President Hassan Rouhani has issued a warning to other members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on following the US plan to continue the arms embargo on his country. 

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting on June 14, Rouhani said, “The issue of the end of arms sanctions in October is one of the important achievements of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and if the Americans want to undermine this achievement, other big nations know what Iran’s response will be.” He continued, “I am hopeful all of the countries of the Security Council and the board of governors are completely aware of all of America’s conspiracies.”

As part of the JCPOA, the formal name for the nuclear deal between Iran and the five permanent members of the UNSC plus Germany, a ban on selling arms to Iran and Iran’s ability to sell arms to other countries will be lifted in October. The United States, which exited the deal in May 2018, is seeking to reenter the deal and initiate a snapback on Iran that would keep these sanctions in place. Russia and China, both permanent members of the Security Council, have said they would oppose such US measures. 

Rouhani did not specify what Iran would do if other countries go along with the United States on continuing the arms embargo. An article in Mehr News listed a few options Iran would have. The article suggested that Iran could limit International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections, increase uranium enrichments back to pre-JCPOA levels at 20%, stop the additional protocols the country is voluntarily implementing, leave the Non-Proliferation Treaty that the country entered in 1968 or completely leave the JCPOA.