ICYMI: Senator Mark Kirk Offers Pathways For Containing Iran Should Arms Embargo Sunset In October

Senator Kirk’s Op-Ed Featured In The Chicago Tribune

(New York, N.Y.) – Last Friday, former U.S. Senator and UANI Advisory Board Member Mark S. Kirk authored an opinion piece featured in the Chicago Tribune titled, “UN Must Extend Arms Embargo On Iran — And US Should Have A Backup Plan.” Senator Kirk discussed the threats posed to U.S. interests and global security if the United Nations (UN) allows for the international arms embargo under Resolution 2231 to expire in October. UANI has long advocated for the renewal of the international arms embargo on Iran that is set to expire on October 18, 2020 and has laid caution to the immediate destabilizing consequences that will occur in the region if the embargo sunsets.

“Diplomats at the United Nations have less than six months to stop Iran — the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, violator of nuclear nonproliferation agreements and catalyst for regional warfare — from buying weapons from the world’s most eager salesmen, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. The U.N. arms embargo on Iran is scheduled to sunset starting in October, and if it does, Tehran and its terror proxies, regional allies and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will be stronger than ever. Our first priority should be to extend and strengthen the embargo. But America needs a backup plan to mitigate the Iranian threat, which was exacerbated by the Iran nuclear deal brokered by the Obama administration.”

Senator Kirk further underscores the security, economic and domestic threats posed by a more heavily armed – and Russian- and Chinese-backed – Iran. UANI, too, has outlined Russian and Chinese efforts to capitalize on an isolated Iran and the risks posed by a strengthened axis of power between the three nations.

“We cannot afford for such a dangerous regime to acquire Russian and Chinese arms, the likelihood of which is not a hypothetical thought exercise. The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency reports that both nations are planning to sell Iran weaponry, including fighter jets, main battle tanks, attack helicopters and modern naval capabilities when the embargo is lifted.”

To stifle the prospect of an emboldened Iran, Senator Kirk offers three potential pathways for the Trump Administration to consider mitigating the Iranian threat should the arms embargo sunset in October.

“It is evident, now more than ever, that the U.S. needs a robust plan to keep Russia, China and Iran from changing the security paradigm if Tehran suddenly finds itself free to arm itself with some of the world’s most advanced weapons. Rather than wait for the sunset clauses to take effect, there are three immediate steps the Trump administration should consider: (1) Preparing to impose macroeconomic costs for conventional arms proliferation by Russia and China; (2) Revisiting old collective security mechanisms; and, (3) Considering new mechanisms to bolster global defenses against Iranian aggression.”

To read Senator Kirk’s piece in full, please click here.

To read UANI’s resource on the JCPOA Sunset Alert, please click here.

To explore UANI’s resource, The Russia-China-Iran Axis, please click here. 

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