By Stephen Lendman

The Trump regime defied congressional opposition to more arms sales to Riyadh by expediting what it called “critical defense systems” to the kingdom, other Persian Gulf Arab states, and Jordan to counter “Iranian aggression” that doesn’t exist.

An unjustifiable “emergency authori(zation)” circumvented congressional authorization.

Acting on his own, Trump approved the sale of more weapons to a part of the world already boiling from preemptive US wars on nations threatening no one, the Saudis a junior partner in its war on Yemen since 2001.

Trump failed so far to extend an arms embargo on Iran that expires on October 18 under terms of Security Council Res. 2231 that unanimously affirmed the JCPOA, making it binding international law.

A draft resolution submitted to the UN Security Council on Monday was scheduled for a Tuesday vote.

None occurred, the resolution pulled because if was unacceptable to most Security Council members.

A previous article discussed its misinformation, disinformation, and Big Lies about Iran. Even close US allies rejected it.

A softened/four-paragraph version replaced the 13-page-long initial draft.

Seen by Reuters, it calls for extending the arms embargo on Iran “until the Security Council decides otherwise,” falsely claiming it’s “essential to the maintenance of international peace and security (sic).”

Unnamed “diplomats and analysts” called the initial text “maximalist,” Reuters reported, adding:

The new version may not get a minimum nine SC member votes the Trump regime seeks.

Russia and China strongly oppose the measure. If necessary, they’ll veto it.

In response to the new text with the same unacceptable objective, the International Crisis Group’s UN director Richard Gowan tweeted the following:

“Don’t let the brevity of the new US draft fool you. The key point is that it authorizes an indefinite extension of the Iran arms embargo…and China and Russia will not like that.”

The draft is virtually certain to be rejected when voted on this week.

At a Wednesday cabinet session, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani expressed hope that the hostile Trump regime resolution would die and be counterproductive by further isolating the US on this and other regional issues.

Adopting it would breach the JCPOA and SC Resolution 2231 that affirmed it.

Rouhani also dismissed Trump’s disingenuous claim that if reelected he’ll make a deal with Iran in four weeks, saying:

“If you are sincere and seek peace, which you have never been after, why do you take such actions against the Iranian nation, the US nation, and the region?”

On Monday, Rouhani’s chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi said the following:

“The member states of the Security Council are on the verge of a big test to show their independence by giving a negative vote to the US regime’s pressures, which are aimed at imposing its will against Iran, violating the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, and leading the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) to collapse.”

Under its terms, no legal justification exists to extend the embargo beyond its October expiration date.

In May 2018, the Trump regime unlawfully abandoned the JCPOA so it’s no longer legally able to invoke its snapback provision to reimpose sanctions eliminated by SC Res. 2231.

Days earlier, Pompeo falsely claimed that “snapback is an option that’s available to the United States (sic).” Not so!

He added that the Trump regime will do “everything” it can to prevent expiration of the arms embargo with no further elaboration.

Arms sales by Russia, China, and perhaps other countries to Iran are coming once past the October expiration date — the US unable to do anything to stop them.

According to the Financial Times, the US was unable to get Estonia or Tunisia to submit a resolution on this issue to its liking so it’s acting on its own.

The SC is meeting virtually. On Wednesday, members are reviewing the revised four-paragraph text — a vote likely on Thursday or Friday.

The FT added the following:

“Observers said the Trump (regime) had been unusually undiplomatic in its initial approach, pursuing a resolution that even allies could not support.”

While language in the revised draft is softer, it won’t likely attract enough support and has no chance to avoid a Sino/Russian veto if necessary to prevent its adoption.

Stephen Lendman, born in 1934 in Boston, started writing on major world and national issues began in summer 2005. In early 2007, radio hosting followed. Lendman now hosts the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network three times weekly. Distinguished guests are featured. Listen live or archived. Major world and national issues are discussed. Lendman is a 2008 Project Censored winner and 2011 Mexican Journalists Club international journalism award recipient.

Lendman’s two books are titled How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, and Government Collusion, and Class War.”