US firm on Iran arms embargo extension: Pompeo
VIENNA: The United States will do everything in its power to extend the international arms embargo on Iran under discussion at the United Nations, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday.
The UN Security Council has started voting on a US bid to extend the embargo on Iran, which is opposed by veto-powers Russia and China, with results were due on Friday.
Pompeo, on a visit to Austria, said Iran must also provide full and immediate cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) nuclear watchdog, whose head he was meeting in Vienna.
Some diplomats say the attempt to extend the ban is bound to fail and put an already fragile nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers further at risk.
“It makes no sense to permit the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism to purchase and sell weapons systems,” Pompeo told a news conference. “I mean, that’s just nuts.”
Pompeo said he was urging the rest of the world to support the US stance.
“We are going to do everything that we can within our diplomatic tool set to ensure that arms embargo doesn’t expire,” he said.
“The voting will be in the next handful of hours and we are hoping that we will be successful. When we see the results we will make the decision about how to move forward.
“We have been unambiguous about the fact we no intention of allowing this arms embargo to expire. None whatsoever.”
Meanwhile, the US Justice Department confirmed it had seized the fuel cargo aboard four tankers sent by Iran to crisis-wracked Venezuela, tying the shipments to Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards.
“With the assistance of foreign partners, this seized property is now in US custody,” the Justice Department said, putting the total at more than one million barrels of petroleum and calling it the largest-ever seizure of fuel shipments from Iran.
The department had issued a warrant last month to seize the cargo of the tankers Bella, Bering, Pandi and Luna.
On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal, citing officials reported that the US government has for the first time seized vessels allegedly loaded with Iranian fuel in violation of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.
US prosecutors filed a lawsuit last month to seize the gasoline aboard four tankers that Iran is trying to ship to Venezuela, the latest attempt by the Trump administration to increase economic pressure on the two US foes.