Iran hails UN arms vote, says US has ‘never been so isolated’

Iran hails UN arms vote, says US has ‘never been so isolated’

Sources say the Dominican Republic is the only other country to back the US resolution.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi is jubilant at having ‘defeated the US at the Security Council’. (AFP pic)
TEHRAN:
Iran on Saturday hailed a UN Security Council vote rejecting a US bid to extend an arms embargo on the Islamic republic, saying its foe has “never been so isolated”.

“In the 75 years of the United Nations’ history, America has never been so isolated,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi tweeted hours after just two of the Council’s 15 members backed a US resolution to extend the embargo.

“Despite all the trips, pressure and the hawking, the US could only mobilise a small country (to vote) with them,” he added, in reference to failed efforts by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to rally support for a US resolution.

Iranian state television’s website said the only other country to back the US resolution was the Dominican Republic, citing unnamed sources.

The embargo on conventional arms sales to Iran is due to expire on Oct 18 under the terms of a resolution that blessed the 2015 nuclear deal between the Islamic republic and world powers.

“Last night, Iran’s active #diplomacy, along with the legal force of (the nuclear deal), defeated the US again at the Security Council,” Mousavi tweeted.

President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the nuclear deal in 2018, escalating tensions between the long-time enemies.

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