U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is hailing growing condemnation of Iranian leaders’ aggression in the Middle East.
“More and more nations are beginning to stand up to Iran’s thuggish behavior, and disengaging economically,” Pompeo said in a September 25 speech in New York to United Against Nuclear Iran, a nonprofit organization.
"This is the beginning of an awakening – to the truth that Iran is the aggressor and not the aggrieved." — @SecPompeo at the United Against Nuclear Iran's 2019 #Iran Summit #UNGA pic.twitter.com/tn2Y88dk0H
— Department of State (@StateDept) September 25, 2019
Pompeo commended the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom for their September 23 statement blaming Iran’s leaders for the September 14 attack on Saudi Arabian oil fields and calling for talks to limit the Iranian regime’s threat to Middle East security.
“This is the beginning of an awakening — to the truth that Iran is the aggressor and not the aggrieved, as they claim,” Pompeo said.
His remarks follow President Trump’s September 24 address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Echoing Trump, Pompeo said the U.S. will continue to tighten economic sanctions until Iran’s leaders halt their aggression.
Pompeo urged the Iranian regime to focus on supporting the Iranian people rather than on attacking other countries.
“‘It is time for Iran’s leaders to step forward and stop threatening other countries, and focus on building up their own country,’” Pompeo said, quoting Trump’s speech at UNGA. “‘It is time for Iran’s leaders to finally put those people, the Iranian people first.’”
