US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo begins a 24-day trip to the Middle East to form an international coalition against Iran after escalating tensions in recent days between the two countries.
Pompeo will visit Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Washington's Sunni allies who fear increasing influence from Shi'ite-majority Iran. The passage of the secretary of state by Jeddah and Abu Dhabi was hurriedly marked last week in the wake of a trip to India and before joining US President Donald Trump on his next visit to Japan for the summit the G20, and South Korea.
Pompeo's trip to the Middle East was announced shortly before his departure, which is a sign that preparations were rushed due to the unpredictability of the unfolding crisis with Iran. Last week, Trump even authorized an attack military mission to Iran, but back in the nick of time.
"We will talk about how to ensure that we are all strategically aligned and how we can build a global coalition, a coalition not only with the Gulf States but also in Asia and Europe, that understands this challenge and is prepared to impose itself on the greatest sponsor of terror around the world, "said Pompeo before embarking for Jedda.
Pompeo kept the same tone as Trump and US Vice President Mike Pence in saying that the US is ready to start negotiations with Tehran without conditions. These statements are intended to bring some relief to the tensions between the two countries since the beginning of the Trump administration, with the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and the reinstatement of heavy economic sanctions.
The Secretary of State said that his goal in the Middle East is to deny Iran "the resources to support terror, develop its nuclear weapons system and its missile program," and "maintain the security of American interests and the American people in Worldwide".
