The US administration believes that it will be able to prevent the appearance of Russian air defense systems in Iran, starting the process of restoring UN sanctions against this country, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo told Fox News.
The head of the US Foreign Ministry noted that Washington intends to notify the UN Security Council of its decision to start the process of restoring these restrictions, including the arms embargo. Pompeo expressed confidence that "all sanctions [against Iran] will be restored." According to his version, "the world will become safer". "The Iranians will not be able to get Russian air defense systems, Chinese tanks and all that threatens peace and stability in the Middle East," the US Secretary of State said.
Pompeo: the US will respond with sanctions on Russia and China in case of interference with the restoring of UN restrictions on Iran
Washington is ready to impose sanctions on Russia and China if they interfere with the restoring of UN restrictive measures against Iran, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said.
Pompeo answered in the affirmative to the host's question about whether the US would be ready to "hold Russia and China accountable" by imposing sanctions against these countries if they prevent the restoring of the UN sanctions regime against Iran. "That's right," the head of the State Department said.
"If we see that anyone interferes with our sanctions, the current US sanctions, any country will be held accountable for such actions. And we will do the same in the case of expanding UN Security Council sanctions," Pompeo said.
Earlier, the press service of the State Department reported that Pompeo on Thursday would go to the UN headquarters in New York to notify the Security Council of the US decision to start the process of restoring anti-Iranian sanctions. As noted in the report of the State Department, 30 days after this restriction will be restored.
US President Donald Trump said on August 15 that Washington would start working next week to launch the procedure for restoring of UN sanctions. Before that, the American draft resolution on extending the arms embargo against Iran did not get the necessary number of votes in the UN Security Council: the majority of countries abstained, while Russia and China opposed it.
Earlier, the official representative of the UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, said that the decision on the legality of the US request for restoring of sanctions, despite Washington's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, would be made by the UN member states themselves.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS