US has no right to extend UN arms embargo on Iran

Tehran, June 8 (IANS) The Iranian ambassador to the UN said that the US’ calls for the extension of a UN Security Council arms embargo on Tehran lack legal standing in international law.

The US Ambassador to the UN “wrongly” believes Washington retains the right to snap back sanctions against Tehran under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, said Majid Takht-Ravanchi on Sunday.

Washington is no longer a “participant” in the 2016 Iranian nuclear deal, Takht-Ravanchi noted, referring to US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the agreement two years ago.

Under Resolution 2231, arms embargo on Iran will be lifted in October 2020.

However, the US has said that it was considering “every possibility” to renew the UN Security Council ban on selling conventional arms to Iran.

Last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Washington was considering “every possibility” to renew the ban on selling conventional arms to Iran

In response, Iranina President Hassan Rouhani had said that his country would not accept the renewal of the arms ban “under any circumstance”.

–IANS

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