US Ambassador to UN: Iran is World’s Number One State Sponsor of Terrorism

The United States Ambassador to the United Nations on Thursday, August 7, called Iran the “number one state sponsor of terrorism in the world” and warned Russia and China against a potential veto of a resolution extending Iran’s arms embargo.

Kelly Craft’s remarks came a day after Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, said his country would put a resolution extending Iran’s arms embargo to a vote in the UN Security Council next week.

Craft emphasized that if Russia and China use their veto power to prevent the passage of this resolution, they would also become “complicit states that sponsor the number one terrorism.”

She then said that the United States hopes Russia and China “understand the importance of peace in the Middle East,” although in her view, these two countries are trying to create chaos and war outside their borders.

Kelly Craft held a press briefing on Wednesday alongside Brian Hook following Pompeo’s remarks about the arms embargo extension resolution. However, hours after this briefing, Brian Hook resigned from his position as the US Special Representative for Iran Affairs.

Previously, the foreign ministers of Russia and China indicated that if the US-proposed resolution reaches a minimum of 9 votes out of the 15 votes of UN Security Council member states, they would veto it. Last month, these two countries criticized US actions strongly in a letter to Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, and the Security Council.

Pompeo told reporters on Wednesday that some countries have “lined up” to sell weapons to Iran. He then warned that doing so would destabilize the Middle East and endanger Israel, Europe, and American lives.

Washington has warned that if the Security Council fails to prevent Iran from buying and selling weapons, it will use the “snapback” mechanism provided for in the nuclear agreement with Iran, thereby restoring all sanctions against Iran.

China, Russia, and Iran, however, say that the United States has withdrawn from the nuclear agreement and has no authority to use this mechanism.

According to UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which was passed following the nuclear agreement with Iran, Iran’s arms embargo will expire on October 18 of this year.

Source: Radio Farda