“We discussed in detail the situation surrounding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),” Lavrov said at a joint press conference that followed a meeting with his visiting Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, in Moscow.

“We stressed that Moscow and Tehran, like the entire international community, categorically reject US ambitions to impose some kind of indefinite arms embargo,” said the Russian top diplomat, according to Press TV.

The ban on sales of conventional weapons to Iran is set to expire on October 18 under the JCPOA, a nuclear agreement that was signed between Iran and the US, the UK, France, Russia, and China plus Germany in Vienna in 2015.

The US left the deal in 2018, thus losing all of its rights to invoke its provisions, including a snapback mechanism that enables reimposition of the United Nations sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo alleged that “virtually all UN sanctions have returned on Iran,” including “a permanent extension of the arms embargo.” “We will not hesitate to enforce our sanctions, and we expect all UN Member States to fully comply with their obligations under these reimposed restrictions,” he added.

This is while, 13 of the UN Security Council’s 15-strong members, including Russia and China, have notified the US that they would not fall into line with the US’ snapback bid, reminding that Washington’s departure from the JCPOA has caused it to lose its contractual rights.

“We have heard the US statement that, despite the will of the entire international community, they will proceed from the premise that the United Nations Security Council’s sanctions against Iran would be restored at Washington’s whim. These attempts using illegal means have no prospect of succeeding,” Lavrov added.

“We agreed to continue the implementation of major joint investment projects, first and foremost in the sphere of energy, including nuclear power, as well as transportation and industrial cooperation,” the Russian foreign minister stressed concerning underway cooperation between Iran and Russia.

He also announced that the Russian-Iranian Joint Economic Commission would be meeting before the end of the year in line with the two countries’ common will to expand their relations.

Zarif expressed gratitude to Moscow and Beijing for their “playing an important role in confronting the US’ illegal efforts at the Security Council.”

Russia would take over the Council’s chairmanship on October 10, he noted, hoping that Moscow’s “effective role” in standing up to Washington’s campaign would sustain under the period too.

Zarif also hailed his talks with Lavrov as “good and constructive” and emphasized that the countries were “taking diligent efforts to boost their relations.”

“We enjoy cooperation in various areas, and hope to expand these instances of collaboration,” the Iranian foreign minister said.

Political Adviser to Iran’s Permanent Mission to Geneva Nabi Azadi made the announcement in response to the earlier remarks by Washington’s representative to the Geneva Disarmament Conference Robert Wood on Thursday, Fars News Agency reported.

The American envoy accused Iran of backing terrorism and said that Washington seeks to extend a United Nations ban on Tehran despite its expiration in October under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the Iran nuclear deal in 2015.

Azadi rejected the statements, saying that the move violates Resolution 2231 and amounts to an attempt to destroy multilateral bodies such as the UN after Washington failed to gain international backing to extend the embargo at the Security Council in August.

He added US President Donald Trump’s repeated threats of using force against Iran are provocative and in violation of the UN Charter about prohibition of threat or use of force or serious threat to international peace and security.

The Iranian representative warned against serious consequences of Washington’s irresponsible policies and illegal actions, saying that Tehran will swiftly respond in kind to any act of aggression against the nation, sovereignty, territorial integrity and its national interests.

Tehran has particularly been disappointed with failure of the three European signatories to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — Britain, France and Germany — to protect its business interests under the deal after the United States’ withdrawal.

On January 5, Iran took a final step in reducing its commitments under the JCPOA, and said it would no longer observe any operational limitations on its nuclear industry, whether concerning the capacity and level of uranium enrichment, the volume of stockpiled uranium or research and development.

Now the US has stepped up attempts aimed at extending the UN arms ban on Iran that is set to expire as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which has been endorsed by Security Council Resolution 2231.

The US first sought to extend the Iran’s arms embargo in a fresh UNSC resolution in contradiction to the contents of the Resolution 2231 in two attempts within a month, but failed.

The United Nations Security Council resoundingly rejected last month the second US bid to extend an arms embargo on Iran, which is due to expire in October.

The resolution needed support from nine of 15 votes to pass. Eleven members abstained, including France, Germany and Britain, while the US and the Dominican Republic were the only “yes” votes.

The United States has become isolated over Iran at the Security Council following President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the multilateral Iran nuclear deal 2018.

Iran had said that the US resolution would fail to gain the required support at the Security Council, pointing out that Washington has no legal right to invoke a snapback mechanism to reinstate sanctions against Tehran under the 2015 nuclear deal that the US unilaterally left in May 2018.