Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Mike Pompeo, Secretary of state, this guy’s job is running all of the governments foreign policy, After the Deal: A New Iran Strategy, May 21,
(total adding 6 mil + 5 mil)] more than 6 million Syrians inside the – 6
million Syrians and caused over 5 million to seek refuge outside of its
borders. These refugees include foreign fighters who have crossed into Europe and threatened terrorist attacks in those countries. In Iraq,
Iran sponsored Shia militia groups and terrorists to infiltrate and
undermine the Iraqi Security Forces and jeopardize Iraq’s sovereignty – all of this
during the JCPOA. In Yemen, Iran’s support for the Houthi militia fuels a conflict that
continues to starve the Yemeni people and hold them under the threat of
terror. The IRGC has also given Houthi missiles to attack civilian targets in
Saudi Arabia and the Emirates and to threaten international shipping in the
Red Sea. And in Afghanistan, Iran’s support to the Taliban in the form of weapons and
funding leads to further violence and hinders peace and stability for the Afghan people. Today, the Iranian Qods Force
conducts covert assassination operations in the heart of Europe. We should remember, too, that during the JCPOA Iran continues to hold Americans
hostage: Baquer Namazi, Siamak Namazi, Xiyue Wang, and Bob Levinson, who has been missing for over 11 years. I will note for the American
people, you should know we are working diligently to bring each American missing wrongfully detained in Iran home. The list continues. Iran
continues to be, during the JCPOA, the world’s largest sponsor of terror. It continues to serve as
sanctuary for al-Qaida, as it has done since 9/11, and remains unwilling to bring to justice senior al-Qaida members residing in Tehran. Today we ask
the Iranian people: Is this what you want your country to be known for, for being a co-conspirator with Hizballah, Hamas, the Taliban, and al-Qaida?
The United States believe you deserve better. And I have an additional point for the Iranian people to ponder. Here in the West, President Rouhani and
Foreign Minister Zarif are often held apart from the regime’s unwise terrorist and malign behavior. They are treated somehow differently. The West
says, “Boy, if only they could control Ayatollah Khamenei and Qasem Soleimani then things would be great.” Yet, Rouhani and Zarif are your elected
leaders. Are they not the most responsible for your economic struggles? Are these two not responsible for wasting Iranian lives throughout the Middle
East? It’s worth the Iranian people considering, because instead of helping their own citizens, the regime continues to
seek a corridor stretching from Iran’s borders to the shores of the Mediterranean. Iran wants this corridor to transport fighters and an advanced
weapons system to Israel’s doorsteps. Indeed in recent months, the IRGC has flown an armed drone into Israeli airspace and launched salvos of
rockets into the Golan Heights from Syria. Our steadfast ally has asserted the sovereign right of self-defense in response, a stance the United States
will continue to unequivocally support. So the bet – the bet that the JCPOA would increase Middle East stability was a bad one for America, for Europe,
for the Middle East, and indeed for the entire world. It is clear that the JCPOA has not ended Iran’s nuclear ambitions, nor did it deter
its quest for a [and] regional hegemony. Iran’s leaders saw the deal as the starting gun for the march across the Middle East.
So, the path forward. America’s commitment to the Iran strategy President Trump laid down in October remains. It will now be executed outside of the
JCPOA. We’ll continue to work with allies to counter the regime’s destabilizing activities in the region, block their financing of terror, and address