Russia and China have signaled that they oppose extending the embargo on Iran, which is dated to expire in October under the terms of Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
On Friday, Iranian allies Russia and China opposed that move of the IAEA’s 35-nation board of governors calling on Iran to allow the U.N. nuclear watchdog access to two sites suspected of nuclear weapons activities. However, Russia and China could not block the move as they only have veto powers in the U.N. Security Council.
U.S. Iran envoy Brian Hook told Reuters, before his formal pitch of the embargo to the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday, that “Russia and China will be isolated at the United Nations if they continue down the ‘road to dystopia’ by blocking a U.S. bid to extend a weapons ban on Iran”
Washington has long argued that the 13-year-old arms restrictions imposed on Iran should not be lifted. Accordingly, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Kelly Craft and Hook intend to make the case for ‘why the 15-member council should support a draft resolution extending the embargo’ on Wednesday.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani consequently called on Russia and China to deny the US’s push, pledging to “increase our defence capabilities as we have been doing so even under sanctions.”