After the lifting of the UN arms embargo on Iran this week over US objections,French ambassador to the UN Nicolas De Riviere urged possible weapons suppliers and recipients “to exercise the utmost restraint and responsibility in considering the consequences that possible transfers could have for regional security and stability,and to draw the necessary conclusions.”
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Britain’s acting ambassador,Jonathan Allen,said Iran has continued to transfer arms to regional groups and told the council the UK would work “to find a suitable solution to Iranian proliferation.”
German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen criticised human rights violations in Iran,where,he said,“civilian and political rights are violated every day,” prisons “are the most abhorrent in the whole region,” and “religious minorities like the Bahai are persecuted”.
US ambassador Kelly Craft,meanwhile,dismissed any idea of collective security for the Gulf,touting instead the Trump administration’s new approach to the Middle East,including its key role inpromoting diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Responding to Russia’s promotion of security for the Persian Gulf,Craft said:“Respectfully,I think the solution is much easier:This council must simply muster the courage to hold Iran accountable to its existing international obligations.”
“The United States recognises that Iran is the single greatest threat to peace and security in the Middle East,” she said.
She pointed to Iran's development of ballistic missiles and support for proxies in Yemen,Syria,Lebanon and Iraq,saying that “the United States will continue to hold Iran accountable,even if it means we must act alone.”
“What makes America special is that we are unafraid to stand up for what is right,” Craft said. “And I don’t need a cheering section to validate my moral compass.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the US deployment of nearly 50,000 troops in the Persian Gulf in 29 military installations,with more than 300 combat aircraft,and its hundreds of billions of dollars of arms sales “have enhanced neither the security of the external powers,nor of the region.”
“We need collective efforts by regional countries to establish inclusive dialogue and security networking in this region,” he said. “Otherwise,we will all be engulfed in turmoil for generations to come.”
Zarif said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s proposal for a Hormuz peace and security initiative launched a year ago awaits a response from regional leaders.
Lavrov reiterated Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiative to hold an online meeting of leaders of the five permanent Security Council members — the US,Russia,China,Britain and France — along with Germany to discuss ways to bring peace to the region.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the first step toward de-escalation is identifying viable confidence-building measures such as ways to combat the coronavirus,promote economic recovery,ensure unhindered maritime navigation and arrange religious pilgrimages.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi proposed “a platform for multilateral dialogue for the Gulf region,"starting with incremental progress on energy,shipping,trade and other less sensitive issues.
“Dialogue will not be smooth sailing nor will it reach its goal overnight,” he said. “But no matter how long the journey might be,step by step we’ll eventually reach the destination. The first step for dialogue,even a small one,will be one giant step toward peace.”
AP