Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council
Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security CouncilReuters

Iran warned Sunday that the 2015 nuclear deal signed by the US and its European allies with Tehran would “die forever” if the US is able to maintain an arms embargo on the Islamic republic.

In a tweet Sunday morning, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, accused the US of using the arms embargo on Tehran to maintain what he dubbed America’s “declining hegemony”, and said that if the embargo is not halted, it will mean the end of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – better known as the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

“#JCPOA will die forever by circumventing 2231 Resolution & continuing #Iran's illegal weapons sanctions. Sanctions' virus is the US tool for survival of its declining hegemony. What will #EU do: Save dignity & support multilateralism or Accept humiliation & help unilateralism?”

Under the 2015 nuclear deal, the arms embargo on Iran is set to be lifted progressively beginning in October.

But the United States, which withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018, has pushed to have the ban on conventional arms sales to the Islamic republic be extended.