UN arms embargo Archives - Iran News Daily

Iran Not to Enter Arms Race: Spokesperson

reporter 1222 — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 06:29:58 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran would never enter a regional arms race despite the termination of the UN arms embargo, the spokesperson for the Iranian administration said, lashing out at the US for turning the region into a stockpile of weapons.

In response to a question about Iran’s plans after the termination of the UN arms embargo, Ali Rabiee said at a press conference on Tuesday, “The Islamic Republic of Iran does not intend to join the arms race in this region, which serves the financial interests of arms-producing companies.”

“I make it clear that we are concerned about this region turning into a stockpile of weapons, and hold the US accountable for the unbridled sale of arms to the region,” he stressed.

The spokesman noted that Iran has no special plans for arms trade for now, adding, “Whenever we deem it necessary – considering our legitimate and reasonable defense needs – we will take action in compliance with the customary international law and every state’s inherent right to self-defense.”

The arms embargo on Tehran was founded upon “false Iranophobia”, he stated, saying US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resorted to a massive Iranophobia campaign to prevent the removal of the arms embargo but failed.

“It basically lacked credibility,” Rabiee said of the push to extend the arms embargo that was terminated on October 18.

The futile arms sanctions against Iran have only strengthened the country’s self-reliance in the process of manufacturing defense products, he added.

“These sanctions did not restrict Iran’s defense capabilities, nor would the removal of these restrictions today result in any new change in the path we had already taken,” the spokesman said.

“As I mentioned, we have never started any war, and believe that security is ensured through the will of people and self-sufficiency. During the years that we faced the arms embargo, we had no choice but to work on research and development of the indigenous defense industry. After these years, today we enjoy great advantages in manufacturing special defense products, and are prepared to sell them at the request of purchasers with special conditions,” he added.

“We, however, believe that arms are not the solution in the region. Weapons are not the solution (to conflicts) among countries. What we must rely on is security in light of peace and friendship in the region,” Rabiee stated, according to the government’s official website.

“We have red lines and considerations when it comes to arms trade. Our arms trade doctrine is not different from our defense doctrine,” the spokesperson concluded.

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AEOI: Lifting UN Arms Embargo Glorious Moment for Iran’s Diplomacy

reporter 1222 — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 04:54:26 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi on Sunday described the termination of UN arms embargo against Iran as a glorious moment for Iran’s diplomacy.

He described lifting of a longstanding United Nations arms embargo on Iran on October 18 as a turning point for the country, IRNA reported.

Despite US opposition, the 13-year-old ban imposed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) came to an end as part of Resolution 2231 of the 2015 nuclear deal officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“As of today, all restrictions on the transfer of arms, related activities and financial services to and from the Islamic Republic of Iran… are all automatically terminated,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced in a statement on Sunday.

Kamalvandi said that the Iranian people’s resistance ultimately bore fruit after five years since JCPOA was clinched and Iran’s righteousness and diplomacy shone significantly after the world voted negatively to Trump’s unilateralism and bullying.

The world knows that Iran has never sought non-peaceful use of nuclear energy, and that the so-called maximum US pressure, which is inhumane and vicious, especially on children, women and the sick, will result in the US further isolation and breakdown of its satanic hegemony, he said.

The United Nations banned Iran from buying major foreign weapon systems in 2010 amid tensions over its nuclear program. An earlier embargo targeted Iranian arms exports.

Moscow said in September that it was ready to boost its military cooperation with Tehran, while Beijing has also spoken of its willingness to sell arms to the Islamic Republic after October 18.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened Russia and China with sanctions if they sell weapons to Iran.

Iran’s Ambassador in Russia Kazem Jalali said the country will use “with prudence” the opportunity that will be provided by the expiration of the decade-old embargo.

“Iran will definitely cooperate with interested countries in the technical-military field and in the procurement of equipment it needs,” Jalali told Interfax on Saturday.

“There will be no limitation for us and we will use this issue with prudence,” he added.

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Free Arms Trade Can Begin from Sunday: President

reporter 1222 — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 08:55:00 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran will be able to freely sell and buy weapons as of October 18, as the UN arms embargo will be terminated under the 2015 nuclear deal, President Hassan Rouhani said.

Speaking at a cabinet session on Wednesday, Rouhani congratulated the Iranian nation on the termination of the arms embargo that would take effect on coming Sunday.

“As of Sunday, we’ll be able to sell our weapons to whoever we’d like, and buy arms from anybody we’d want,” he said, adding that Iran struggled for four years for the termination of the embargo.

The US made every effort to impede the removal of the arms embargo on Iran, but the Iranian nation’s resistance yielded results, he added.

The president also reminded the critics of the JCPOA that the termination of the arms embargo on Iran is one of the results of the nuclear deal.

The US suffered an embarrassing diplomatic defeat in August when the United Nations Security Council rejected a proposal to indefinitely extend the arms ban.

The embargo on conventional arms is due to expire on October 18 under the terms of a resolution that blessed the Iran nuclear deal, signed in July 2015 and officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

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Iran stays in JCPOA, reap benefits when UN arms embargo ends

reporter 1222 — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 06:02:43 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that Iran stays in JCPOA despite US violations, arguing that the accord will be put to good use next year when a long-running arms embargo against Tehran comes to an end.

Rouhani said Iran could respond to America’s exit from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in different ways including leaving the deal altogether or keeping it at any price, but it has decided to take the middle ground.

“By continuing the JCPOA, we will fulfill a major objective in terms of politics, security, and defense,” he told a large crowd of people during a visit to the eastern province of Kerman.

Noting that for years Iran has been banned by the United Nations from buying and selling any kinds of weapons, Rouhani said the arms embargo will end next year according to the deal and the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorses it.

“This is one of the important effects of this deal. Otherwise, we could leave the deal today but the kind of benefit we stand to reap next year, will no longer exist,” he said.

“We can leave now, but then the UNSC resolutions [that were revoked under the deal] will return,” said the president, adding, “We need to think where the country’s interests lie.”

Iran, he said, did not want to remain fully committed to the deal while the others “sit on their hands” and do nothing.

“Therefore we took the middle ground to keep the JCPOA and preserve it while cutting back on what we had agreed to do under the agreement step by step,” he said.

Since May, Iran has been scaling back its nuclear commitments in retaliation for Washington’s May 2018 pullout from the deal and the failure of three European signatories – the UK, France, and Germany – to protect bilateral trade against American sanctions.

In the first three stages of its measured response, Iran enriched uranium beyond the 300kg limit set by the deal and ramped up enrichment to levels upon the pre-defined 3.67-percent cap. It also expanded nuclear research to areas banned in the agreement.

The fourth step, initiated last week, involved the injection of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas into centrifuges at the Fordo underground enrichment facility.

Tehran says its reciprocal measures do not violate the JCPOA and are based on Articles 26 and 36 of the agreement itself, which detail mechanisms to deal with non-compliance.

Iranian authorities have suggested that the measures will be reversible as soon as Europe finds practical ways to shield the Iranian economy from the sanctions.

Rouhani noted Monday Iran’s nuclear capability is “better than ever,” saying that Iranian nuclear experts have never stopped research and development work since the JCPOA was first signed in 2015.

“We will stand up to our enemies with full power. We haven’t done anything illegal and we are not willing to bow to your orders,” he said.

Touching on disparaging statements by Western countries, Rouhani said, “Are you mad that we restarted Fordo? Are you mad with the resumption of nuclear enrichment? Are you mad at us for speeding up the Arak heavy water [facility]? Then you should fulfill your commitments as well.”

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