US Slams Russia, China For Blocking UN Statement On Baghdad Embassy Attack

More international fall out after the US targeted assassination of Gen. Qasem Soleimani— and in a worrisome for Washington — China and Russia once again find themselves allies in thwarting US plans.

On Monday the United States slammed Russia and China for blocking a United Nations Security council statement condemning the Dec. 31 mob attack on the US embassy in Baghdad — an event which precipitated the Trump administration’s order to take out Soleimani days later, accusing the IRGC Quds Force leader of plotting more attacks on Americans.

The US advanced the UN statement “underscoring the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises” — but to pass in needs agreement of the 15-member Security Council by consensus.

Reuters quoted the US mission to the UN as saying that while 27 countries spoke out against the attack on the Baghdad embassy, Russia and China blocked a formal statement. 

US officials said the majority stood with Washington “in stark contrast to the United Nations Security Council’s silence due to two permanent members – Russia and China – not allowing a statement to proceed.”

This after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a day after Soleimani’s death that the US had launched an “illegal power” move which should instead be based on dialogue with Tehran. 

Forbes characterized Russian objections within the context of the UN further:

He [Lavrov] said that the actions of a UN member state to eliminate officials of another UN member state on the territory of a third sovereign state “flagrantly violate the principles of international law and deserve condemnation.”

Similarly China has stood against Washington’s unilateral military action, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying the US must not “abuse force” and instead pursue mutual dialogue. 

“The dangerous US military operation violates the basic norms of international relations and will aggravate regional tensions and turbulence,” Wang told Javad Zarif in a phone call days ago.

Diplomatically speaking, the US faces an uphill battle on the UN National Security Council, considering its already provoked the ire of two of its formidable members, who increasingly find themselves in close cooperation blocking US initiatives.