Zarif terms US world’s top military spender

TEHRAN (IRNA): Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message on Saturday said while the United States has been the top military spender and arms seller in the world, its secretary of state Mike Pompeo is worried about Iran.

“The US has long been the world’s top – Military spender – Arms seller – War initiator & instigator – Conflict profiteer,” Zarif wrote on his Twitter account.

“Yet @SecPompeo is apparently so worried about Iran—a huge US arms customer till 1979—that he’s pouring weapons all over the globe,” he added.

Earlier, Zarif in a message advised US President Donald Trump that it is people who rule the world not the beautiful arms.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi said that any act by the US to extend Iran’s arms embargo runs counter to UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

With its unilateral exit from Iran nuclear deal two years ago, the United States violated its commitments under the 2015 multilateral accord and a subsequent UNSC Resolution 2231 as well, the ambassador said.

He said that the US plans to extend arms embargo which was unfairly imposed on Iran and is due to be lifted in October under the terms of UNSC Resolution 2231.

Takht Ravanchi added that the US is reportedly seeking to do so by passing another resolution which he said will be a violation of UNSCR 2231.

After signing the Iran nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), these sanctions were supposed to be lifted on October 18, 2020, after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verified the peaceful nature of Iran nuclear program.

Resolution 2231 retains the arms embargo on Iran for five years after the implementation and the sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile program for eight years.

It also establishes a complete arms embargo on Iran, banning the sale of “battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, large-caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles or missile systems” to Iran.