The United Nations Security Council on Friday rejected a proposal by the United States that sought indefinite extension of an arms embargo on Iran.
The Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the UN and President of the council for August, Dian Djani, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the council’s meeting on the issue.
Mr Djani said China and Russia, two veto power holders in the 15-member council, voted against the US-sponsored resolution, while 11 countries, including the United Kingdom, France and Germany, abstained.
“Only two countries, the U.S. itself and the Dominican Republic, voted in favour,” he said.
The weapons ban is due to expire in October under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
In a statement after the meeting, China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Zhang Jun, said the result of the voting showed that “unilateralism receives no support and bullying will fail’’.
Germany said it abstained because it was clear from the beginning that the proposal would fail due to opposition from China and Russia.
While noting that it shared concerns about the forthcoming expiration of the ban, it said more time was needed to find a common ground on the issue.
The Permanent Representative of the U.S. to the UN, Kelly Craft, said her country would stop at nothing to extend the arms embargo.
