The US and Three European Countries Condemn Iran's Non-Compliance with Yemen Arms Sanctions

On March 8, the United States and three European countries issued a joint statement condemning Iran's "non-compliance" with Yemen's arms sanctions, referencing a UN report. This statement was released a day after Russia vetoed a British draft resolution regarding Yemen and Iran. Germany, Britain, France, and the US stated in their statement that Iran's actions pose a "serious threat to peace and stability in the region." UN experts, citing paragraph 14 of Security Council Resolution 2216, which prohibits the direct or indirect supply of weapons to the Houthis and their allies, indicated that Tehran has violated this provision. According to experts, the Islamic Republic has not shown the necessary caution in refraining from selling or transferring missiles and drones to the Houthis and supporters of Ali Abdullah Saleh. The US and its European allies called on Iran to "immediately cease any actions inconsistent with [the Security Council resolution] or in violation of it." All four countries that signed this joint statement are members of the so-called 5+1 group, which conducted nuclear negotiations with Iran during Barack Obama's presidency and reached an agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in July 2015. Current US President Donald Trump is a critic of this agreement, partly because it has failed to curb what Washington and its allies describe as Iran's "destabilizing activities." The Trump administration argues that the current agreement is insufficient and that Iran must allow immediate inspections of all requested sites. It must be ensured that Iran will never approach nuclear weapons, the "sunset clause" must be eliminated, and it should be declared that the long-range missile program and the nuclear weapons program are inseparable. The statement from the US and three European countries was issued a day after Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution regarding Iran's actions in Yemen. The initial draft resolution was prepared by Britain and supported by France and the US; it expressed concern about Iran's inability to comply with these sanctions. On Monday, Russia vetoed this resolution and subsequently proposed a resolution that, while extending Yemen's arms sanctions, made no reference to the UN report on Iran. Following this, Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, stated that Russia's action prevented accountability for Iran and endangered the entire region. In another part of her remarks, Haley stated that if Russia continues to use its veto power to prevent action against Iran's dangerous and destabilizing behaviors, the US and its allies must take actions against Iran that Russia cannot stop. Iran, on the other hand, accused the US in a statement of "covering up crimes in Yemen led by Saudi Arabia." The United Nations announced on Tuesday that after three years of war in Yemen, the conditions of the people in that country, considering the intensification of conflicts, the continued risk of famine, and the outbreak of cholera, are becoming the "largest humanitarian disaster."