ABC News(WASHINGTON) — As tensions continued between the United States and Iran, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “We do want a peaceful resolution to this. That is our objective.”
In his interview with ABC’s “This Week” Co-Anchor Martha Raddatz, he added, “But make no mistake about it, if we are unsuccessful in that, and Iran continues to strike out in this way, I am confident that President Donald Trump will make the decisions necessary to achieve our objectives.”
Pompeo called an attack on a Saudi oil facility last weekend an “act of war,” when speaking to reporters after landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
While Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the attack, the secretary of state blamed it on Iran in a tweet shortly after it happened. He also called the Houthi claim false when speaking to reporters this week.
“We are working diligently to see that this has a diplomatic outcome,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says when asked if the U.S. can avoid war with Iran, but adds, “if we are unsuccessful,” Trump will make necessary decisions “to achieve our objectives” https://t.co/AUTkd7sjfO pic.twitter.com/OQWZK7Ad2z
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 22, 2019
“I don’t think this type of posturing helps,” Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said when asked about the deployment in a clip released ahead of an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Trump announced sanctions on Iran’s national bank on Friday, calling them “the highest sanctions ever imposed on a country.”
The Saudi government said Iran “sponsored” the attack during a news conference on Wednesday. Iran has denied responsibility for the attack.
When he last appeared on “This Week” in September, Pompeo said that the U.S. wants to negotiate.
“We don’t want violence, we don’t want war with Iran,” he said.
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