In challenge to US, Iran declares UN arms embargo lifted
- Iran says 2007 Security Council arms embargo expiring, as agreed to under the 2015 nuclear deal
- President Donald Trump withdrew US from deal in 2018 and has unilaterally begun reimposing sanctions on Iran
Iran said a long-standing UN embargo on arms sales to and from Iran expired early Sunday in line with a 2015 landmark nuclear deal.
“As of today, all restrictions on the transfer of arms, related activities and financial services to and from the Islamic Republic of Iran … are all automatically terminated,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The embargo on the sale of arms to Iran was due to start expiring under the terms of the UN resolution that blessed the 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic republic and world powers.
“As of today, the Islamic Republic may procure any necessary arms and equipment from any source without any legal restrictions, and solely based on its defensive needs,” the ministry added in the statement sent out on Twitter.
It insisted that under the terms of the deal, struck with the United States, China, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and the European Union, “the lifting of arms restrictions and the travel ban were designed to be automatic with no other action required”.
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US President Donald Trump withdrew his country from the deal in 2018 and has unilaterally begun reimposing sanctions on Iran.