The U.S. Calls for European Sanctions on Iran's Missile Program

Brian Hook, the senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State, stated in Riyadh that the U.S. is urging its European allies and others to impose sanctions on Tehran to halt Iran's missile program. Mr. Hook, who is accompanying Mike Pompeo on his first Middle Eastern trip as the new U.S. Secretary of State, described Iran as a threat to peace and stability in the world. The U.S. Secretary of State's advisor then said, 'We urge all nations around the world to sanction individuals and entities related to Iran's missile program, and this issue has been one of the main topics of our discussions with Europeans.' Mike Pompeo's arrival in Riyadh coincided with reports that the Houthis had launched several ballistic missiles at the city of Jizan in southern Saudi Arabia. Riyadh reported four missiles and claimed to have intercepted them, while the Houthis asserted that they fired eight missiles at Saudi Arabia. Senior U.S. officials accompanying Mike Pompeo had previously accused Iran of smuggling missiles to Yemen. According to them, the missile launches at Saudi Arabia underscore the importance of the Trump administration's actions to counter Iran's hostile activities in the region. The report also cites sources close to the U.S. Secretary of State stating that he will emphasize Washington's commitments to defend Saudi Arabia, Israel, and other friends and partners in the region during this trip. In this context, Heather Nauert, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, tweeted about Mike Pompeo's arrival in Riyadh, stating that Saudi Arabia plays a leadership role in achieving a peaceful and prosperous future in the region. She then mentioned that the strong cooperation between the United States and Saudi Arabia is key to achieving this goal. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif recently remarked on the rivalries in the Middle East, stating, 'In our attempts to become the most powerful country in the region and eliminate others, we have devastated the region, and now it is time to put an end to this trend.' Mr. Zarif also emphasized that 'neither Iran nor Saudi Arabia can alone become the dominant power in the region.'