Iranian deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi accused “the United States (of being) determined to leave the nuclear deal,” claiming the sacking of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was made “with that goal in mind.” The allegation by Tehran’s deputy Foreign Minister was further echoed by other Iranian officials, whom accused former CIA director Mike Pompeo as “very interested in waging a war similar to the Iraq war,” against the Islamic Republic. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi, meanwhile, sought to minimize Tillerson’s firing, calling it part of the “frequent and multiple” changes in Trump’s administration. Ghasemi further noted that the Islamic republic continues to “closely monitor (Washington’s) approaches and macro policies and will take appropriate stances accordingly in the future.”
