Reactions to Pompeo's Remarks on 'Harshest Sanctions' Against Iran

Mike Pompeo's statements regarding Iran have been welcomed by the Israeli government, several countries around the Persian Gulf, and criticized by some other U.S. allies. In his first foreign policy speech as U.S. Secretary of State, Pompeo stated that his administration would impose 'the harshest sanctions in history' against Iran and that if the Iranian government does not change its behavior, the pressure from sanctions will increase. Pompeo has set '12 conditions' for negotiations and reaching a new agreement with Tehran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed these remarks, stating, 'Stopping enrichment, severe sanctions, and Iran's withdrawal from Syria; we believe this policy is the only one that will ultimately guarantee stability and peace in the Middle East.' Netanyahu said on Monday, 'We call on all countries to support [the U.S. policies] regarding Iran.' Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, emphasized that the Iran nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, 'has no alternatives' and stated, 'Pompeo did not clarify how leaving the JCPOA would make the region safer regarding nuclear proliferation or how it would better position us to influence Iran's actions outside the JCPOA framework.' The United Arab Emirates welcomed Pompeo's comments, with its Minister of State for Foreign Affairs stating, 'Unified efforts are the only way to show Iran to abandon its expansionism and aggression.' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, saying, 'Those who have 15,000 nuclear warheads are currently threatening the world.' Erdogan noted that the fact that other parties to the nuclear agreement have remained loyal to it, contrary to the U.S. government's decision, is a very positive decision from Turkey's perspective. The Bahraini Foreign Minister said that the strategy presented by the U.S. Secretary of State 'demonstrates determination to confront the dangers posed by Iran's policies, which threaten regional security and stability, and helps to address the shortcomings of the nuclear agreement.' Bahrain emphasized that it will align with U.S. policies regarding Iran. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson stated that the prospect of reaching a new agreement with Tehran is 'very, very difficult' and 'it is unlikely that an agreement on all of Iran's actions in one negotiation, including Iran's destabilizing behaviors in the region, ballistic missile program, and nuclear issues, will be achievable within a reasonable timeframe.' Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Foreign Minister have strongly criticized Pompeo's remarks. Reuters quoted an unnamed 'senior Iranian diplomat' stating that the U.S. Secretary of State's speech reflects America's policy for regime change in Iran. Heiko Maas, the German Foreign Minister, stated he will travel to Washington to meet and discuss Iran with Pompeo. Emmanuel Macron, the French President, is also set to meet with the Russian President to discuss Iran. The People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran issued a statement saying, 'The U.S. Secretary of State, in his first speech, recognized the uprising of the Iranian people against the religious dictatorship and the biggest supporter of terrorism and called for a global front against the Iranian regime.' Meanwhile, dozens of academics, researchers, writers, artists, filmmakers, and musicians, including Noam Chomsky, Slavoj Žižek, Shirin Neshat, Parviz Tanavoli, and Dariush Ashouri, have written a letter to Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, urging Europe to remain committed to the agreement with Iran.