The Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that the United Nations (UN) arms embargo on Iran, has expired early Sunday, AFP reported. “As of today, all restrictions on the transfer of arms, related activities and financial services to and from the Islamic Republic of Iran … are all automatically terminated,” the ministry said in a statement.

Javed Zarif, Iran’s Foreign Minister hailed it as a “momentous day”. 

“A momentous day for the international community, which— in defiance of malign US efforts,” he tweeted.

The arms embargo was placed on Tehran under the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Germany and the European Union (EU). The ban was due to start expiring progressively from Sunday, October 18, under the deal.

Also read: China, Iran committed to nuclear deal signed in 2015, say foreign ministers

“As of today, the Islamic Republic may procure any necessary arms and equipment from any source without any legal restrictions, and solely based on its defensive needs,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry added in the statement sent out on Twitter.

It insisted that under the terms of the deal, struck with the United States, China, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and the European Union, “the lifting of arms restrictions and the travel ban were designed to be automatic with no other action required.”

US President Donald Trump withdrew his country from the deal in 2018 and has unilaterally begun reimposing sanctions on Iran.

In August, the US tried to extend the embargo indefinitely, a move rejected by almost every member of the UNSC, with its European allies saying the priority is to salvage a peaceful solution to Iran’s nuclear programme.

Also read: Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani Rouhani condemns US for ‘crimes’ against Iran

Moscow said in September that it was ready to boost its military cooperation with Tehran, while Beijing has also spoken of its willingness to sell arms to Iran after October 18.

Washington maintained it will seek to prevent Iran from purchasing Chinese tanks and Russian air defence systems.