Substantial problems with Iran’s conventional and nuclear weapons moves continue to cause great concern.
The Islamic Republic is using its arsenal of conventional weapons to destabilize the Middle East and foment sectarian violence and terrorism across the region, notes a United Nations report.
The weapons used to attack Saudi Arabia last September were of Iranian origin. Iran intentionally misled the world by claiming that the Houthis were responsible for the attack. According to the U.S. State Department, “This new finding by the UN Secretary-General underscores Iran’s connection to the brazen attack on Saudi Arabia.”
The United Nations has also concluded that arms and related materiel seized off the coast of Yemen in November 2019 and February 2020 were of Iranian origin. The fact that these items were seized outside of Iran is indicative of an arms embargo violation by that the Tehran regime.
The State Department has emphasized that Iran continues to defy the Security Council by providing arms to groups abroad in contravention of the arms embargo, including to proxy groups and terrorist organizations across the Middle East, such as in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and Bahrain. These groups use Iranian weapons, training, and funding to destabilize the region and spread violence.
The United States wants the U.N. to extend the arms embargo, arguing that a failure to do so, according to the State Department, “will risk greater violence and instability in the region. With fewer arms restrictions, Iran will transfer even more weapons.”
Beyond being the root of many Middle East problems, it has become evident that Iran’s ballistic missile activity defies repeated calls by the U.N. Security Council. Iran has also violated its commitments on ending nuclear weapons development.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is pressing the U.N. Security Council to expand its pressure on Tehran, and keep the arms restrictions on indefinitely. The U.S. notes that “At no point in the last decade has Iran’s behavior shown it would be appropriate to lift the arms embargo…” Pompeo urged that a broader outlook is necessary. “Don’t just take it from me or the United States, listen to countries in the region, from Israel, the Gulf, countries in the Middle East who are most exposed to Iran’s predations are speaking with a single voice: extend the arms embargo.”
Tensions between Washington and Tehran are ratcheting up. Israeli journalist Barak Ravid reports that Brian Hook, the State Department’s Special representative for Iran Policy, stated during an interview that a military option to prevent that nation from gaining nuclear weapons remains “on the table.”
Because of Iran’s repeated violations, the United States pulled out of the nuclear agreement in May 2018 and reimposed sanctions as part of what it calls a “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran. Washington has argued it can trigger a “snapback” mechanism on UN sanctions and the arms embargo because it was a signatory to the agreement in 2015 and Iran has since not fully complied with its commitments.
The United States has formally asked the 15-member Security Council to extend the UN embargo, which is set to be progressively eased beginning in October under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which enshrined the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
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The U.S. Department of Defense provided this analysis of Iran’s military strength:
“The Iranian military largely relies on three core capabilities: first is ballistic missiles; the second are naval forces capable of threatening navigation in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz; and the third is unconventional capabilities including the use of partners and proxies abroad.
“Iran’s ballistic missiles constitute a primary component of its strategic deterrent. Lacking a modern air force, Iran has embraced ballistic missiles as a long-range strike capability to dissuade its adversaries from attacking Iran. Iran also has the largest missile force in the Middle East, with substantial inventory of close-range ballistic missiles, short-range ballistic missiles and medium-range ballistic missiles that can strike targets throughout the region as far as 2,000 kilometers away. Iran will deploy an increasing number of more accurate and lethal theater ballistic missiles, improve its existing missile inventory and also field new land attack cruise missiles. Iran’s developments of its space launch vehicle program could also serve as the test bed for the development of intercontinental ballistic missile technologies.
“Secondly, Iran’s naval capabilities emphasize an anti-access area denial strategy. Benefiting from Iran’s geostrategic position along the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s layered maritime capabilities emphasize asymmetric tactics using numerous platforms and weapons intended to overwhelm an adversary’s naval force. The full range of these capabilities includes ship- and shore-launched anti-ship cruise missiles, small boats, naval mines, submarines, unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-ship ballistic missiles and air defenses.
“Iran’s use of partners, proxies and unconventional warfare is central to its regional influence and deterrent strategy. The IRGC Qods Force, Iran’s primary tool for unconventional operations, maintains a wide network of non-state partners, proxies and affiliates throughout the region. Iran provides a range of financial, political, training and material support to groups which would include Hezbollah, Iraqi Shia militant groups, the Houthis in Yemen, some Palestinian groups, the Taliban and Bahraini Shia militants.
“Another point of concern to the United States and our allies is Iran’s rapid progress in advancing its UAV capabilities. Iran sees these as versatile platforms for a variety of missions, including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, or ISR, and air-to-ground strikes and has steadily expanded its UAV inventory. Iran has deployed various armed and unarmed UAVs to Syria and Iraq for ISR and strike missions.
“Iran is also strengthening its integrated air defense systems through domestic production as well as foreign acquisition. Iran is fielding more capable domestically developed surface to air missiles and radar systems, and in 2016, acquired the Russian SA-20C air defense system, which provided Iran with its first capability to defend itself against a modern Air Force.
“In the cyber domain, Tehran views cyberspace operations as a safe, low-cost method to collect information and retaliate against perceived threats, and Iran’s regime is continuing to improve its cyber capabilities.”
Photo: Shab-3 missile (Federation of American Scientist)