World will understand need to extend Iran arms embargo: Mike Pompeo

The United States is hopeful the entire world will understand the need to extend a UN arms embargo on Iran and said Washington was willing to talk to Tehran when the time was right, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday.

“I am hopeful that the whole world will accept the proposition that this arms embargo needs to be extended,” Pompeo told reporters.

“I think all but a couple of nations understand that this should not expire and there is going to be a discussion about how it is that we extend it.”

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The US has shared a draft resolution with members of the United Nations Security Council that would extend an arms embargo on Iran indefinitely, according to diplomats.

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With the ban on arms transactions with Iran set to expire in October under terms of the 2015 nuclear deal, the US draft calls on all countries to “prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale, or transfer” of weapons to and from the Islamic Republic unless a Security Council committee approves it at least 30 days in advance on a case-by-case basis, according to a copy of the text obtained by Bloomberg News.

The US proposal Monday came after Russia and China, two veto-wielding members of the council, have already said they won’t support extending the embargo because they blame President Donald Trump for exiting the nuclear accord unilaterally.

Diplomats expect a clash at the council over the next few months because the US is threatening that it will invoke a “snapback” provision in the 2015 deal if it doesn’t get its way, which would reimpose all UN sanctions against Tehran.

The Security Council is set to begin negotiations on the resolution on Wednesday, diplomats said.