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In his first major speech as a US foreign minister, new chief diplomat gave himself little diplomatic. Two weeks after President Donald Trump announced US exit from nuclear agreement with Iran, Mike Pompeo was not very much in conciliatory terms with regime in Tehran or international allies. The US would destroy Iran’s economy with all available power and “break” its agents and henchmen around world, he prophesied during a word-mighty appearance in Washington. If sanctions were to be grasped, Iran would fight for survival. As he made clear in 20 minutes of speech, “only beginning”.
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Pompeos hardliners positions and unconditional loyalty to President were guarantors of his rise from CIA chief to Foreign minister. And so he repeated demands of his boss – supplemented by a whole series of or conditions. To evade sanctions, Iran must cease its missile program, stop supporting militant and terrorist groups in Middle East, and withdraw its troops from Syria. Pompeo also called for release of American prisoners and banning of heavy water reactors, which are basic prerequisites for development of nuclear energy. Never again, said foreign minister, regime will receive a “free ticket to dominate Middle East”.
The uncompromising sound surprised even experts of ex-military in Foreign Ministry. The only thing Pompeo did not ask for was a conversion to Christianity, commented Jeremy Shapiro of European Council on Foreign Relations to Washington Post.
“The disaster is programmed”
Details of how Americans want to make concessions to regime in Tehran remained foreign minister’s fault in his speech. He also did not call a time frame for possible discussions on demand. Pompeo did not set out a strategy, but rar presented a “wonder bag full of wishful thinking”, that is why Suzanne Maloney, a Middle Eastern expert from liberal think tank Brookings Institution in Washington, subsequently wrote. The speech suggests that government expects to be able to enforce any concessions on its own and irrespective of objections of Europeans. “The disaster is programmed,” says Maloney. After US exit, heads of state from Berlin, Paris and London had announced that y would want to stick to agreement even without American involvement.
Until speech Pompeos, many political observers had also expressed hope in United States that America could possibly still wait with enforcement of sanctions against companies – and thus chances of a common negotiated solution with Europeans and Partners in Asia. The Foreign minister, however, did not make any effort to take anything back. The Americans are going for a full-fledged new treaty, not merely rePompeoing existing deal, he made clear. He closed a renegotiation. In direction of concerned partners, especially in Europe, re was only one vague gesture: “We are aware that sanctions mean financial and economic difficulties for some of our friends,” said Pompeo. “But it must be clear to everyone that we are going to take responsibility for those who conduct illegal business with Iran.”
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The US president had shaken confidence of Europeans with withdrawal of several multilateral treaties, including climate agreement, in recent months. Only last week, at urging of Trump, US had moved American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, against all warnings from domestic and foreign experts. Trump’s foreign minister has now done little to repair damaged relationship with important allies, commented US media after speech. “Who needs enemies with such friends?”, Washington Post quoted President of European Council, Donald Tusk.
