Pompeo urges extension of embargo on conventional arms sales to Iran

Iran’s space program is “neither peaceful nor entirely civilian,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday, calling on the international community to support extending the UN conventional arms embargo on Iran expiring in October.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a military satellite using ballistic missile technology on Wednesday which has been met with condemnation from the US, UK and France.

The IRGC’s recent military launch proves that previous Iranian claims of the country’s space program being peaceful were “lies,” Pompeo said in a statement.

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“All peace-loving nations must reject Iran’s development of ballistic-missile capable technologies and join together to constrain Iran’s dangerous missile programs,” the statement read.

Pompeo called on the international community to support extending the UN conventional arms embargo on Iran, which is set to expire this October.

“The world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and anti-Semitism should not be allowed to buy and sell conventional weapons.”

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Pompeo also called on the EU to sanction the individuals and entities working on Iran’s missile programs.

“When the Iranian people are suffering and dying from the coronavirus pandemic, it is regrettable to see the regime waste its resources and efforts on provocative military pursuits that do nothing to help the Iranian people,” he said.

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