Pompeo: Any Money Reaching the Islamic Republic Will Be Spent on Malice

Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated in an interview with Radio Farda on Thursday that there are differences in the approach of the European Union and the United States towards Iran, as the U.S. believes that 'any money that reaches the Islamic Republic of Iran will ultimately end up in the hands of Qassem Soleimani and will be spent on malice.' In an exclusive interview with Niyousha Beghrati from Radio Farda, which took place on the sidelines of the Warsaw meeting, Mr. Pompeo said that Iran was one of the topics discussed at this meeting and 'no country denied the reality of the Iranian threat.' Mr. Pompeo added that 'this gathering was formed with the aim of creating peace and stability throughout the Middle East, and for this reason, more than 60 countries have come together to find solutions to the problems of Yemen, the problems of Syria, and the security threats posed by the Palestinians' confrontation with Israel.' He further stated that Middle Eastern countries have come to recognize that their citizens are under threat from the Islamic Republic of Iran because, according to him, 'when we talk about Hezbollah, we must talk about Iran. When discussing the malice of the Houthis in Yemen, we must also talk about Iran.' The U.S. Secretary of State reminded Radio Farda that 'it is clear that there are differences regarding how to address this issue. The Europeans are committed to the nuclear agreement with Iran, but we have made a completely different decision.' Mr. Pompeo elaborated on this matter: 'We believe that any money that reaches the Islamic Republic of Iran will ultimately end up in the hands of Qassem Soleimani and will be spent on malice, and more importantly, this money will be used to create real problems for the people of Iran.' 'We are determined to ensure that the voice of the Iranian people is heard.' In this exclusive interview with Radio Farda, the U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that the United States is determined to ensure that the voice of the Iranian people is heard. Referring to the 12 conditions he previously outlined for Iran to join the global community, he stressed that the U.S. demand is 'a change in the behavior of the Iranian government' and 'we want Iran's conduct to be like that of a normal country.' The U.S. Secretary of State reminded that his country 'follows a set of policies every day with the hope of achieving such a result,' and expressed confidence that when this goal is achieved, 'the entire Middle East and the whole world will be a safer place.' Mr. Pompeo added: 'How these behaviors should change is ultimately a matter for the Iranian people. The people will express their demands; the people will exercise their power.' He said, 'The people of Iran are smart and capable, they have a rich and deep history. They are fully capable of managing their own affairs. Therefore, the goal of the behavioral changes we seek is to create security throughout the Middle East and a better life for the people of Iran.' The U.S. Secretary of State emphasized, 'We will do everything we can to ensure that the demands of the people from within Iran are expressed, so that they can achieve the life they desire, a life that does not pose a threat or danger to the Middle East and other parts of the world.' 'Accusing the U.S. and Israel of murder is not moderation.' In part of the interview with Radio Farda, the U.S. Secretary of State was asked about Mohammad Javad Zarif's comments regarding the timing of the deadly attack on the bus carrying the IRGC and the Warsaw meeting. Mr. Zarif, in a tweet referring to the deadly attack in Sistan and Baluchestan, had said, 'Isn't this timing significant, right on the day when a terrorist attack occurs in Iran, the Warsaw circus also begins?' In response to this question, the U.S. Secretary of State stated that 'this matter has nothing to do with the U.S.' He also reminded that 'Mr. Zarif will come to Munich and meet with many representatives of European countries, and I will ask these countries to ask him why he utters such ugly words?' Mr. Pompeo added, 'Sometimes Zarif pretends to be a moderate, but it is not moderation to always accuse Israel and the U.S. of murder. This is not moderation. It simply indicates that Mr. Rouhani and Mr. Zarif, like other leaders of the Iranian government, are revolutionary.' The 'Security and Future of Peace in the Middle East' meeting was held on Wednesday and Thursday in Warsaw, the capital of Poland, and Iranian officials, who describe this meeting as 'anti-Iranian,' have already called it a 'failure.' Among the speakers on Thursday at this meeting was Mike Pence, the U.S. Vice President, who warned about the increase in sanctions against Iran and urged the European allies of the United States to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran. In his speech, he described Iran as 'the greatest threat to peace and security in the Middle East' and accused the Iranian religious government of plotting a 'new Holocaust' with its regional 'ambitions.'