Withdrawing sanctions on Iranian weapons will destabilise Middle East, warns US Special Envoy

Riyadh: – Brian Hook, the special envoy appointed by the United States for Iran, warned ‘We see stability in the Middle East because of the weapons ban imposed by the UN on Iran. But if this ban was withdrawn, Iran will become the largest supplier of weapons to the terrorists. In such a scenario, there will be instability in the Middle East. At the same time, the United States has demanded from the United Nations, that the weapons ban against Iran, should be extended and countries like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have supported the US demand.

Iranian weapons are becoming a threat to the security of the Middle East. The United Nations imposed a weapons ban on Iran in 2010 under the charge of supplying weapons to the terrorists. The weapons ban will end in October this year. In this situation, Russia and China are demanding not to renew the weapons ban. Whereas, the United States and allies are demanding an extension of the weapons bans. Special envoy Brian Hook clarified the US stand during his visit to Saudi Arabia.

Iran was secretly supplying weapons to arms groups affiliated to Iran, because of the weapons ban imposed by the United Nations. But if the ban is not extended, Iran will start doing its activities, which were clandestine operations, openly. Hook warned that if the ban is revoked, the Iranian government will grow stronger and there will be instability in the Gulf. Hook cautioned the world, regarding the Iranian arms smuggling for Hezbollah from Lebanon, Hamas from Gaza Strip, Houthi rebels from Yemen and armed organisations from Iraq and Syria. The weapons ban imposed by the United Nations, ten years ago and the harsh economic sanctions imposed by the United States, in the last few years, have had a telling effect on the Iranian economy. Iran has not been able to buy fighter jets, missiles, tanks and artillery guns from its allies. Hooks highlighted the importance of the weapons ban, saying that despite this, the weapons supply to the terrorist organisations is continuing.