TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani congratulated the Iranian people on the imminent lifting of a UN arms embargo on Iran, saying the country would be able to buy and sell arms as of mid-October.

“Next week, we will be congratulating and giving glad tidings to the people that ten years of cruel arms embargo will come to an end. We fought with America on this issue for four years. Over the past four years, America used everything in its power to prevent the lifting of the embargo on October 18. The embargo will be lifted due to the endurance of the people,” Rouhani was quoted by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) as saying on Wednesday morning.

The president added, “The U.S. failed because of the efforts made by our diplomats. Those who say what the point of the JCPOA was, should know that this is one of the JCPOA’s privileges. It lifted the arms embargo and as of Sunday, we will be able to buy arms from anyone and sell arms to anyone.”

Rouhani made the remarks during a regular cabinet session. He said the U.S. has not achieved any foreign policy breakthroughs.

The UN arms embargo on Iran is slated to expire on October 18 in accordance with the provisions of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. The deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), stipulates that the UN arms embargo on Iran would be lifted five years after the implementation of the JCPOA. This five-year period will end on October 18.

But the U.S. has made tremendous efforts, from submitting a draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for the extension of the arms embargo to triggering a controversial mechanism within the JCPOA, to make sure that the UN Arms restrictions on Iran will not be lifted. But all U.S. efforts in this regard have faced firm opposition from the international community. All JCPOA parties along with thirteen of the 15-member UN Security Council have said the U.S. had no legal authority to extend the arms embargo on Iran.

As the expiration date of the arms embargo approaches, some Iranian officials reiterate that the arms embargo will be lifted. They also call on the remaining signatories to the nuclear deal to formally declare that the arms restrictions will be lifted on October 18.

On Tuesday, a senior Iranian lawmaker underlined the need for JCPOA parties to announce the end of the arms embargo.

“Now, countries which are parties to the JCPOA must formally announce the lifting of arms restrictions in accordance with the JCPOA and let the world know that the Islamic Republic of Iran is allowed to buy and sell arms,” Mojtaba Zolnouri, who is the head of the Parliament’s National Security Committee, was quoted by the Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency (ICANA) as saying.

Earlier in September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, said there would be no limitations whatsoever on the arms trade with Iran after the expiration of the UN arms embargo on October 18.