Expiration Of Iran Arms Embargo Poses Grave Danger To International Peace & Security

October 16, 2020

(New York, N.Y.) – This Sunday, October 18, 2020, as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), members of the U.N. Security Council plan to let the international arms embargo imposed on Iran under U.N. Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2231 expire, after which Tehran will claim it is able to legally purchase, sell or transfer advanced weaponry without UNSC approval. By allowing the embargo to sunset and refusing to follow U.S. leadership in re-imposing all U.N. sanctions against Iran, other permanent members of the UNSC – including France and the United Kingdom – have provided Iran with an excuse to continue its proliferation of arms to dictatorial regimes, its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and global terror proxies.

Ahead of Sunday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) Chairman Senator Joseph I. Lieberman and CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace released the following statement:

“France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, and China have decided to allow Iran, the leading state sponsor of terrorism and regional aggressor, to lawfully acquire advanced weapons systems from abroad. Restrictions on Iran’s export of arms will also expire. In doing so, they undermine the essential peacekeeping mission of the United Nations.

“Russia and China have already expressed an interest in striking arms deals with Tehran. The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency estimates that Iran may seek to acquire Russian Su-30 fighter jets, Yak-130 jet trainers, and T-90 main battle tanks. Iran and China are working to finalize a comprehensive partnership document that envisions cooperation over “defense requirements” and “the shared development of defense industries.”

“The desperation to salvage the failed JCPOA seems to have blinded the international community to the totality of Iran’s malign conduct. This abdication of responsibility now means it is up to the United States to strictly enforce the U.N. arms embargo.”

UANI's resource, JCPOA Sunset Alert: Arms Embargo, examines the dangers associated with – and the immediate destabilizing consequences that will occur – once the arms embargo sunsets for the Islamic Republic.

To read UANI’s resource, JCPOA Sunset Alert: Arms Embargo, please click here.

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