Thursday, 09 July_Iran dismisses the recent US allegations that American and “partner” forces have seized a vessel taking “Iranian weapons” to Yemen as continuation of Washington’s policy of leveling accusations and hatemongering against Tehran, which this time seeks to prolong a UN arms embargo against the Islamic Republic.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi made the remarks on Thursday, a day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a news conference about alleged capture of the vessel by the so-called allied forces on June 28.
“Lying, throwing accusations, and hatemongering are among the major elements of the US’ foreign policy, especially under the current [American] regime,” Mousavi said, adding, “The remarks by the ‘hatemonger’ US secretary of state boil down to the selfsame approach,” he added.
He roundly rejected the claim about the arms shipment to Yemen, saying the US has come up with the allegation at a time, when it feels it is failing to have the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) extend the arms ban against Tehran.
Pompeo was the first US official to announce Washington’s intention to have the embargo extended. The ban that prevents sales of conventional weapons to the Islamic Republic will expire in October under a historic 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.
Officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the landmark agreement was reached between Iran and the P5+1 group -- the US, Britain, France, Russia, and China plus Germany -- in 2015 in Vienna.
In May 2018, US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled his country out of the JCPOA and later re-imposed the sanctions that had been lifted against Tehran on the back of the deal. The US’ intransigence flew in the face of the fact that the deal has been ratified by the Security Council in the form of its Resolution 2231.
Although it is no longer a party to the deal, Washington is trying to rationalize its bid to prolong the arms ban by claiming that it is still “named” as a JCPOA partner in the Resolution. Tehran and other JCPOA partners say Washington, due to its unilateral withdrawal, has forfeited all rights to have any say in the agreement.
The US recently served the UNSC with a draft resolution on extension of the arms embargo, with American Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft saying Washington will push the Council to vote on the draft as soon as mid-July.
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