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U.S. to Put 'Unprecedented Pressure' on Iran, Asks It to 'Withdraw Forces' from Syria
[AnNahar] The United States will increase the financial pressure on Iran with the "strongest sanctions in history," after Washington pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday."We will apply unprecedented financial pressure on the Iranian regime. The leaders in Tehran will have no doubt about our seriousness," Pompeo said in his first major foreign policy address since moving to the State Department from the CIA. "The sting of sanctions will only grow more painful if the regime does not change course from the unacceptable and unproductive path it has chosen for itself and the people of Iran," he added in the speech at the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank. "Iran will never again have carte blanche to dominate the Middle East," he said in outlining the new U.S. strategy on handling the Islamic regime, including 12 tough conditions from Washington for any "new deal" with Tehran. Pompeo's list of 12 tough requirements included many that Iran is highly unlikely to consider. He said Iran must "stop enrichment" of uranium, which was allowed within strict limitations under the 2015 deal. Iran must also allow nuclear "unqualified access to all sites throughout the country," Pompeo said, alluding to military sites that were off-limits under the 2015 deal except under specific circumstances. To that end, he also said Iran must declare all previous efforts to build a nuclear weapon, reopening an issue that the U.N.'s ineffective International Atomic Energy Agency has already deemed a closed matter. Pompeo also demanded that Iran cease from a range of activities throughout the Middle East that have long drawn the ire of the U.S. and its allies. He said Iran must end support for Shiite Houthi ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The Yemeni government has accused the Houthis of having ties to the Iranian government, which wouldn't suprise most of us. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews... rebels in Yemen, "withdraw all forces" from Syria, halt support for its ally  Hizbullah... Party of God, a Leb militia inspired, founded, funded and directed by Iran. Hizbullah refers to itself as The Resistanceand purports to defend Leb against Israel, with whom it has started and lost one disastrous war to date, though it did claim victory... and stop threatening Israel. Iran must also "release all U.S. citizens" missing in Iran or being held on "spurious charges," he said. At the same time, Pompeo offered Iran a series of dramatic potential U.S. concessions if it agrees to make "major changes." Under a new agreement, the U.S. would be willing to lift all sanctions, restore full diplomatic and commercial ties with Iran, and even support the modernization of its economy, Pompeo said. "It is America's hope that our labors toward peace and security will bear fruit for the long-suffering people of Iran," Pompeo said. Pompeo Says U.S. to 'Crush Hizbullah Operatives' around the World [AnNahar] U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday vowed that Washington will "crush" whom he called Hizbullah... Party of God, a Leb militia inspired, founded, funded and directed by Iran. Hizbullah refers to itself as The Resistanceand purports to defend Leb against Israel, with whom it has started and lost one disastrous war to date, though it did claim victory... 's operatives around the world, as he issued a steep list of demands that he said should be included in a nuclear treaty with Iran to replace the Obama-era deal. "We will track down Iranian operatives and their Hizbullah proxies operating around the world and crush them," Pompeo said. Posted by: trailing wife 2018-05-22 |
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