Pompeo Announces Creation Of Iran Action Group To Oversee US Policies

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published August 17, 2018 | 12:39 AM

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Thursday the creation of the Iran Action Group, which will be responsible for overseeing the US response to Tehrans destabilizing activities.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2018) United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Thursday the creation of the Iran Action Group, which will be responsible for overseeing the US response to Tehrans destabilizing activities.

Today Im happy to announce the creation of the Iran Action Group, Pompeo told reporters. The Iran Action Group will be responsible for directing, reviewing and coordinating all aspects of the State Departments Iran-related activity and it will report directly to me.

Department of State Director of Policy Planning Brian Hook will lead the Iran Action Group as its Special Representative for Iran, Pompeo said.

The Iran Action Group will drive efforts to achieve the US objective of changing Tehrans behavior and ensuring the State Department is in sync with other inter-agency partners as it pursues its mission, the top US diplomat said.

The group will also seek to build the international effort to counter Irans behavior, he said.

The Iran Action Group will address all manifestations of the Iranian threat, which has been a force for instability and violence, Hook said. Irans destabilizing activity is broad, but includes aspirations of developing nuclear weapons, its support for terrorism, malign cyber activity, proliferation of ballistic missiles and much more, he added.

In May, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would exit the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which stipulated the gradual lifting of the anti-Iran sanctions in exchange for Tehran maintaining the peaceful nature of its nuclear program. In addition, Trump decided to reinstate sanctions on Iran.

The unilateral move has been opposed by other signatories to the agreement, which have pledged their ongoing commitment to the historic accord.