Iran: Saudi support for US demand to extend arms embargo a ‘bitter irony’

Saudi Arabia’s support for American efforts to extend the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations on Iran is a “bitter irony”, Iran’s official IRNA news agency quoted the country’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi as saying.

Mousavi added that it was surprising that “countries such as Saudi Arabia, which is in itself a source of terrorism and extremism in the region and has for years acted to destabilise the region by supporting terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and Daesh, have made baseless accusations against Iran.”

American and Saudi officials urged the international community to extend the UN-imposed arms embargo on Iran, which is scheduled to expire on 18 October.

READ: Saudi, US officials call for extending UN arms embargo on Iran

US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo said yesterday in his remarks at the UN Security Council that “lifting the embargo would have major implications for regional security and stability.”

Urging the council to extend the embargo, Pompeo added: “Don’t just take it from me or from the United States; listen to countries in the region. From Israel to the Gulf, countries in the Middle East – who are most exposed to Iran’s predations – are speaking with a single voice: Extend the arms embargo.”

A day earlier, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Abel Al-Jubeir said during a joint news conference with US Iran envoy Brian Hook in Riyadh: “Despite the embargo, Iran seeks to provide weapons to terrorist groups, so what will happen if the embargo is lifted? Iran will become more ferocious and aggressive.”