Secretary Pompeo Urges UN Action As Iran Nears End To Arms Embargo

Regime Six-Months Away From Realizing Significant Benefit Of Failed JCPOA

(New York, N.Y.) – On April 18, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to renew the international arms embargo on Iran that is set to expire on October 18, 2020—less than six months from today. The pending expiration is due to the sunset provisions of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Absent an extension, the supply, sale, or transfer of any guns, howitzers, mortars, battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, and missiles or missile systems to or from Iran will no longer require U.N. Security Council approval.

U.N. member-states, including Russia and China, will be free to sell advanced offensive and defensive weapon systems to the Islamic Republic. The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency estimates that Iran’s potential acquisitions after the expiration of the arms embargo include Russian Su-30 fighter jets, Yak-130 jet trainers, and T-90 main battle tanks.

The expiration of the arms embargo will have immediate destabilizing consequences for Yemen, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Israel. Europe and U.S. allies in the region could be forced to increase the amount of funds allocated for their defense budgets.

Terror organizations like the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Quds Force, the Al-Ashtar Brigades, Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Houthis could also benefit from Iranian arms transfers.

United Against Nuclear Iran’s (UANI) JCPOA Sunset Alert resource outlines the details of the international arms embargo and examines the potential impact on nations in the Middle East and abroad should the nuclear-related sanctions be permitted to expire.

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

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