6 Gulf Arab countries back extending UN arms embargo on Iran
Dubai: A six-nation bloc of Gulf Arab nations torn apart by internal strife endorsed an extension of a United Nations arms embargo on Iran, just two months before it is set to expire.
The Gulf Cooperation Council on Sunday sent a letter to the UN Security Council backing an extension of an arms embargo that's kept Iran from purchasing foreign-made weapons like fighter jets, tanks and warships.
The GCC comprised of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates alleged Iran had "not ceased or desisted from armed interventions in neighboring countries, directly and through organisations and movements armed and trained by Iran".
A Saudi-led coalition continues to battle Yemen's Houthi rebels, whom the UN, the US and armament experts have accused of receiving arms from Iran. Tehran denies arming the Houthis, even as Iranian armaments and components have repeatedly turned up in Yemen.
The letter also said Iran arms Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon and Syria and allegedly provides weapons to Shiite militias in Iraq and terrorist groups in Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
UN restrictions establish a consensus understanding of the threat to peace and stability Iranian proliferation represents, the GCC said in the letter signed by General-Secretary Nayef al-Hajraf on behalf of the bloc.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi condemned the GCC letter and called it an irresponsible statement that serves US interests, Iranian state TV reported.
Mousavi also criticised the Gulf Arab countries for being among the largest arms buyers in the region and the world," even amid the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The UN banned Iran from buying major foreign weapon systems in 2010 amid tensions over its nuclear program. That blocked Iran from replacing its aging equipment, much of which had been purchased by the shah before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. An earlier embargo targeted Iranian arms exports.
Iran's 2015 nuclear deal saw the UN agree to sunset the arms embargo this October. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the deal in 2018, part of a maximum pressure campaign that's hurt Iran's already-ailing economy and led to a series of escalating incidents in the Mideast.
The GCC letter also mentioned Iran's shootdown of a Ukrainian passenger plane in January and its navy accidentally killing 19 sailors in a missile strike during an exercise. Iran also is suspected of launching a September attack on the heart of Saudi Arabia's oil industry, though Tehran denies that.
That the GCC offered a unified statement on Iran comes as it remains torn by the ongoing Qatar crisis, which saw Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates cut diplomatic ties and launch a boycott of the nation beginning in 2017.
Kuwait has sought to mediate the crisis, though its 91-year-old emir now is hospitalised in the US suffering from an undisclosed ailment.
Amid the crisis, Qatar has had warmer ties with Iran and used its airspace while sharing a vast offshore oil and gas field with Tehran.
The small nation is home to the massive Al-Udeid Air Base, home to the forward headquarters of the US military's Central Command. Oman, which saw its long-serving sultan die earlier this year, long has had close ties to Iran and has served as an interlocutor between Tehran and the West.
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates long have viewed Iran far more suspiciously, accusing it of stirring up dissent among Shiite populations in the region.
The unified GCC statement comes after recent visits by outgoing US special representative for Iran Brian Hook amid the pandemic. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised the letter early Monday.
The US will introduce a resolution this week to extend the embargo after years of diplomacy, Pompeo wrote on Twitter. The Security Council "must choose between arming terrorists or standing by the" GCC.
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Ballari clash: Sriramulu, Janardhana Reddy hold press meet; statue unveiling postponed
Ballari: Former minister B Sriramulu and Gangavathi MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy addressed a joint press conference on Friday, a day after a violent clash broke out between rival Reddy groups over the installation of banners ahead of the Valmiki statue unveiling programme in the city.
Speaking to reporters, Sriramulu said the death of Rajasekhar Reddy, who was killed by a gunshot during the clash, was painful. He said he and his party would stand by the victim’s family and extend support to them. Alleging that Ballari MLA Nara Bharath Reddy was responsible for the incident, Sriramulu demanded legal action against him and called for a thorough probe to establish whose bullet caused Rajasekhar Reddy’s death.
Sriramulu further alleged that the clash was premeditated, claiming that a group had come near their residence with petrol-filled beer bottles and stones, allegedly with the intention of attacking them. He also alleged that there was an attempt to assault Janardhana Reddy.
Janardhana Reddy, addressing the media, said the incident had made him fear for his life. He alleged that there was an attempt to kill him and held Bharath Reddy responsible for the violence. Former minister Somasekhar Reddy, BJP Ballari district leaders and party workers were also present at the press meet.
The clash occurred on Thursday night in the Havambhavi area when rival groups confronted each other over putting up banners for the Valmiki statue unveiling scheduled for January 3. During the violence, a Congress worker was shot dead. Police have registered four separate cases in connection with the incident, including one taken up suo motu.
Responding to the allegations, Ballari MLA Bharath Reddy said the party was mourning the loss of its worker, Rajasekhar Reddy, whom he described as a close associate. He accused Janardhana Reddy of trying to divert attention from illegal mining issues and said the death had cast a shadow over the planned celebrations. He announced that the Valmiki statue unveiling programme had been postponed due to the prevailing atmosphere of grief.
Meanwhile, Ballari Rural MLA B Nagendra confirmed that the statue unveiling event had been temporarily deferred following the clash and on the advice of the Chief Minister. He said the programme would be held on a later date under the leadership of the Chief Minister and senior ministers. Nagendra also criticised Janardhana Reddy, saying there was no place for what he described as a “Republic of Ballari” mindset under the present administration, and asserted that the government would not allow any form of intimidation or lawlessness.
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