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At UN, Craft tears into Iran for 'fanning the flames' of violence, instability in Middle East
By Adam Shaw
Published November 12, 2020
U.N. Ambassador Kelly Craft on Wednesday tore into Iran’s regime, accusing its ministers of hypocrisy in its condemnations of the U.S., and of “fanning the flames” of violence and instability in the Middle East.
Craft spoke at a U.N. Security Council meeting on Yemen, and condemned both the Houthi faction for its “murderous conduct” in the wartorn nation, and Iran's regime for its role as the militant group’s “primary supporter.”
But she also noted a recent tweet by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who weighed in on the U.S. election and described Iran’s record as one of “dignity, interest & responsible diplomacy.”
“I am reminded of the regime’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, sending out a preachy tweet on Sunday about the need for multilateralism and Iran’s record as a practitioner of 'responsible diplomacy,'” Craft said. “It is so ironic, and it would be funny if it weren’t so tragic. A diplomat using Twitter to spread propaganda on a platform that his own people are forbidden to use to profess innocence, and claim that his government is fighting for peace.”
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She then moved to note Iran’s destabilizing conduct in the Middle East, renewing the Trump administration’s concerns about Tehran’s fueling of conflicts and support of militant and terrorist groups.
She accused Iran of dispatching a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as an “ambassador” to the Houthis
“Wherever there is violence, instability, and bloodshed in the region, Iran can be found fanning the flames. The regime fuels the Houthis’ violence, providing funds, weapons, training, and encouragement,” she said, accusing them of making a peaceful solution more difficult to achieve.
The Trump administration has adopted a “maximum pressure” campaign toward Tehran, pulling out of the 2015 Iran deal in 2018, and imposing waves of sanctions against its financial and energy sectors.
However, President-elect Joe Biden has promised to re-enter the deal. But a Biden administration will also have to work out how to convince Iran to keep its side of the agreement.
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The U.N. nuclear watchdog announced Wednesday that Iran continues to increase its stockpile of low-enriched uranium, far beyond what the deal allows. It also continues to enrich that uranium more than the deal authorizes.
The International Atomic Energy Agency reported in a document obtained by the Associated Press that Iran has a stockpile of 5,385 lbs. of low-enriched uranium -- under the deal, it is only allowed to have a stockpile of 447 lbs.
Fox News’ Ben Evansky and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/un-craft-iran-violence-middle-east