Despite objections from the United States, a decade-long US arms embargo on Iran under its nuclear deal with world powers prevented it from purchasing foreign weapons such as tanks and fighter jets.
Insisting
that Iran did not plan "smart purchases" in any way, theoretically
Iran would upgrade its armaments to upgrade military weapons obtained before
the 1979 Islamic Revolution and to deploy its own weapons abroad. Can buy
weapons to sell overseas gear. US sanctions, and other countries, could avoid
an arms deal with Tehran for fear of US financial retaliation.
The
Islamic Republic has called the lifting of the arms embargo "an important
day for the international community ... as opposed to the US government's
efforts." The Trump administration has insisted that it re-impose all UN
sanctions through Iran. The rest of the world ignored a clause in the nuclear
deal, which it withdrew in 2018.
"Today,
the normalization of Iran's defense cooperation with the world is an
achievement of multilateralism and peace and security in our region,"
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter.
The
United Nations banned Iran from buying large foreign weapons systems in 2010
amid tensions over its nuclear program. An earlier ban targeted Iranian arms
exports.
The
US Defense Intelligence Agency predicted in 2019 that if the ban was lifted’ Iran
would try to buy Russian S-30 fighter jets, Yak-130 trainers and T-90 tanks.
The DIA said Tehran could also try to buy Russia's S-400 anti-aircraft missile
system and its Bastian Coastal Defense missile system. China could also sell
Iranian weapons.
Iran
has a long way to go through US-backed Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and the
United Arab Emirates, which have purchased billions of dollars’ worth of advanced
weapons. In response, Tehran turned to locally-made ballistic missiles.
Iran
has pushed the purchase of US-made defense equipment in the Arabian Gulf as one
of the "sadly lucrative weapons deals" used in the ongoing war in
Yemen. As a result of the conflict, the Saudi-led coalition has backed the
country's internationally recognized government against Iranian-backed rebel
forces.
However,
the US arms embargo has not stopped Iran from sending weapons ranging from
ballistic missiles to ballistic missiles to Yemen's Houthi rebels. Although
Tehran refuses to arm the Houthi, Western governments and weapons experts have
repeatedly linked Iranian weapons to the insurgency.
Six
Gulf Arab states that have backed an arms embargo have noted arms shipments to Yemen
in their objection to the resumption of arms sales to Iran. He also wrote in a
letter to the US Security Council that Iran had mistakenly targeted a Ukrainian
passenger plane in January and that its navy had accidentally killed 19 sailors
in a missile strike during a drill. ۔ The
US president also linked Iran to the 2019 attack on Saudi Arabia's main crude
oil refinery, although Tehran denies any involvement and Yemen's rebel Houthi
has claimed responsibility.
Also
on Sunday, several members of the Iranian military and paramilitary
Revolutionary Guards were marked on the eve of the lifting of US travel
restrictions.
Tensions
between Iran and the United States escalated earlier this year when a US drone
killed a senior Iranian general in Baghdad. Tehran has responded to a ballistic
missile attack on US troops in Iraq, injuring dozens. Iran, meanwhile, has
violated the terms of the nuclear deal in an effort to pressure Europe to end
the deal.
In
recent months, provocations on both sides have slowed as President Donald Trump
faces a re-election campaign against former Vice President Joe Biden. Biden has
said he agrees to offer Iran "a credible path to diplomacy" if it
returns to "strict compliance" with the agreement.
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