TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran on Sunday strongly criticized the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) for its “irresponsible” call for extending an arms embargo on the country.
The PGCC council’s secretariat on Sunday asked the UN Security Council to extend the arms embargo on Iran, which will expire in October.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said the six-member council has issued a “unilateral and dictated” statement while some of its members are among the biggest purchasers of Western arms in spite of grappling with economic problems.
Regretting “the unproductive approach taken by some of the members” of the PGCC, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi added, “Unfortunately, it appears the so-called Persian Gulf Cooperation Council has become the representative of certain narrow-minded members inside the council or outside the region and its secretariat influenced by wrong and destructive policies and behaviors of some of its members has turned into the mouthpiece of anti-Iran hawks.”
“PGCC has reached its inefficiency climax,” the spokesman said, adding the council has become useless due to its “internal divisions and unrealistic policies and its recent move indicated that it has ignored regional realities and turned a blind eye to the regional realities and priorities under current sensitive circumstances.”
The UN arms embargo against Iran is to expire on October 18 based on the nuclear agreement which is officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
The US is pressing ahead with plans to push for the extension of the UN arms embargo on Iran, but it is likely to face stiff opposition from other nations, including Russia and China.
- source : Iran Daily, Irannews
