Mattis: Iran is the World's Largest State Sponsor of Terrorism

The new U.S. Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, stated on Saturday, February 5, that "as far as Iran is concerned, [I must say that] it is truly the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world." According to reports, General Mattis made these remarks during a press conference alongside his Japanese counterpart while visiting Tokyo. Regarding what he termed "Iran's support for terrorism," he added: "Ignoring it is of no benefit. Leaving it alone is also of no benefit, and at the same time, I do not see a need to increase the number of forces we currently have in the Middle East." He referred to the issue of increasing American forces in the Middle East, stating, "We always have the capability to do this, but for now, I don't think it's necessary." National Security Advisor General Michael Flynn also mentioned on Friday, February 4, that Iran's "hostile actions" would "no longer be tolerated." Two days prior, General Flynn had warned Iran that it was "on the radar of the United States." White House spokesman Sean Spicer also stated on Friday that the U.S. is serious in its dealings with Iran and, as the President has said, "no options are off the table." President Donald Trump, after stating that "no options regarding Iran are off the table," tweeted on Friday: "Iran is playing with fire." These statements come as the U.S. also deployed the USS Cole to the waters of the Bab-el-Mandeb region in southwestern Yemen to protect maritime routes. The American warship was sent four days after an attack by Iranian-backed Houthi forces on a Saudi military ship in western Yemen, which resulted in the death of two soldiers and injuries to three others from Saudi Arabia. The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday sanctioned thirteen companies and twelve individuals in Iran, Lebanon, China, and the UAE for their connections to "ballistic missile development" and Iran's "terrorist activities." The expansion of the U.S. sanctions list followed Iran's confirmation that it had tested a missile in recent days. Despite the U.S. strong reaction to Iran's ballistic missile launch, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) began a new missile drill in Semnan province on Saturday, February 5, with the slogan "Humiliating Sanctions and Threats." In response to General Mattis's presence in Japan and South Korea, China urged the U.S. not to take a biased stance and to act responsibly. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that "Americans should not complicate this issue and cause instability in Southeast Asia." China claims that the disputed islands have been a "long-standing part" of its territory for hundreds of years. Meanwhile, North Korea reacted to General Mattis's presence in Southeast Asia by stating that the U.S. and South Korea are bringing the Korean Peninsula to the brink of "nuclear war." Ahead of General Mattis's trip to East Asia, the U.S. had issued a stern warning to the North Korean government that its actions would face a decisive response.