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China: We don’t agree with US in pushing for extension of Iran arms embargo

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin

China expresses its unequivocal opposition to the United States’ illegal underway bid to prevent removal of an anti-Iran arms embargo that is slated to expire in October in line with a UN Security Council resolution.

“We don’t agree with the US in pushing for the extension of the arms embargo against Iran in the Security Council,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told Russia’s Ria Novosti news agency on Thursday.

“All the provisions of Resolution 2231, including the relevant arrangements with regard to arms embargo, should be implemented in earnest,” he added.

The US started violating the resolution in 2018 by leaving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers-- including China -- that the resolution has endorsed.

It then aggravated its assault on the Security Council ratification by returning the sanctions that the JCPOA had lifted, and threatening other countries against upholding their duties under the historic accord.

Now, Washington is trying to take yet another step against the resolution by forcing the Council to extend the embargo on sales of conventional weapons to Iran that will expire on October 18 under the JCPOA.

The Chinese official was reminded of recent remarks by Mike Pompeo, in which the US secretary of state had said Washington would present a resolution on potential extension of the arms ban to the Security Council next week.

Wang was also sounded out about a threat issued by Washington that it would try and force a “snapback” of all UN sanctions against Tehran if its attempts at prolonging the arms ban failed to produce result.

The spokesperson said in response that “China firmly upholds the authority of the Security Council resolution and the efficacy of the JCPOA."

“China will continue to work with relevant parties and the international community to maintain the JCPOA and [the] Security Council resolution, uphold multilateralism and promote the political and diplomatic resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue,” he added.

His remarks came amid strong indications that China and Russia, another JCPOA party, which likewise roundly rejects the US’ attempts to undermine the deal, will veto Washington’s resolution targeting the arms embargo.


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