TEHRAN - Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, has expressed confidence that the UN Security Council will reject draft of a new resolution prepared by United States on extending arms embargo against Iran.

According to UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal, the arms embargo against Iran expires on October 18.

“Rebuffed by UNSC members, US was forced to retreat from its draft resolution on Iran arms embargo, and proposed another version—also violating 2231—today. The new draft is similar—in its NATURE and GOAL—to the previous. Confident that the Council will—again—reject this move,” Takht-Ravanchi tweeted on Wednesday.

The UN Security Council is preparing to vote on a U.S. proposal to extend arms embargo on Iran, a move that some diplomats say is bound to fail.

Even though U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration quit the accord in 2018, Washington has threatened to use a provision in the agreement to trigger a return of all UN sanctions on Iran if the Security Council does not extend the arms embargo indefinitely.

In a tweet on August 10, Takht-Ravanchi urged the UN Security Council to reject bullying and unilateralism of the U.S. 

“At the #UNSC, the US is actively resorting to Iran-phobia & coercion to gain support for its unlawful anti-2231 resolution, illegally seeking to extend an arms embargo on Iran. The Council must reject bullying & unilateralism—again—as it did when US first introduced its draft,” he wrote.

On June 30, the U.S. was rebuked at the UN Security Council, including by the five European countries on the council, to get a resolution passed against Iran.   

NA/PA