(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) NEW YORK, July 18 (KUNA) -- World's top body called today upon Iran to avoid ballistic missile launches which have the potential to increase tension in the region.
On the first report of the Secretary General on the Implementation of resolution 2231, which endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that is agreed to between six nations and Iran on non-proliferation, the Undersecretary General Jeffrey Feltman told the Security Council that the Secretariat has received no information regarding supply, sale transfer or export to Iran of ballistic missile-related items undertaken contrary to the provisions of resolution 2231.
On arms transfer, Feltman said the Secretary General's report also notes the seizure of an arms shipment by the US Navy in the Gulf of Oman in March of this year, where the US concluded that the arms had originated in Iran and that the transfer was contrary to the provisions of the resolution.
"Iran informed the Secretariat that it never engaged in such activity," he said, confirming that the UN will continue reviewing the information provided by both countries.
The UN official also confirmed to the Japanese-led Council, that since January of this year, the Secretary General has not received any report, nor is he aware of any open source information, regarding the supply, sale, transfer or export to Iran of nuclear-related items undertaken contrary to the provisions of the JCPOA.
Although the implementation challenges exist for any agreement, Feltman called on all participants to stay the course, fully implement all aspects of this landmark agreement, and work through challenges in a spirit of cooperation and compromise, good faith and reciprocity.
On behalf of the US, Ambassador Samantha Power said her country has fully implemented all of its sanctions-related commitments under the deal - and have responded to questions about them both through the Joint Commission and through extensive bilateral engagement with Iran. "Even beyond fulfilling our JCPOA commitments, the United States has engaged with governments, businesses, and banks around the world that have questions about our changed sanctions environment," she added.
The deal, she told the Council, has not resolved all of the differences with Iran, her country continue to be profoundly concerned about human rights abuses that Iran commits against its own people, and about the instability Iran continues to fuel through its destabilizing activities in the region.
A year ago, the US, France, Britain, Germany, China, Russia, and the EU concluded a deal with Iran to ensure that Iran's nuclear program is, and will remain, a peaceful one. (end) mao.bs