US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, for the first time, outlined Washington’s new Iran policy in detail on Monday morning, threatening to put “unprecedented” pressure on the country, unless a long list of demands is met.
“We will apply unprecedented financial pressure on the Iranian regime. The leaders in Iran will have no doubt about our seriousness,” Pompeo said, speaking at the Heritage Foundation. “Thanks to our colleagues at the Department of Treasury, sanctions are going back into full effect and new ones are coming.”
“These will, indeed, end up being the strongest sanction in history, when we are complete,” he stressed.
“The Iranian regime should know that this is just the beginning. The sting of sanctions will be painful if the regime does not change its course from the unacceptable and unproductive path it has chosen.”
The secretary emphasized that the administration has no plans to renegotiate the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, before enumerating a list of 12 demands that must be met in exchange for waiving of sanctions.
Pompeo lists the demands, paraphrased below, at 18:30 in the video released by the State Department, embedded under the list.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani rejected the demands hours after Pompeo’s speech, saying that “our nation has heard such comments and ignored them hundreds of times.”
“Iran is united and unified in rejecting the new policies of the Trump government,” he said, as quoted by The Financial Times, citing Iranian state media.
“[Pompeo,] a man who was in a spy centre until yesterday, is introduced as the US secretary of state and wants to make decision,” Rouhani added.
“Who do you think you are to make decisions for Iran and the world? The time for making such comments is over. Our nation have heard such comments and ignored them hundreds of times,” he said.
Pompeo demanded that Iran must:
- Declare to IAEA [the International Atomic Energy Agency] full account of prior military dimensions of its nuclear program – and permanently abandon them.
- Stop enrichment and never pursue plutonium reprocessing – this includes closing its heavy-water reactor.
- Provide IAEA with unqualified access to all sites throughout the entire country.
- End proliferation of ballistic missiles and cease further launching or development of nuclear-capable missile systems.
- Release all US citizens as well as those of partners and allies.
- End support of terrorist groups including Hezbollah, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
- Respect the sovereignty of the Iraqi government – permit disarming and demobilization of Shia militia.
- End support for Houthi militia and work toward a peaceful settlement in Yemen.
- Withdraw all forces under Iranian command throughout the entirety of Syria.
- End support for Taliban and cease harboring senior al-Qaeda leaders.
- End Quds support for terrorists.
- End threatening behavior against its neighbours including threats to destroy Israel.
Pompeo is living in a parallel universe. His hand is much weaker than he thinks. Where will he find support for his program outside of Israel, KSA, and UAE?
The made an usual demand on trade negotiation with China. What do they get? It is big brother trying to bully a middle power. Or is this the face of Israel riding on the US?
With regards to Iran, the hawks in the US government are schoolyard bullies turning everything upside down. To them black is white and the earth is flat.
It is just empty drumming. Gone the days US was having some worth. Now no one cares. Let him make hue and cry it will not bring any result.
you just heard /read the demands of the zionist israseli criminal netanyahu.war is looming and iran better realize immediately that is the case. no sanctions !! thats the cover.war war war !!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Iranian People are the ones who will suffer.Not the "regime".
You are absolutely right.
Here is my response to Pompeo and Jewish lobby and Israeli sympatheisers… Go F$&K yourself.
The sanctions will bite. Ask people in Iran. Don’t just sit down somewhere and say what you don’t know.
The idea is that they rise up and do away with the religious bigots ruling the country
The demands are in order. The world cannot afford to ignore dangers posed by the Iranian regime.
los tiempos han cambiado, la relación entre los países impide que las sanciones impuestas causen algún daño a los países "sancionados", Estados Unidos no puede controlar las naciones que tienen intereses con Irán.
And why can’t the US also promise to stop threatening smaller nations instead
A father tells a toddler not to smoke cigarete and the toddler hit back asking his father why are you also smoking!!!