US, Saudi Arabia aim to extend UN arms embargo on Iran

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a news conference at the State Department in Washington. (File/AP)
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Updated 01 July 2020
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US, Saudi Arabia aim to extend UN arms embargo on Iran

LONDON: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington has the ‘unambiguous right’ to ensure that this arms embargo stays in place against Iran
Pompeo said the US aim to extend the UN arms embargo on Tehran is not for a short period of time.

Saudi Arabia's representative to the United Nations, Abdullah Al-Moallami, said on Wednesday that Iran should not be given an opportunity to carry out more destructive behaviors.
"We expect the Security Council to extend the decision to ban arms from Iran," he told a news conference
He also said the Iranians continue to undermine what the US is trying to achieve for peace in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Pompeo urged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan not to convert the Hagia Sophia into a mosque and said Istanbul’s celebrated former cathedral should remain open to all.
“We urge the government of Turkey to continue to maintain the Hagia Sophia as a museum, as an exemplar of its commitment to respect the faith traditions and diverse history that contributed to the Republic of Turkey, and to ensure it remains accessible to all,” Pompeo said.


Italy urges its citizens to leave Iran, be vigilant across Middle East

Updated 58 min 22 sec ago
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Italy urges its citizens to leave Iran, be vigilant across Middle East

  • The ministry said travel to Iraq and Lebanon was also strongly discouraged
  • It advised Italian nationals in Israel ⁠to exercise maximum caution

ROME: Italy’s foreign ministry on Friday urged its citizens to leave Iran and advised extreme caution across the Middle East, citing persistently unstable security conditions.
“Italians in (Iran) for tourism or whose presence is not strictly necessary are urged to depart,” ⁠the ministry said ⁠in a statement, adding that travel to Iraq and Lebanon was also strongly discouraged.
It advised Italian nationals in Israel ⁠to exercise maximum caution and remain vigilant.
Several governments have issued similar warnings in recent days. Britain said on Friday it had temporarily withdrawn its staff from Iran and closed its embassy amid rising regional tensions.
The United States ⁠has ⁠built up a large military presence across the Middle East ahead of a possible strike on Iran, as talks between the two countries over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions continue with no sign of a breakthrough.