Pompeo calls for ‘diplomatic’ approach with Europe towards Iran

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for a common diplomatic approach with Europe to deal with what he describes as threats posed by Iran.

The US top diplomat, speaking to reporters at the State Department on Tuesday, said he was “confident” that Washington and Europe’s shared interests would result in a common diplomatic approach to address what he called “Iran’s threats.”

"I am confident that we can collectively develop a diplomatic response that achieves the simple outcomes that we put forward," Pompeo said.

"I am confident that there is a shared set of overlapping values and interests here that will drive us to the same conclusion about the need to respond to the Islamic Republic Iran's threats," he added.

Pompeo also responded to critics who had denounced his 12-point list of conditions for the Islamic Republic as “unrealistic,” saying that the demands were not a “fantasy.”

Pompeo said a day earlier that Washington will increase the financial pressure on Iran by imposing the "strongest sanctions in history" if Tehran refuses to change the course of its foreign and domestic policy.

PressTV-US warns Iran of ‘strongest sanctions in history’

The US secretary of state says Washington will impose the strongest sanctions in history against Iran.

Speaking weeks after the United States' move to pull out from a nuclear agreement Iran signed with major powers in 2015, he laid out 12 tough conditions for any "new deal" with Tehran. The conditions included withdrawal of Iran's military advisors from Syria and the Islamic Republic's respect for the Iraqi government's sovereignty.

Pompeo’s latest remarks come after the European Union’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini warned Washington that there was “no alternative” to the Iran nuclear deal and called on the US to honor its commitments to the landmark accord.

PressTV-Pompeo fails to justify US exit, EU suggests

The EU's foreign policy chief says there is no "alternative" to the Iran nuclear deal, after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed "painful" sanctions against Tehran.

"This deal belongs to the international community, having been endorsed by the United Nations Security Council. The international community expects all sides to keep the commitments they made more than two years ago," Mogherini said.

She also noted that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has on multiple occasions confirmed that Iran has implemented "all its nuclear related commitments" under the agreement.

Following Pompeo's remarks on Monday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the United States cannot make decisions for Iran and other independent countries.

PressTV-World never accepts US deciding for all: Rouhani

The Iranian president says the United States cannot make decisions for Iran and other independent countries in the world.

"All world countries want independence in their decisions and perhaps Americans are able to advance their agenda in some places through pressure, but logic does not accept them making decisions for the world," said Rouhani.   

US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement which was reached between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany.

Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose "the highest level" of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.

Iran has said it would remain in the JCPOA for now, pending negotiations with the other signatories in the coming weeks, before making a final decision on its future role in the agreement. Tehran wants the Europeans to give it clear-cut guarantees about fulfilling their obligations if it remains in the accord.

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