Pompeo said set to warn Iran, reaffirm US commitment to Mideast, in Cairo speech
Pompeo said set to warn Iran, reaffirm US commitment to Mideast, in Cairo speech
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a major policy speech in Cairo this week, will focus on Iran’s role as a “dangerous actor” in the region, as well as on American commitment to the Middle East “despite false narratives” surrounding Washington’s decision to pull US troops out of Syria, a senior State Department official told POLITICO Monday.
Pompeo leaves for a week-long whirlwind tour of the region Tuesday, during which he will visit Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait.
Politico reports Pompeo may also visit Israel and Iraq, although last week the State Department said Jerusalem was not on his schedule.
The trip comes a week after the top American diplomat met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Brazil, and assured him that the planned pullout from Syria will not alter Washington’s commitment to countering Iranian aggression and maintaining Israel’s security.
Israeli officials are concerned that the withdrawal of the 2,000 US military personnel from Syria will create a military vacuum enabling Iran to increase its foothold in the country, where it is supporting the Syrian regime in ending the country’s civil war. The US forces have been assisting local militias in defeating the Islamic State terror group in the country.
The secretary will seek to paint Tehran as the chief source of regional instability and terrorism in his Cairo speech, the news site reported.
In an interview with CNBC broadcast Monday, Pompeo said that one aim for the trip is to build a global coalition of countries, including Israel and the Gulf states, which believe Iran must cease acting as a state sponsor of terrorism.
His speech in Cairo will also serve as a rebuke of former president Barack Obama’s policies in the region, sources told the website — particularly his decision to negotiate with Iran.
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Read More: Times Of Israel
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