Iran hails lifting of UN arms embargo

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Sunday said arms sales to Iran would breach UN resolutions and result in sanctions, after Tehran said the decade-long UN embargo on arms trade with the Islamic republic had expired.

“The US is prepared to use its domestic authorities to sanction any individual or entity that materially contributes to the supply, sale, or transfer of conventional arms to or from Iran,” Pompeo said in a statement. “Every nation that seeks peace and stability in the Middle East and supports the fight against terrorism should refrain from any arms transactions with Iran.”

The embargo on the sale of conventional arms to Iran was due to begin expiring progressively from October 18 under terms of the United Nations resolution that confirmed the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.