Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Iran arms embargo ends with warnings from Washington

Iran arms embargo ends with warnings from Washington

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has threatened to sanction countries that engage in weapons trade with Iran.
An international conventional arms embargo on Iran has expired after 13 years on Sunday, despite a push by the US government to keep Tehran as a pariah in the international weapons trade.

The embargo’s termination came in line with provisions under the 2015 nuclear agreement called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Tehran, despite the US administration's efforts in the UN Security council to renew the embargo during a vote in August.

“A momentous day for the international community, which — in defiance of malign US efforts — has protected [UN Security Council Resolution] 2231 and [the] JCPOA,” tweeted Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

“Today’s normalization of Iran’s defense cooperation with the world is a win for the cause of multilateralism and peace and security in our region,” Zarif wrote.

A statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry claimed that the Islamic Republic now has the right to “procure any necessary arms and equipment from any source without legal restrictions” for defensive purposes. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani hailed the end of the embargo last week.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned in a statement on Sunday that Washington was ready to unilaterally “sanction any individual or entity that materially contributes to the supply, sale or transfer of conventional arms to or from Iran, as well as those who provide technical training, financial support and services and other assistance related to these arms.”

Pompeo added that “any country” that attempts to sell weapons to Iran “will be very clearly choosing to fuel conflict and tension over promoting peace and security.”

The administration of President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018 from the JCPOA, which had been signed by Iran, the United States, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom in 2015.

Trump repeatedly called the agreement, aimed at curtailing Iran’s nuclear capabilities, a “bad deal.”

The administration has cited Iran’s conventional ballistic missile program and support for militias in Syria, Iraq and Yemen — as well as Hezbollah in Lebanon — as justifications for Washington’s “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions against Tehran.

The Trump administration’s withdrawal from the deal was supported by some US partners in the Middle East, particularly Israel and Arab Gulf states.

But an August push by Washington’s Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft failed to convince even the United States’ closest allies France, the United Kingdom and Germany to sign on to the renewal. The three countries instead urged the United States to negotiate with Iran to preserve the JCPOA, rather than rely on threats of sanctions.

The administration has since unilaterally initiated a “snapback” of international sanctions against Iran, a move allowed under the JCPOA. Still, it is unclear how the United States intends to enforce the snapback, which the UN Security Council has rejected.

China opposed the renewal, and Russia said the United States has no legal right to initiate the snapback because Washington withdrew from the agreement.

The US Defense Intelligence Agency assessed last year that Iran has shown interest in purchasing Russia’s T-90 tanks, Yak-130 trainer and light attack jets, Bastion mobile coastal missile defense systems and Su-30 fighter jets.

Iran has looked to Chinese and Russian aircraft to replace its aging fleet, some of which is left over from US sales prior to the 1979 revolution.

It is not clear how many countries are ready to risk wading into arms deals with Iran amid the continued threat of US sanctions. The European Union still maintains a ban on conventional arms trade with Iran that is set to expire in three years.

Russian officials have already floated the possibility of selling its advanced S-400 air defense system to Iran after the UN embargo expires.

The Trump administration is demanding Iran return to the negotiating table to arrange a more restrictive deal.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×