UN Silent as Iranian Regime Plans Arms Purchases & Sales Anytime, Anywhere

by Joseph A. Klein 

To Iran’s jihadist leaders with hegemonic designs, as the Persian proverb says, “silence betokens consent.”​

The ink is barely dry on the disastrous Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (“JCPOA”), and the Iranian regime is already showing how its word is worth nothing.  Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, who was heavily involved in the JCPOA negotiations, was quoted as declaring that Iran would “buy weapons from wherever possible” and “provide weapons to whomever and whenever it considers appropriate.”

Araghchi claimed that Iran never agreed on any restrictions imposed on its arms purchases or sales, adding that “[W]henever we consider it necessary for our own security, [or] to help our allies in the region we will provide weapons. … We don’t feel shy.”

Under the terms of the JCPOA and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015) adopted on July 20th endorsing the JCPOA, Iran is not free to purchase or sell arms without Security Council approval for five years. But Iran does not want to wait. Neither do Iran’s arms beneficiaries and proxies in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Gaza and Yemen, to name key hotspots that Iran has been active in destabilizing. Iran is set to violate the JCPOA and Security Council resolution even before they formally take effect.

“Call it the Tehran two-step: one step forward, and two back. The only interesting thing is how Kerry and crew are going to rationalize Araghchi’s statements,” said Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon adviser and expert on rogue regimes, as quoted in the Washington Free Beacon.  “The Iranians are basically saying they will provide rocket-propelled grenades and explosively-formed projectiles anytime, anywhere. Only when they say anytime, anywhere, they actually mean it.”

What’s more, Javad Zarif, Iran’s smooth talking foreign minister who outfoxed Secretary of State John Kerry at every turn, insisted that any restrictions on Iran’s missile program set forth in the Security Council resolution were “non-binding.” This too is wrong. There is an 8 year restriction. But Iran is ready to flout it.

At the United Nations, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s office has nothing but praise for the JCPOA and the participating states, including Iran, who negotiated it. His Associate Spokesperson refused to comment on the Iranian regime’s insistence that it was free to buy and sell arms wherever and whenever it chose.

Here are excerpts from my exchange with Ban Ki-moon’s Associate Spokesperson at the July 23rd UN headquarters noon press briefing:

“Question:  the Secretary‑General has repeatedly talked about his concerns of the proliferation of arms both in the context of the small arms treaty and more generally as it’s fueling regional conflicts, particularly in the Mideast region.  So…

Associate Spokesperson: Yes, and he said he certainly hoped…

Question:  I just want to know if he has a substantive reaction to Iran’s declaration that it does not feel bound by any UN restrictions on the import or export of conventional arms right from the get‑go.  I mean, wouldn’t he have a reaction to that?

Associate Spokesperson: You know, the… No.

Question:  You gave me the “no” answer.  And that’s fine.  It was a crisp, very pithy answer to my question.  Now I have to ask you why he would not have a reaction to that provocative statement coming out of Iran.

Associate Spokesperson:  Because the deal… I feel, Joe, that there’s been a lot of statements from Iran, and I’m not going to comment on all of them.  Obviously, we support the, we’ve been very supportive of the deal.  We’ve welcomed the endorsement by the Security Council of Resolution 2231 (2015), and this is first and foremost for the Security Council and — sorry, for the E3+3 and Iran — it’s their deal.  They’ve worked out the modalities.  We are here to support and assist a deal that we feel is a very positive step for the region.  Okay?