The United States on Wednesday accused Iran of violating several resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and urged the organisation to confront the country over its “aggressive, destabilising and unlawful behaviour” in the region, AFP reported.
“The United States has embarked on a course that attempts to address all aspects of Iran’s destructive conduct,” US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told the council. “It is critical that the international community do the same.”
Haley was referring to US President Donald Trump’s recent refusal to certify that Iran was complying with the 2015 nuclear agreement. He had also threatened to terminate the deal on Friday. Trump had called Iran a “fanatical regime” and accused it of sponsoring terrorism. The other signatories – Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia – condemned his move.
According to the agreement initiated by Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama, the US president is required to certify every 90 days that Iran is adhering to the pact. Under the deal, Iran agreed to cut down on its uranium programmes so international sanctions against it could be revoked.
Haley said that Iran was fooling the Security Council by only complying with the technical provisions of the nuclear deal and not changing its “outlaw behaviour”. She said Iran’s support and sale of arms to warring sides in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon were examples of Tehran’s violations of UN resolutions.
“Where’s the outrage of this council?” she said. “The United States will not turn a blind eye to these violations...Iran must be judged in a totality of its aggressive, destabilising and unlawful behaviour. To do otherwise would be foolish. This council now has the opportunity to change its policy toward the Iranian regime.”
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