Iran says arms seizure illegal

UNITED NATIONS, April 3 (UPI) -- Iran issued a statement in response to allegations it had violated U.N. sanctions by allegedly shipping weapons to Syria on a Cypriot-flagged ship.

The United Nations in March called on Iran to answer questions regarding cargo on board the Monchegorsk, which was held by Cyprus in January on suspicions of weapons shipments to Syria.

Cypriot authorities claimed in February the cargo included more than 90 containers allegedly related to the manufacture of munitions. Iran is barred from exporting weapons and dual-use materials under a variety of U.N. sanctions pertaining to its controversial nuclear program.

Iranian representatives to the United Nations issued a statement saying there was no legal basis for the measure as the shipment was in coordination with established trade relations with Syria, Iran's Press TV reports.

The statement to the United Nations continued by noting the U.N. Security Council had no right to intervene based on allegations pertaining to Iran's nuclear work.

"As Iran has repeatedly maintained, its nuclear program is completely peaceful and the civilian nature of its activities have been verified by the IAEA on several occasions as well," the statement read. "Thus, Tehran's nuclear work poses no threat to international peace and security, and therefore does not fall within the Security Council's purview by any stretch of law, logic or interpretation."