The Empire has become an international joke: Iran’s Zarif, Russia’s Lavrov dismiss as ‘impractical’ Pompeo’s anti-Iran UN bid

US Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) talks with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) during a rally with fellow Democrats before voting on H.R. 1, or the People Act, on the East Steps of the US Capitol on March 08, 2019 in Washington, DC. (AFP photo)

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov

The top Iranian and Russian diplomats have dismissed a plot by their US counterpart to press for the extension of a UN arms embargo against the Islamic Republic by resorting to a process outlined in a 2015 nuclear agreement that Washington has already abandoned.

In a phone conversation on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, slammed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s most recent anti-Iran scheme as “delusional” and “impractical,” IRNA reported.

The two ministers were reacting to a report by The New York Times on Monday that Pompeo plans to invoke a provision in the UN-endorsed nuclear agreement, which Washington left in 2018, in an attempt to either extend beyond October the UN arms embargo in place against Iran since 2006/2007 or get the world body to slap even harsher sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

The Fox News Channel said on Monday that “this plan would give the US standing at the United Nations Security Council to push to extend the arms embargo on Iran expiring in October, and restore sanctions for Iran’s violations of the deal.”

The US, however, is likely to face a harsh battle at the UN Security Council, where veto-wielders Russia and China are expected to oppose the arms embargo.

US to face tough battle in pushing plan to extend UN Iran arms embargo: Diplomats

US to face tough battle in pushing plan to extend UN Iran arms embargo: DiplomatsUN diplomats say the US will have a tough challenge ahead if it pushes for an extension of the world body’s arms embargo on Iran by resorting to a process outlined in a nuclear deal it left in 2018.

The Times report said Pompeo’s bid would likely be challenged by many of Washington’s European allies as well simply because America is no longer a party to the deal — officially named the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

In their earlier reactions to the report, Zarif and Russian officials reminded the US that it was no longer considered a signatory to the Iran deal.

Zarif to Pompeo: Iranians decide their destiny, US 'max pressure' policy failed

Zarif to Pompeo: Iranians decide their destiny, US ‘max pressure’ policy failedIran

Elsewhere in the phone conversation, Zarif and Lavrov exchanged views on other issues of regional and international significance, including the Afghan peace process and a coronavirus pandemic plaguing the world community.

In turn, the Russian Foreign Ministry also issued a statement carried by the TASS news agency, saying the two ministers had exchanged views on ways to bolster cooperation on the fight against the virus spread, among other topics.

“They thoroughly discussed pressing global issues, focusing on developments in Afghanistan and the situation surrounding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for Iran’s nuclear program,” the ministry further said.

In a phone call earlier this month, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, had stressed the need for closer Tehran-Moscow cooperation in efforts to rein in the deadly virus.


Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir

www.presstv.co.uk

www.presstv.tv

Click here for reuse options!
Copyright 2020 Hiram's 1555 Blog

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.