Mike Pompeo: US ready to do whatever it takes to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, September 8, the US Secretary of State said, referring to Iran's actions in violating its commitments in the summer of 2015 nuclear deal, that the Islamic Republic will never obtain nuclear weapons and that the United States will do whatever is necessary to achieve this.
In response to the host's question about Iran's announcement to use advanced centrifuges to increase uranium enrichment beyond the limits agreed upon in the JCPOA, Mike Pompeo said, as President Trump has clearly stated, Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon.
Continuing his remarks, he stated that the US President had previously stated that his government was prepared to take any action to ensure that Iran would never have nuclear weapons, and expressed hope that the world would join the United States in confronting this Iranian approach.
Mr. Pompeo added that the current challenge is that the current US administration came to power at a time when the previous administration had given billions of dollars to the ayatollahs in Iran, which allowed them to advance their agendas. He said that one of the flaws of the JCPOA is that all the restrictions imposed by it can be reversed in a matter of minutes.
Emphasizing that the approach of President Trump's administration is different, the US Secretary of State said: "We are forming new coalitions with the Persian Gulf countries, with Israel, with all our partners around the world who understand the threat of the existence of nuclear weapons in the Middle East and in the Islamic Republic of Iran."
Mike Pompeo added that the goal was to reduce the Islamic Republic's nuclear weapons capabilities, and that this had been successfully accomplished. He said Hezbollah had fewer resources, and the situation with Iran-affiliated militias in Iraq was similar.
The US Secretary of State also referred to the economic problems facing the Islamic Republic today, noting the skyrocketing inflation rate in Iran, and said that Iran's gross domestic product is expected to decline by 12 to 14 percent this year, which will reduce their ability to secure the necessary tools for their destructive actions.
Noting that President Trump's approach towards Iran has been very successful so far, Mr. Pompeo reiterated that the United States will never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Regarding the possibility of a meeting between the presidents of the United States and Iran on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York this month, he said that President Trump will assess whether such a meeting would have a desirable outcome for the American people.
Source: Voice of America
