Russia Rejects Extending Iran Arms Embargo, Defying U.S.

  • UN-mandated ban on weapons sales to Iran expires October 2020
  • Russia eyes major defense contracts, deeper ties with Iran

Sergei Lavrov

Photographer: Sergei Fadeichev\TASS via Getty Images

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Russia, seeing prospects for multi-billion dollar deals, ruled out extending a United Nations-approved arms embargo on Iran that expires in October next year, despite U.S. warnings that lifting the restrictions will jeopardize global security.

“We’re not ready to do the bidding of our American colleagues,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Interfax news agency in an interview published Friday.