This archive report was first published on 30 June 2020.
On June 30, 2020, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addressed the United Nations Security Council, emphasizing the need to prolong the ban on conventional arms sales to Iran.
According to Pompeo, Iran will hold a sword of Damocles over the economic stability of the Middle East if the embargo is lifted, posing a threat to nations like Russia and China that rely on stable energy prices.
The US has threatened to use a disputed legal move to force a return of UN sanctions on Iran if the embargo is not prolonged.
A UN report found that cruise missiles and drones used in a 2019 attack on Saudi Arabia were of Iranian origin, further solidifying the US stance on the issue.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was scheduled to address the Security Council later in the session.
