Pompeo Promises ‘Swift and Decisive U.S. Response’ to Iranian Attacks

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday warned Iran that it will face a “swift and decisive U.S. response” if it attacks American interests or directs its proxy forces to do so.

The commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet indicated he is prepared to order the USS Abraham Lincoln battle group into the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran frequently threatens to terrorize or blockade. President Trump urged the Iranians to negotiate instead of risking a military confrontation.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in an escalating series of threatening actions and statements in recent weeks. The response of the United States and our partners and allies has been clear: We do not seek war. But Iran’s forty years of killing American soldiers, attacking American facilities, and taking American hostages is a constant reminder that we must defend ourselves,” Pompeo said in a statement released Thursday.

“The regime in Tehran should understand that any attacks by them or their proxies of any identity against US interests or citizens will be answered with a swift and decisive US response. Our restraint to this point should not be mistaken by Iran for a lack of resolve,” Pompeo warned.

Pompeo’s statement concluded by echoing President Donald Trump’s invitation to dialogue instead of confrontation.

“What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me,” Trump said at the White House on Thursday.

“We just don’t want them to have nuclear weapons – not too much to ask. And we would help put them back to great shape. We can make a deal, a fair deal,” he offered.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), recently designated a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration, rejected the idea of talks by claiming the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal proves the U.S. is an “unreliable” negotiating partner.

“No talks will be held with the Americans and the Americans will not dare take military action against us,” an IRGC official boasted.

The Iranian regime arranged marches on Friday to create the image of widespread public support for the government to begin reneging on major provisions of the JCPOA. The demonstrators were instructed to chant slogans such as “Americans should know sanctions have no effect!”

This message might have confused some of the demonstrators since the regime spent the past year blaming U.S. sanctions for Iran’s poor economy and tried claiming the sanctions hindered Tehran’s efforts to cope with deadly floods last month.

Vice Admiral Jim Malloy, commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, indicated on Thursday he is ready to order the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln into the Strait of Hormuz if necessary to protect oil shipments. The strike group is currently located in the Red Sea.

“If I need to bring it inside the strait, I will do so. I’m not restricted in any way, I’m not challenged in any way, to operate her anywhere in the Middle East,” Malloy told Reuters in a telephone interview.

“I am not in a war-plan footing and have not been tasked to do so. However we are absolutely ready to respond to any aggression against the United States, partners in the region, or our interests,” he added.

The Iranians have denounced reports of an impending terrorist threat as “fake intelligence,” but Malloy said the intel was based on “actual activity that we observed.”

According to U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters, some of that activity involved moving anti-ship missiles onto boats, in keeping with Iran’s long-standing threat to attack both civilian and military ships in the Strait of Hormuz with swarms of small craft. Another possible threat vector could come from Iran-backed Shiite militia in Iraq attacking Americans in that country.

Malloy said Iran is suspected of fielding new missile technology that “falls under the category of destabilizing and offensive in nature,” which would be a fair description of anti-ship missiles intended to shut down the vast amount of oil shipping that passes through the Strait of Hormuz.