Russia Rejects US Drive for Permanent Iran Arms Embargo

Moscow, (ST) –  Russia’s foreign minister is accusing the Trump administration of unleashing a politically motivated campaign against Iran and is calling for “universal condemnation” of the U.S. attempt to get the U.N. Security Council to impose a permanent arms embargo against the Islamic Republic.

Sergey Lavrov said the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six major powers and now has no legal right to try to use the U.N. resolution endorsing the deal to indefinitely continue the arms embargo, which is set to expire on Oct. 18.

In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council circulated Monday, the Russian minister said statements by U.S. State Department officials that the Trump administration doesn’t plan to resume its commitments under the nuclear deal but plans to invoke rights allegedly derived from the resolution endorsing it are “ridiculous and irresponsible.”

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft have said extending the arms embargo against Iran is a top priority for the United States.

Raghda Sawas