“Iran has many friends and trading partners, and has a robust domestic arms industry to ensure its defense requirements against foreign aggression,” Iranian UN mission spokesman Alireza Miryousefi told Newsweek in an interview published on Friday.

The UN restrictions are set to be lifted Sunday under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 which endorses the multilateral nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed between Iran and major world powers in 2015, Press TV wrote.

The ban’s removal will follow a largely unsuccessful campaign by US President Donald Trump to convince the remaining signatories to defy the nuclear deal and Resolution 2231 and keep the ban on Iran’s arms industry in force.

During the 15-member Security Council vote on August 14, the US received support only from the Dominican Republic for its anti-Iran resolution, leaving it far short of the minimum nine ‘yes’ votes required for adoption.

Trump, a hawkish critic of the JCPOA, unilaterally withdrew Washington from the agreement in May 2018, and unleashed the “toughest ever” sanctions against the Islamic Republic to strangle its economy in defiance of global criticism.

Following its much-criticized exit, Washington has been attempting to prevent the remaining signatories from abiding by their commitments and thus kill the historic agreement, which is widely viewed as a fruit of international diplomacy.

“In accordance with the timeline stated in Resolution 2231, Iran will be relieved from arms restrictions as early as Oct. 18. Naturally, from that date, we’ll trade, on the basis of our national interests, with other countries in this field,” Miryousefi said.

He added that the lack of support for Washington’s initiatives was telling of its position vis-à-vis the international community.

Miryousefi added, “It is abundantly clear that the UN — and the overwhelming majority of its member states — reject the US’ so-called maximum pressure policy on Iran,” and that “its attempts to even further violate the JCPOA and UNSCR 2231 have led to its isolation.”

Although Iran has not yet formally announced any specific country to start trading arms, Miryousefi said Tehran had options beginning Sunday.

Speaking during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the country will be free to trade weapons as of Sunday.

“We fought with the United States on this issue for four years. America was exerting itself to prevent this day from coming, but that day is coming thanks to our people’s resistance. It is because of the endeavors of our diplomats that the US failed,” Rouhani said.

The Islamic Republic has achieved self-sufficiency in most areas of its defense sector and is itself an exporter of arms. Tehran says it can meet its strategic needs through the countries it interacts with like Russia and China once the UN embargo is lifted.

Russia’s stance

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Thursday that Moscow will consider military technical cooperation with Iran in line with mutual interests after the expiration of the United Nations arms embargo on Tehran.

“We are convinced that all possibilities stemming from the expiration of the provisions of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 that are linked with military technical cooperation with Iran will be duly taken into account and used on the basis of mutual benefit and in the interests of the peoples of our two states,” Maria Zakharova said.

All the parties to the talks about Iran’s nuclear program were aware from the very beginning that there is no link between restrictions on weapons supplies to Tehran and the settlement of issues pertaining to its nuclear program, added Zakharova.

She emphasized that the United Nations Security Council did not impose a weapons embargo on Iran in 2015, but the country “voluntarily undertook a number of restrictions.”

“It was done in the interests of the soonest successful outcome of the talks on the JCPOA to settle the situation around the Iranian nuclear program,” the Russian diplomat said.

She noted that the term of the corresponding provisions has expired.

Zakharova stressed that Iran was a “reliable partner” for Russia in many areas of cooperation.

Moscow had earlier said “new opportunities” will emerge in cooperation with Iran the UN embargo expires, and that any agreements with Tehran will have “nothing to do with the unlawful and illegal actions of the US administration, which is trying to intimidate the entire world.”

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said late last month that Moscow and Tehran roundly reject efforts by the US to permanently extend an arms embargo against the Islamic Republic.

Speaking at a joint press conference that followed a meeting with his visiting Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Moscow, Lavrov added, “We stressed that Moscow and Tehran, like the entire international community, categorically reject US ambitions to impose some kind of indefinite arms embargo.”

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IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

TEHRAN – Iran says the overwhelming consensus among members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) against the U.S.’s push to reinstate all anti-Iran UN sanctions proves Washington’s isolation once again.

The Islamic Republic’s mission to the United Nations made the remarks in a statement on Tuesday, hours after the UNSC dismissed the controversial American bid because of a lack of consensus at the highest UN body over the so-called snapback of sanctions against Iran.

“Today, the overwhelming majority of the Security Council members rejected once again the admissibility of the recent letter” submitted by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “notifying” the council of Washington’s intention to “snap back,” or restore, all UN sanctions on Iran.

The statement reminded that “through individual or joint letters addressed to the Council’s President, 13 out of 15 members of the Security Council” as well as Iran “have already strongly refuted the legal merit of the US letter.”

The U.S.’s push comes while it has lost the right to enable re-imposition of the sanctions due to its 2018 departure from a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and other countries — officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — that has been endorsed in the form of Security Council Resolution 2231.

The UN Security Council dismisses attempts by the U.S. to reinstate all UN sanctions against Iran due to a lack of consensus in the 15-member body over such a move.

The Iranian statement further said, “Given that the stated objective of the U.S. is to destroy Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA, Iran trusts that the Council members will continue preventing that country from undermining the UN, including the Security Council.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Indonesia’s UN Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, the UNSC’s president for August, said at a meeting on the Middle East that the 15-nation body was “not in the position to take further action” on the new US push.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet later that the UNSC members had to use a meeting on the Middle East, not Iran, to refute the US attempt “as null and void” after Washington prevented a debate at the Council about its “unlawful notification” a day earlier.

The new anti-Iran bid comes after the UNSC similarly snubbed a resolution drafted by the US to extend an arms embargo against Iran that will expire in October under the JCPOA.

The Iranian mission, meanwhile, pointed to the allegations that the United States has been using against Tehran in order to try and justify its anti-Iran campaigns throughout the world, including at the Security Council.

Washington ceaselessly accuses Iran of trying to “destabilize” the region and the world, alleging that the Iranian peaceful nuclear program features “diversion towards military purpose” with that end in mind.

“Regarding unfounded accusations against Iran raised in the Council meeting by the US, it must be stressed that almost all problems in the Middle East stem from the continued occupation of Palestine by the Israeli regime and its expansionist policies supported by the US, as well as the meddling, destabilizing policies and destructive practices of the United States, which cannot be covered up by no amount of smear campaign,” the mission said.

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IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani says the United States is not legally authorized to trigger the so-called “snapback” mechanism to reinstate UN sanctions against Iran.

President n Rouhani said on Wednesday that Washington has pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and, hence, is not legally authorized to invoke the sanctions.

“It is stipulated in that mechanism (snapback) that signatories or one of the signatories to the JCPOA can use this mechanism. However, the U.S. cannot use this mechanism as it has clearly announced that it has pulled out of the JCPOA, and that it is the worst agreement, and has withdrawn from it,” said Rouhani.

He then criticized some people who claim the U.S. would not have been able to withdraw from the JCPOA if the foundation of the agreement were stronger.

“Is there an agreement which the US has not pulled out of?” asked the president rhetorically.

“You are saying that the foundation of the JCPOA was not strong enough, but how about the US withdrawal from the WTO, UNESCO, NAFTA and the Paris Climate Agreement? Was their foundation weak, too? The U.S. has pulled out of whatever useful agreements,” said Rouhani.

He then touched upon sanctions, which, he added, has put Iranian people under pressure, and said, “We are standing up to these sanctions, which will come to an end one day … and the rule of tyrants at the White House will not last forever, either.”

“Economic war is in line with plots hatched by the global arrogance against the country,” Rouhani said speaking at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning.

He further said, “We have a very heavy responsibility during the Government Week, like the conspiracies that were plotted against us in the 1970s, and today the global arrogance has plotted against us. At that time, they wanted to overthrow the Islamic system by assassinating the officials. The next day, they pursued this goal with the imposed war and today with the economic war.”

The President called the month of Muharram a large and large school in the world of Shiism and Islam and said: the atmosphere of the country should be Hosseini from the first day of Muharram.

He added, “Once again we are on the eve of the blessed and life-giving month of Muharram. We receive the cultural blessings, trust, and strength of our resistance from the month of Muharram, and always in the month of Muharram, we open the windows of our souls and hearts to the shining sun of guidance and salvation, the Ashura culture, to receive both the light of guidance and the life-giving warmth of that sun.

President Rouhani noted, “The people of Iran witnessed well these days, and on August 19, 1956, the enemy apparently achieved an apparent success that year, but inwardly their path was wrong, but these days, on August 15, 2020, they did not seem to succeed either and they failed in the Security Council”.

“They prepared all this, they sent people and they were begging in different countries and they called, even on the day of the voting, they were constantly pressuring other countries, but they still failed,” he said.

The President said: “I thank the 11 countries that did not vote in the UN Security Council on the plan to extend the arms embargo on Iran, and the two friendly countries – Russia and China – that voted unequivocally against the United States.”

He stated that the U.S. is left alone, the Iranian nation must see this greatness because this victory belongs to the nation and the government is the representative and servant of the people and this event is unprecedented in the history of the United Nations.

The head of the government, stating that strengthening the Islamic Republic is in the interest of all of us, said: Of course, in these special circumstances, we understand and know that the enemy has not achieved and will not achieve its goals with its pressures, but has caused problems and harassed people.

President Rouhani pointed out: “We must stand against the enemy because this period is coming to an end. If anyone in Iran thinks that this regime of the White House and that these oppressive sanctions are permanent, they are both wrong. Both the tyranny of the White House will not last forever and the sanctions will not last forever and the sanctions will break and disappear.”

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According To Iran News, The US attempts to establish itself as ‘JCPOA participant’ have no legal grounds,” said Iran’s permanent representative to Vienna-based International Organizations.

Following Washington’s efforts to illegally extend arms embargo on Iran which will end in October 2020, Kazem Gharibabadi took to Twitter to cast some light on the issue.

“Para 10, UNSC Res 2231 is a reflection of para 1.2 Annex IV of the JCPOA which enumerates ‘JCPOA participants’,” he wrote.

The envoy noted that US President has already ceased participation in the deal on May 8, 2018, by announcing “… and I am today making good on my pledge to end the participation of the United States in the JCPOA.”

“The US has also ended its participation in practice, it has not participated in the meetings within the framework of the JCPoA since its unilateral withdrawal from the Deal,” Gharibabadi said, adding, “It has also violated all its commitments as a JCPoA participant and has spared no efforts to destroy it through re-imposition of sanctions and threatening others to be punished in case of trade with Iran.”

The UN arms embargo on Iran — in place since 2006/2007- will be lifted in October 2020 — five years after the JCPOA took effect.

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

“We’re not going to let that happen,” he said, adding that the US administration is urging the three European signatories to the JCPOA “to take action which is within their capacity today.”

“We’ll work with the UN Security Council to extend that prohibition on those arms sales,” he continued.

US 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 US 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 US unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and re-imposed the anti-Iran sanctions that had been lifted under the agreement.

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According To Iran News, Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that European signatories are serving US interests and cannot bring the Iranian nation to its knees.

This is the first time in the past eight years that Ayatollah Khamenei leads the prayers.

The day the Iranian nation held the biggest funeral in the world for the Quds Force commander General Soleimani and the day IRGC missiles smashed US’ base are among the days of God, said the Iranian Leader, adding, the effects that these days leave behind is permanent.

It was God’s power that led to the magnificent presence of people and their tears and passion in streets for the funeral of Gen. Soleimani, said the Leader, noting that this shows God’s determination in the continuation of this path by the Iranian nation till the final victory.

Zionist outlets sought to tarnish our dear commander’s image but of no avail as people from across the world mourned for him and understood the true face of US and the Israeli regime.

General Soleimani was the most powerful commander in the fight against terrorism in the region and all acknowledge this fact, highlighted the Leader.

The US government assassinated Soleimani, not in the battlefield but a cowardly manner and they admitted their act of terror, this is a true disgrace for Washington, he added.

IRGC Quds Force should be viewed as a human organization with human values, said the Leader, noting that the force protects oppressed people across the region.  Quds force eradicated ISIL which was created by the US to destabilize Iran, he added.

Pointing to the millions of Iranians who took to the streets to commemorate Martyr Soleimani, Ayatollah Khamenei said the Iranian nation showed that it supports resistance.

American clowns claim they are standing behind Iranians but they all lie, he said, adding that American officials only seek to put their dagger inside the body the Iranian nation. Missiles fired at US base revealed the Iranian nation’s true feeling towards the US, he said.

The horrible tragedy of the Ukrainian plane truly saddened the Iranian nation but enemies sought to overshadow martyrdom of Resistance commanders with the tragic incident, he added.

The enemy became so happy with the unintentional downing of the plane because they thought that they had found a pretext to destroy Iran’s face but they will certainly fail, Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Leader once again offered condolences to the families of the victims, noting that the glorious funeral, missile attack on US base won’t be forgotten by the Iranian nation.

One of the other measures to overshadow Iran’s strong response to Arrogance was the statement by the European signatories that warned to bring back UN sanctions.

The leader went on to say that Germany, France, UK provided Saddam with weapons during the war against Iran and that the European countries are serving the US interests.

Europeans won’t be able to bring the Iranian nation to their knees, he said, adding that Europeans sitting behind the negotiation table are terrorists who serve the same master.

Iran is not afraid of negotiation, the Leader highlighted, adding, that gaining strength is our only way to get out of the current conditions.

He went on to describe Europeans behind the negotiating table as those with an iron hand in a velvet glove.

Ayatollah Khamenei then read a statement in Arabic, addressing the Iraqi nation. He stressed that heavy efforts are underway to nake rift between the Iranian and Iraqi nations.

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