[ad_1]
After 13 years, the UN ban on the sale of weapons and heavy military equipment to Iran ended this Sunday, as determined by the international agreement on the Iranian military program, the landmark 2015 commitment that introduced an inspection regime and ended the Iranian nuclear crisis. Tehran can legally buy back conventional weapons: In a statement, the Defense Ministry welcomed “the automatic lifting of all restrictions on arms transfers, related activities and financial services to and from the Islamic Republic.”
Two months ago, the United States failed to fully convince the other 14 members of the United Nations Security Council to approve a proposal to extend this embargo indefinitely, needing nine votes for eventual approval, Washington could only guarantee the support of Dominican Republic. In the vote, Russia and China, which as permanent members have the right of veto, voted against, the remaining eleven abstained.
In response, the Donald Trump Administration has meanwhile announced the reintroduction of international sanctions against Iran, threatening even UN allies not to comply. The United Kingdom, France and Germany later warned the White House that this unilateral decision has no legal value, as the United States abandoned the agreement with Iran in 2018. Washington did what it had to do, passing its own sanctions against linked individuals and entities. the Iranian nuclear program and threatening those who do not comply.
“A memorable day for the international community that, in defiance of the evil efforts of the United States, protected Resolution 2231 [aprovada pelo Conselho de Segurança em apoio do acordo] and the JCPOA [siglas do acordo nuclear]”Tehran’s head of diplomacy, Javad Zarif, reacted on Twitter. “The normalization of Iran’s defense cooperation with the world is a victory for the cause of multilateralism, peace and security in our region,” defended the Foreign Minister.
In the statement from the Defense Ministry, Tehran guarantees that “unconventional weapons, weapons of mass destruction or a race for conventional weapons” have no place in the defense doctrine of the Islamic Republic.
Russia and China
After all this time, Iran has learned to rely heavily on its arms industry (and smuggling as well) and is unlikely to be waiting for October 18 to rush to buy weapons, even due to the massive economic crisis. you are immersed in. But both Russia and China are likely to offer weapons to Tehran.
At the end of August, Iranian Defense Minister, Brigadier General Amir Hatami, was already in Russia on a visit to the Army-2020 International Military-Technical Forum and had contacts with senior Russian officials. But there is no indication that Russia and Iran have finalized any lists or advanced a possible deal, Nicole Grajewski, a researcher in the International Security Program at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, tells Al-Jazeera.
“It is not unfounded to suggest that Russia and Iran can wait until the US presidential elections,” says the analyst, adding that both “have reasons not to antagonize.” [o candidato democrata Joe] Biden if elected. ” But Grajewski believes that cooperation and contacts resulting from shared interests in Syria in recent years [no apoio ao ditador Bashar al-Assad] can “benefit from a boost”. This despite the fact that Moscow “does not want to damage its relations with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Israel by supplying Iran with advanced or high-tech weapons.”
China will also want to wait for the November 3 presidential election in the United States. The Chinese and Iranians have been discussing a strategic partnership agreement for 25 years, but given the international scrutiny these negotiations have been subject to, China will want to show an image of “responsible power,” says Carnegie Center analyst Tong Zhao. Tsinghua. for Global Policy, heard by Al-Jazeera itself. And “most importantly, if Biden is elected, Beijing will want to restart its relationship with the new Administration.”
[ad_2]
