The UN Arms Embargo against Iran Must Be Extended
by Con Coughlin • July 30, 2020 at 5:00 am
"If the embargo is not renewed, this will allow Iran to import and export arms with impunity. They are already buying and selling arms on the black market, but ending the arms embargo will allow them to do so officially." — Senior Israeli official who asked not to be named. Private interview with the author.
"When the embargo... is lifted next year we can easily buy and sell weapons... This is one of those important impacts of this (nuclear) agreement." — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, November 11, 2019.
In addition, Iran's ability to make new arms' purchases would enable Tehran to continue its support for proxies in the Middle East, such as Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as enabling it to fuel conflicts from Venezuela to Syria, and to the far reaches of Afghanistan.
There is mounting concern in Israel at the prospect of the United Nations arms embargo against Iran expiring in October, thereby giving Tehran the opportunity to acquire a new range of lethal weapons.
Under the terms of UN Resolution 2231, the UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo against Iran as part of the controversial nuclear deal negotiated by former US President Barack Obama.
The resolution is due to expire on October 18, and senior security officials in Israel are now expressing concern that, because of opposition from China and Russia, it will not be renewed. Beijing and Moscow, which have the authority to veto Security Council resolutions, have backed Tehran in its stand-off with the Trump administration over the nuclear deal.
