Iran Will Not Engage In Weapons Purchasing Spree Despite End Of Arms Embargo - Zarif

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th October, 2020) Iran will not engage in an arms race in the middle East and will not start unrestrained acquisition of weapons despite the expiration of the United Nations arms embargo, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said during a UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday.

"Iran does not intend to engage in an arms race in the region and start a buying spree in spite of the end of the Security Council restrictions," Zarif said.

The United Nations arms embargo on Iran expired on Sunday as per the 2015 nuclear agreement that sought to prevent the Iran from developing nuclear weapons in return for sanctions relief.

The United States proposed prolonging the arms sale embargo at the UN Security Council on August 14, 2020, but the proposition was declined by the majority of the member states.

Zarif expressed his appreciation to the UN Security Council member states that rejected the US efforts to initiate the return of international sanctions against Iran.