Iran slams U.S. efforts to continue arms embargo as ‘illegitimate’

Iran on Monday dismissed U.S. efforts to continue a United Nations Security Council arms embargo on the country, calling the move “illegitimate.”

The U.S. said Thursday it is “hopeful” the 15-member council will extend the embargo before it expires in October despite opposition from Russia.

“Iran is not seeking to exit the 2015 nuclear deal with six powers,” Abbas Mousavi said in a televised news briefing, Reuters reported. “America’s move is illegitimate and our reaction will be proportionate.”

President Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 despite European opposition, a move that allowed the U.S. to reinstate economic sanctions against Tehran that had been waived under the deal and add new sanctions.

“The United States is not a member of the nuclear deal anymore,” Mr. Mousavi said. “Iran’s reaction to America’s illegal measures will be firm.”

Brian Hook, U.S. special representative for Iran, said Thursday the administration’s focus “is on engaging in thoughtful and measured diplomacy with all the relevant parties to successfully negotiate a renewal of the U.N. arms embargo,” adding that he is not seeking to extend the embargo quickly.

The administration has threatened to launch a resurgence of all U.N. sanctions in a move to gain backing from the security council to extend the arms embargo.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week his team will not allow Iran to be permitted to purchase conventional weapons currently prohibited under the U.N. embargo.

“We will work with the U.N. Security Council to extend that prohibition on those arms sales, and then in the event we can’t get anyone else to act, the United States is evaluating every possibility about how we might do that,” he told reporters after a security council briefing.

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have spiked in recent weeks after Mr. Trump said he has authorized the Navy to “shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass” American ships.

His tweet came a week after a handful of Iran’s IRGC boats made threatening approaches to U.S. warships conducting joint operations with Army attack helicopters in international waters.