U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended Washington’s maximum pressure campaign on Iran, as an effective tool to force a change in the regime’s actions.
While addressing an event in London on the future of Britain’s post-Brexit relationship with the United States, the top American diplomat insisted “We think denying them money and wealth is the right way to go to force them to make difficult decisions so that, in fact, the Iranian people get their opportunity.”
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab appeared alongside Secretary Pompeo, where he emphasized that while there may be varying strategies, Europe and the U.S. have a shared-goal to see the Islamic Republic alter its malign behavior. “We’ve seen Iran step further and further away from the norms of the international community, and they must be held to account for that,” said Raab. “You’ve got the JCPOA (2015 nuclear deal) and the different views that we have on it. But it’s the only deal in town at the moment,” added the top British diplomat, going on to say, “But I don’t think there is a huge difference between Europeans and Americans on wanting to see Iran accept those responsibilities and come to a broader rapprochement and a broader deal.”