Extension of UN Arms Embargo to Kill JCPOA

IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK

TEHRAN – A senior Iranian official warns the illegal extension of the UN arms embargo on Iran will drag the already moribund Iran nuclear deal into permanent death.

Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Vice Admiral Ali Shamkhani said in a tweet that Washington’s attempt to circumvent UN Security Council Resolution 2231 will deal the coup de grace to the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“This virus of sanctions is a tool used by the White House to maintain the United States’ declining hegemony,” he added.

The top official also lashed out at the European signatories to the JCPOA for failing to act decicisvely.

“On which side is Europe standing: Saving face and boosting multilateralism, or accepting humiliation again and contributing to unilateralism?” he asked rhetorically.

#JCPOA will die forever by circumventing 2231 Resolution & continuing #Iran‘s illegal weapons sanctions. Sanctions’ virus is the US tool for survival of its declining hegemony. What will #EU do: Save dignity & support multilateralism or Accept humiliation & help unilateralism?

His comments came after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed a few days ago to use all means available to extend a UN arms embargo on Iran.

A ban on selling conventional weapons to Iran ends in October under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 that endorsed the JCPOA.

U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook said on Thursday that Washington had drafted a Security Council resolution on the issue and was “hopeful” the 15-member body will extend the arms embargo on Iran before it expires.

However, Russia and China, both parties to the JCPOA, are unlikely to allow that with their veto power.

To circumvent the veto, the U.S. will argue that it legally remains a “participant state” in the nuclear deal only to invoke a “snapback” that would restore the UN sanctions, which had been in place against Iran prior to the JCPOA’s inking.

This is while the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and re-imposed the anti-Iran sanctions that had been lifted under the agreement.