Plan to Meet Weaponry Needs After Arms Ban Expiry

EghtesadOnline: Iran will meet its weaponry needs after the United Nations arms embargo expires later this month and no country can prevent Tehran from exercising its right under the UN resolution, a senior diplomat said.

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06 October 2020

“After the end of the arms restrictions, the Defense Ministry will take measures in this regard based on its needs and rights,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said at a regular press briefing on Monday, ISNA reported.

The UN arms ban is set to expire on Oct. 18 as per UN Security Council Resolution 2231 that endorses Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

The United States claims that all UN sanctions against Iran that were lifted under the agreement, including the soon-to-expire arms embargo, are now restored as a result of Washington’s disputable activation of the so-called “snapback” process.

The US has already quit the deal and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran. It resorted to the snapback mechanism without legal grounds after the UN Security Council rejected its bid to extend the arms embargo indefinitely.

“Iran has always faced arms restrictions by the US and certain other countries over the past 40 years, but thanks to our young forces’ capabilities, we have had great achievements in this sector,” Khatibzadeh said, downplaying the US move.

Despite refusing to join the US attempt, the European powers have expressed concern about the removal of the restrictions, recalling that the European Union’s embargoes on conventional arms exports and missile technology will remain in force until 2023.

Khatibzadeh said they are free to make decisions about EU policies, but cannot act against JCPOA and UNSCR 2231.

“European countries know that within the framework of UNSCR 2231, they have a binding commitment not to prevent Iran from enjoying the arms ban removal,” he said.

American Election

Asked about American presidential nominees’ approach to JCPOA, the spokesman said Washington has to bear responsibility for its crimes against Iran, regardless of which party comes to power.

“We don’t care which party ran the administration when this happened; America has exited JCPOA as a state and must bear responsibility for it,” he said.

While the current US President Donald Trump has vowed to intensify pressure on Iran once reelected, his rival Joe Biden has said he would rejoin JCPOA if Iran returns to full compliance.

Khatibzadeh said the way back to JCPOA for the US is first to admit it made a mistake, stop economic terrorism against Iran, make compensations and again fulfill its commitments.

“Any administration that comes to power in the US and wishes to rejoin JCPOA should go through this process,” he said.

Khatibzadeh stressed that the US should also answer about the cowardly assassination of General Qasem Soleimani on Iraqi soil.

“In this regard, we know no person other than Trump. We hold the US president responsible and answerable,” he said.