question of nuclear proliferation,” Antonio Guterres told an online press conference on June 25 in response to a question posed by IRNA.

Read more:

• Russia, China slam US plan to extend UN arms embargo on Iran
• US: Lifting arms embargo on Iran will trigger regional arms race
• Iran envy implies US failed to forge consensus for anti-Iran resolution at UNSC
• Zarif: Pompeo so desperate to mislead world on Iran; fails to notice own flaw

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