Pompeo pushes for extension of Iran sanctions, dismissing opposition

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that the Trump administration will continue Washington's illegal push for an extended arms embargo against Iran despite being almost unanimously rejected by members at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The Security Council voted last week rejecting a US-proposed resolution to extend the international arms embargo on Iran.

The rejection of the resolution prompted the top US diplomat to declare on Thursday that a 30-day countdown for the “snapback” of UN sanctions eased under the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement had begun.

US snapback mechanism nothing but propaganda ploy to save Trump: Iran's Shamkhani

Iran

Speaking to US media, Pompeo said on Friday that the US would enforce a sweeping arms embargo on Iran after UN sanctions are lifted on October 18 under the Iran nuclear agreement.

“We’re not going to let them have a nuclear weapon... Every leader around the world knows it’s a bad idea,” he said, adding, “I have not had a single world leader or one of my counterparts tell me that they think it makes any sense at all for the Iranians to be able to purchase and sell high-end weapons systems, which is what will happen on Oct. 18 of this year, absent the actions that we took at the United Nations yesterday,” Pompeo told CNBC.

Meanwhile, US friends and foes alike have declared the US action as illegal and doomed to failure. 

There is universal consensus that when US President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, the US lost the standing to trigger "snapback".

US knocked over the head by allies as it tries to snap back Iran sanctions

The United States most prominent Western allies refuse to fall into step with Washington’s push to snap back the United Nations’ sanctions against Iran.

Pompeo on Friday described the United States' most prominent Western allies refusal to go along with the US as “incomprehensible”.

“To side with the Russians and the Chinese on this important issue at this important moment in time at the UN, I think, is really dangerous for the world,” he told US media, adding, "I assure you the United States will use every tool in its arsenal to make sure that the Chinese and the Russians are incapable of delivering weapon systems to Iran ... We will do everything in our power to make sure that they don’t get the money that comes alongside being a global arms dealer as well.”

China described the US’ insistence on the extension of the UN sanctions against  Iran as "nothing but a self-serving political manipulation," stressing once again that Washington has no right to make such a demand after its unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA.

Right after Pompeo delivered the letter triggering "snapback" on Thursday, Russia’s deputy UN ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, mocked the US' “cajoling” efforts to persuade world countries to join the US-proposed illegal sanctions against Iran.

1/2 Looks like there are 2 planets. A fictional dog-eat-dog one where US pretends it can do whatever it wants without “cajoling” anyone, breach and leave deals but still benefit from them, and another one where the rest of the world lives and where intl law and diplomacy reign https://t.co/rRQbRjViyj

— Dmitry Polyanskiy (@Dpol_un) August 20, 2020

“Looks like there are 2 planets. A fictional dog-eat-dog one where US pretends it can do whatever it wants without ‘cajoling’ anyone, breach and leave deals but still benefit from them, and another one where the rest of the world lives and where international law and diplomacy reign,” Polyansky tweeted,adding, "Snapback can be triggered by US only at the first planet. It’s isolated in the Security Council with its profane, illiterate and egoistic interpretation of Resolution 2231. Nothing will happen after US letter! Sorry to see a great country stubbornly humiliating itself!." 

2/2 #Snapback can be triggered by US only at the first planet. It’s isolated in the Security Council with its profane, illiterate and egoistic interpretation of Resolution 2231. Nothing will happen after US letter! Sorry to see a great country stubbornly humiliating itself! #Iran

— Dmitry Polyanskiy (@Dpol_un) August 20, 2020

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