Pompeo threatens toughest sanctions in history on Iran

WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday here that Iran will suffer the toughest sanctions in history from the United States if it does not change the current course.

In a speech unveiling "a new Iran strategy" at the Heritage Foundation, a US-based conservative think tank, Pompeo urged Tehran to report to the International Atomic Energy Agency about its nuke program, end proliferation of its missiles, and stop supporting "terrorist groups" in the Middle East.

"We will ensure freedom of navigation on the waters in the region. We will track down Iranian operatives and their Hezbollah proxies operating around the world and crush them," said the US top diplomat. "Iran will never again have carte blanche to dominate the Middle East."

Speaking of the US upcoming sanctions, Pompeo said "the sting of sanctions will only grow more painful if the regime does not change course from the unacceptable and unproductive path it has chosen for itself and the people of Iran."

"These will be the strongest sanctions in history by the time we are done," he added. "We will also ensure Iran has no possible path to a nuclear weapon -- ever."

Outlining the bid to establish an international coalition to pressure Iran, Pompeo said the United States wanted a better deal to address its concerns on Iran, and will send teams around the globe to explain the US motives and build a global momentum.

"Any new deal must begin with defining what the world should demand from Iran," he said. "America did not create this need for changed behavior, Iran did."

In an apparent bid to garner allies support, Pompeo said that "we want support of our most important allies and partners in the region and around the globe," adding "we welcome any nation which is sick and tired" of Iran's behavior.

The speech came after the Trump administration withdrew from the historic Iran nuke deal earlier this month, which sparked wide international outrage.

While announcing the pullout, US President Donald Trump vowed to impose "the highest level" of economic sanctions on Tehran and inflict punishments like secondary sanctions on nations that have business links with Tehran.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in an announcement that "sanctions will be reimposed, subject to certain 90-day and 180-day wind-down periods. At the conclusion of the wind-down periods, the applicable sanctions will come back into full effect."

US allies in Europe, which have many economic links with Tehran, have been particularly frustrated.

After the exit announcement of Trump, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said that China regrets the US decision.