Russian President Vladimir Putin’s suggestion has garnered increasing international support despite U.S. opposition in its bid to extend an arms embargo against Tehran.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT has shot down Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal for a virtual summit outside of the U.N. to prevent a “confrontation” over new U.S. threats against Iran.
“The United States believes strongly that the Security Council is the best place to have discussions related to extending the U.N. arms embargo, and we have the benefit of 13 years of Security Council precedent on our side,” a State Department spokesperson told U.S. News in an email, speaking on the condition of anonymity, when asked about Putin’s suggestion.
The proposal, which China endorsed early Monday, comes amid a failed effort by the U.S. to garner support from the other permanent members of the Security Council to extend a weapons ban against Iran, set to expire in October under the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.
Through a mechanism known as snapback, the U.S. could now follow through on a threat to reimpose all U.S. sanctions against Iran under the terms of the deal, even though President Donald Trump abandoned it in 2018. Other countries have struggled to maintain at least elements of the accord, even as Iran has violated portions of it after the U.S. walked away.
“The United States has for the last 19 months sought to foster dialogue and discussion with Russia and other Security Council members on extending the U.N. arms embargo,” the State Department spokesperson says. “Russia has repeatedly, and puzzlingly, claimed there is no legitimate basis to discuss extending the U.N. arms embargo at the U.N. Security Council, and has refused to negotiate on any of the texts we proposed.”
Putin on Friday proposed the virtual meeting between the permanent members of the Security Council, along with Germany and Iran, at a time “discussions on the Iranian issue in the U.N. Security Council are becoming more intense.”
“The situation is getting worse. There are groundless accusations against Iran. Draft resolutions are being drawn up aimed at destroying the previous unanimous decisions of the Security Council,” Putin said in a statement.
The announcement comes weeks after Putin effected changes to the Russian constitution effectively allowing him to remain in power indefinitely and at a time he seeks to secure Russia’s place as a principal international dealmaker.
China, which occasionally sides with Russia in blocking proposals before the Security Council, on Monday indicated it supported Putin’s idea, expressing “welcome and appreciation.” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the failed U.S. resolution “again showed that unilateralism has no popular support, and hegemonistic behaviour will not succeed.”
The U.S. must cease unilateral sanctions against Iran and adopt a more rational approach, Zhao said.
France has also indicated it would be willing to take part in the summit. When asked over the weekend, Trump told reporters, “I hear there’s something, but I haven’t been told of it yet.”
Trump reportedly told aides he would like to meet with Putin in person before the November election to discuss a new arms control agreement between the two nuclear powers, NBC News reported Sunday.