U.S. Secretary of State Announces Formation of 'Iran Action Group'

Following the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement in Vienna and the re-imposition of sanctions against Iran, Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, announced the establishment of a special group within the State Department to collaborate and implement Washington's policies regarding Tehran. Pompeo announced the formation of this 'action group' on Thursday, August 16, which will be responsible for reviewing and overseeing the implementation of all U.S. policies related to Iran. In his statements on Thursday, he accused the Islamic Republic of years of violence against the U.S. and its allies, and even against the Iranian people themselves. Mike Pompeo also referred to the U.S. exit from the nuclear agreement with Iran, stating that the goal was to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and to change the violent behaviors of the Islamic Republic outside Iran's borders. He expressed solidarity with the Iranian people, who have been suffering for years, and hoped that a new agreement would be reached soon. However, the U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that achieving this agreement would only be possible following a significant change in the Islamic Republic's behavior both domestically and internationally. Mike Pompeo then announced that Brian Hook, the Director of Policy Planning at the State Department, would head the 'Iran Action Group' as the Special Representative for Iran. Hook had conducted negotiations with European countries in recent months to alter the nuclear agreement with Iran, which proved fruitless, ultimately leading Donald Trump, who sought a new agreement with Iran, to withdraw the U.S. from the JCPOA. In this press conference, Brian Hook stated, 'The Iranian government has always been a factor for instability and violence. The new strategy (of the U.S. government) will address all dimensions of the threats posed by Iran, and the new entity 'Iran Action Group' will focus on implementing this strategy.' He added that experts and elites in international relations from the State Department and other government ministries would participate in this entity. Brian Hook further stated, 'The U.S. government continues its efforts to build broad international consensus, and I was in London yesterday, where I had constructive discussions with several senior officials from Britain, Germany, and France.' He then clarified, 'We will strive to enhance cooperation with our allies and partners internationally and reach consensus on contentious issues.' Hook ultimately remarked, 'I have worked on Iran during my time in foreign policy, starting in 2006 when John Bolton was the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, and I thank Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for the trust he has placed in me.' Iran has faced a severe economic crisis in recent months, with the price of the U.S. dollar rising by seven to eight thousand tomans to around twelve thousand tomans. The disordered economic conditions, alongside political and social discontent, have led to widespread protests in Iran targeting the entirety of the Islamic Republic's government. However, Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has declared negotiations with the U.S. forbidden under the current circumstances and stated that he made a mistake by allowing previous negotiations. In this context, Khamenei stated: 'I made a mistake regarding the JCPOA negotiations; I prohibit negotiations with the U.S.' Hassan Rouhani remarked: 'The U.S. has destroyed the bridge and is shouting from the other side.' Nayyart commented on Khamenei's statements: 'We are not going to react to everything they say.'